Media Impact Forum – Session 4 Building evidence-based reporting initiatives toward a healthy planet

For our fourth session of the Media Impact Forum, we shifted focus away from promoting vaccine confidence and explored evidence-based communications around a different topic: the environment. This session featured media experts discussing where consumers get environmental news, who they trust, how they filter the environmental content they receive, and also explored the connection between media narratives and public opinion.

In this session, we heard from Earth HQ, the media arm of Global Common Alliance, a coalition of scientific, philanthropic and conservation organizations along with business networks working to protect our planet’s most precious resources. We learned about the impact of Earth HQ’s far-reaching initiatives and collaborative efforts.

We also heard about a media analysis of energy coverage in Southeast Asia conducted by Climate Tracker and the Stanley Center for Peace and Security. The project trained 10 young researchers to conduct 99 interviews with journalists in five countries and analyze 2,700 articles in four media languages. The resulting report identified the challenges that climate journalists face in the rapidly developing “tiger cub economies” of Southeast Asia, and laid out action points for those seeking to enhance accurate energy reporting in the region.

And lastly, we heard from the Walton Family Foundation about its recent grant to the Associated Press to develop three new water and environment beats. The grant was part of Walton’s new initiative aimed at strengthening environmental reporting.

source