Archive
1 Nov

10 tips for the savvy environmental journalist

<p>Science and environmental issues can be challenging for the public to understand due to the technical language and complexity, so journalists should act as translators by using clear, concise language and relevant examples to explain the science and the issues. Here are 10 tips by environmental writer <strong>Stephen Leahy</strong>, adapted from a chapter written by him in the newly published book <em>Reporter's Guide to the Millennium Development Goals</em>, published by the International Press Institute in Vienna.</p>

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9 Apr

What happens when journalists become the story? A Q&A with science writer Mark Lynas

<p>Mark Lynas, a well-known British writer on climate change, <a href="http://www.marklynas.org/2013/01/lecture-to-oxford-farming-conference-3-january-2013/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">apologized</a> during a farm industry conference in Oxford, U.K. last January, for having helped start the now-widespread resistance against genetically modified organisms.</p>

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9 Jan

Silence of the labs

<p><em><strong>Kai Benson </strong>explains why the federal government's attempt to muzzle its scientists hinders public knowledge and damages science discourse in Canada.</em></p><p> </p><p><strong>By Kai Benson, <a href="http://rrj.ca/m25739/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">for the <em>Ryerson Review of Journalism</em></a></strong></p>

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23 Apr

Freelance environmental journalism: Going it alone and making it work

<p><em>With little demand for environmental stories in Canadian mainstream publications, freelance journalist Stephen Leahy faced two options: Give up the beat, or find a new way to make ends meet. <strong>Paul Weinberg</strong> explains why the 20-year veteran chose the latter and how he is faring.</em></p><p> </p><p>A committed freelance environmental journalist has discovered a way to cover important—and often unreported—stories and stay electronically in touch with readers without going through a mainstream media intermediary.</p>

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15 Feb

New media means new ways to cover climate change

<p><em>Just because mainstream coverage of climate change is waning doesn’t mean people aren’t talking about it. <strong>Candis Callison</strong>, a UBC professor with an interest in climate change coverage, argues that new media presents new opportunities for covering a topic that has traditionally posed trouble for journalists because it neither bleeds, nor leads. </em></p><p> </p><p>Reporting on climate change is on the wane in major newspapers across the country, but does that mean Canadians aren’t talking about it?</p>

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6 Oct

New resource centre for journalists covering science

<p><a href="http://www.sciencemediacentre.ca/smc/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Science Media Centre </a>(SMC) is a new resource that aims to help scientists and writers connect. It is an independent, not-for-profit organization that wants to help general assignment reporters access the experts and evidence-based research they need to cover science in the news (i.e. the new marine census).<br /><br />The SMC <a href="http://www.sciencemediacentre.ca/smc/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=77&Itemid=76&lang=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">site </a>says:<br />

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2 Feb

The real “climategate” scandal isn’t scientific, it’s journalistic

<p><span style="font-style: italic;"><img align="Left" alt="Chris Wood" border="0" hspace="8" src="http://www.journalismproject.ca/sites/www.j-source.ca/files/images/content_images/CWoodHedshot.jpg" style="width: 55px; height: 75px;" title="Chris Wood" />During "climategate" some of the declarations made under prominent bylines demonstrated professional negligence, writes </span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Chris Wood</span><span style="font-style: italic;">, who thinks reporters concealed the truth and practised dishonest journalism.</span><br />

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8 Dec

Finally, help for science journalists

<p><span style="font-style: italic;"><img align="left" alt="Peter Calamai" border="0" height="91" hspace="5" src="http://www.journalismproject.ca/sites/www.j-source.ca/files/images/content_images/Peter_C.jpg" title="Peter Calamai" width="73" />When it comes to science stories, overworked reporters often resort to rounding up quotes from duelling experts, writes <span style="font-weight: bold;">Peter Calamai</span>.

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4 Dec

Science journalism in a connected future

<p><span style="font-style: italic;"><img align="left" alt="David Secko" border="0" hspace="5" src="http://www.journalismproject.ca/sites/www.j-source.ca/files/images/content_images/david_secko.jpg" style="width: 59px; height: 92px;" title="David Secko" />Public health officials, academics and researchers joined journalists including documentary producer Ira Basen, the </span>Vancouver Sun<span style="font-style: italic;">’s Kirk LaPointe, Canwest News Service’s Margaret Munro at <a href="http://www.sciencejournalism.net/Conference2009.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a recent conference at the University of British Columbia

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11 Nov

Girls and math

<p>When it comes to gender gaps in math, culture matters. That's what an economics professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology <a href="http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2009/math-gender.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">found when digging</a> deeper into his own observations made while volunteer coaching his daughter and her friends on an all-girls math squad for their school. 

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