Backgrounders

Issue Backgrounder is a monthly SEJournal Online column to help journalists better cover emerging environmental issues, especially challenging or underreported topics. Each Backgrounder focuses on a specific environmental topic, offering key questions, basic answers, source contacts and other resources.

For questions and comments, or to suggest future Issue Backgrounders, email Backgrounder Editor Joseph A. Davis at sejournaleditor@sej.org.

Public

October 15, 2009

Letting the Reader See Your Editorial Judgments Might Enhance Them

For purely journalistic reasons, reporters could periodically write about those things they had decided not to cover: Their rationale and providing links, even, for those wanting to know more. They can thereby open the doors to their own internal news decision-making, let the public see in, all in the interest of their better understanding the news-making process.

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July 15, 2009

Biofuels: The Sequel — The Science Behind Second Generation Biofuels

Making fuel from cellulose? Will it be the fuel of the future and how is the U.S. system promoting or haring it? New political carrots and sticks are leading the biofuels industry into a second generation phase, and many critics of the biofuels industry think it's long overdue. The question for the industry, though, is whether the science is ready to scale up.

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May 1, 2009

Investigative Journalists Define Crossing the Line

Research suggests that the news media block or transform "beyond recognition" the aims of environmental and other activist groups. But a recent study suggests otherwise. It concludes that investigative journalists often are activists, but they stay within professional boundaries.

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Are Science Journalists Tough Enough?

Survey results published in July 2008 show that scientist-journalist interactions "are more frequent and smooth than previously thought," according to the survey authors. Yet results also indicate that "science journalism is too tame, that is, that it is easily exploited by scientific sources."

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The Biz: The Great Challenge: Getting the Climate Change Story Right

In the wake of newly declared newspaper bankruptcy declarations in Minneapolis and Philadelphia…and shut-downs of print editions in Seattle and Denver — we have a challenge — the nation's media must do a responsible job in covering the coming climate change debates in Washington.

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Black Carbon: A Key Cause Of Warming Not Well Recognized

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January 15, 2009

A Federal Superfund Site Near You May Hold a Great Story

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Science Survey: Epigenetics...Understanding Chemicals' Newly Recognized Future Effects

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The Biz: Change Most Definitely Has Come. Now What?

Journalists by their very nature love change. Change is news. Change is good. And now change is everywhere. Bud Ward reports.

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Backgrounders

October 15, 2009

Letting the Reader See Your Editorial Judgments Might Enhance Them

July 15, 2009

Biofuels: The Sequel — The Science Behind Second Generation Biofuels

May 1, 2009

Investigative Journalists Define Crossing the Line

Are Science Journalists Tough Enough?

The Biz: The Great Challenge: Getting the Climate Change Story Right

Black Carbon: A Key Cause Of Warming Not Well Recognized

January 15, 2009

A Federal Superfund Site Near You May Hold a Great Story

Science Survey: Epigenetics...Understanding Chemicals' Newly Recognized Future Effects

The Biz: Change Most Definitely Has Come. Now What?

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