Journalism ethics and climate change reporting in a period of intense media uncertainty

B Ward

doi:10.3354/esep00097

Abstract

The best editors and reporters in the USA adhere to a well-defined, if somewhat abstract, code of journalistic ethics, but doing so during a time of revolutionary changes in the mainstream media—and during a severe financial crisis nationally and globally—presents peculiar challenges. How those challenges may affect the coverage of global climate change presents its own set of questions, and the outcome for journalism ethics is as unpredictable as it is for climate change policies and for journalism itself. This article raises issues that will have to be sorted out over time if the public is to be kept well informed about the challenges, risks, and opportunities posed by climate change.

Highlights

Many veterans of traditional journalism stick to a well-established, if often abstract and unenforceable, code of professional ethics that compares favorably with the strictest such codes applicable to many other fields
Journalism ethics and climate change reporting in a period of intense media uncertainty
The best editors and reporters in the USA adhere to a well-defined, if somewhat abstract, code of journalistic ethics, but doing so during a time of revolutionary changes in the mainstream media — and during a severe financial crisis nationally and globally— presents peculiar challenges. How those challenges may affect the coverage of global climate change presents its own set of questions, and the outcome for journalism ethics is as unpredictable as it is for climate change policies and for journalism itself

Summary

Introduction

Many veterans of traditional journalism stick to a well-established, if often abstract and unenforceable, code of professional ethics that compares favorably with the strictest such codes applicable to many other fields. Journalism ethics and climate change reporting in a period of intense media uncertainty ABSTRACT: The best editors and reporters in the USA adhere to a well-defined, if somewhat abstract, code of journalistic ethics, but doing so during a time of revolutionary changes in the mainstream media — and during a severe financial crisis nationally and globally— presents peculiar challenges.

Results

Conclusion