Yet here we stand at this great turning point in history, with politicians finally giving scientists some of the respect they deserve, and our nation’s editors and publishers don’t seem to get it. What a shame.
The Observatory
01:36 PM - December 22, 2008
Science Groups Protest CNN Cuts
CASW, NASW, SEJ, and WFSJ issue first-ever joint letter
‘See you on the other side’ - Meet Jessica Lum, a terminally ill 25-year-old who chose to spend what little time she had practicing journalism
#Realtalk: This is the best moment to be in journalism - The old stuff isn’t coming back, but that’s okay
Streams of consciousness - Millennials expect a steady diet of quick-hit, social-media-mediated bits and bytes. What does that mean for journalism?
Sticking with the truth - How ‘balanced’ coverage helped sustain the bogus claim that childhood vaccines can cause autism
An ink-stained stretch - Can Aaron Kushner save the Orange County Register—and the newspaper industry?
This is the best moment to be in journalism (25)
The WSJ editorial page hits rock bottom (19)
A backgrounder for understanding the storm that hit Moore, Oklahoma
Is the ‘chilling effect’ real?
http://www.newrepublic.com/article/113219/doj-seizure-ap-records-raises-question-chilling-effect-real
One year ago four journalists were brutally murdered in the bloodiest attack on the press in Mexico’s drug war. For those left behind the pain — and the threats — continue
50 years of foreign reporting from the NYRB
CJR's Guide to Online News Startups
Uptown Messenger – Hyperlocal news for a neighborhood in New Orleans
Who Owns What
The Business of Digital Journalism
A report from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism
Questions and exercises for journalism students.
So who is still covering science?
A few newspapers (WPost, NYTimes). Msnbc.com has a health/science team doing original journalism. Anyone else?
What other mainstream news orgs. have members in the association of science writers?
Posted by Abe on Tue 23 Dec 2008 at 10:55 AM
See the online Knight Science Journalism Tracker for a daily update of science news.
Balt Sun, Seattle P-I, Oregonian, Philly Inq, Pittsburgh P-G, LAT, WSJ, USAT have NASW members, per July 2008 Membership roster.
Posted by Dan on Tue 23 Dec 2008 at 12:58 PM
The is not good. Nor are the cuts in newsrooms across the country. That being said, Miles was not the guy I would point to as an example of stellar science reporting. You could almost hear the implied "we" when he reported on NASA.
Posted by John on Tue 23 Dec 2008 at 02:11 PM
The AP covers science, too. I'm part of its team, and a member of NASW.
Posted by Malcolm Ritter on Tue 23 Dec 2008 at 02:12 PM
What a huge disappointment! Finally we will have an administration that will support science and promote it, and CNN does this. We cannot solve energy, environmental, extinction issues, etc without science to give input. After eight years in a 'desert' without scientific knowledge, now corporate media is going to continue down that awful road? Do I need to give up on cable and just read articles on the internet?????? Democracy depends on a reliable media that reports factual information to us. Democracy seems to be dying a slow, painful death to be replaced by a corporatocracy. Another word for that is fascism.
Posted by Margie Lachman on Tue 23 Dec 2008 at 06:02 PM
Not quite the same thing, but still pretty good coverage:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/
Posted by leon on Tue 23 Dec 2008 at 10:19 PM
Anyone else?
I believe the Boston Globe still does.
Posted by oddjob on Tue 23 Dec 2008 at 11:16 PM
As much as I detest the fact that Miles O'Brien has drunk the NASA KoolAid dry, I hate that science reporting has been decimated.
Miles would cover-up any deficiency in the program to get a spot on the Shuttle.
Definite conflict of interest.
He had all the info on Columbia and chose to not report it.
Posted by kas1 on Wed 24 Dec 2008 at 01:51 AM
Huge disappointment for the lack of science coverage.
I am not going to lose any sleep over the demise of Miles O'Brien on the other hand.
He knew intimately the flaws of Columbia and chose not to report it.
He sold his soul for a future seat on the Shuttle.
Posted by kas1 on Wed 24 Dec 2008 at 01:54 AM
Shows you where CNN’s Administrative Head is at.
They keep a sex freak like Richard Quest and instead let the science freak Miles O’Brien go!
Hope to see Miles in the Obama Adminstration and will probably see Ricard in Central Park again.
Posted by sgt on Wed 24 Dec 2008 at 07:56 AM
Glad to see the science writer groups banding together on this. For another interesting take on CNN's decision, go here.
http://www.ecomingler.com/2008/12/04/we-interrupt-this-paris-hilton-newsbrief/
Posted by science is king on Wed 24 Dec 2008 at 09:04 AM
Well, this morning on CNN, something occurred that might just prove this point. Two talking heads (sorry, I don't remember their names) were discussing the big miracle of Lance Armstrong's girlfriend getting pregnant, since he had chemotherapy for testicular cancer. The primary talking head gushed: "It's amazing, with all that radiation in chemotherapy!"
My mouth is still hanging open.
Posted by Julia Charles on Wed 24 Dec 2008 at 10:33 AM
Grim news indeed. But is science being singled out for special treatment?
Has CNN axed any other "disciplines"?
I ask because it has an impact on the argument you can make. If science is the only victim, then the screams should be louder. If they have also shut down other departments, then it is harder to get into special pleading.
By the way, this plays into the hands of the BBC, which is, doubtless familiar to many folks here, although no one has yet mentioned it. The BBC will soon be the only worldwide media outlet with decent science coverage.
Posted by Michael Kenward on Fri 26 Dec 2008 at 05:24 PM
CNN International has been going downhill for quite some time, over a period of 3 years or more. The only thing showing when I turn it on is either weather, so-called 'international' stock updates. weather, advertisements etc. No time for news anymore, I watch Fox now, that HAS to be saying something about CNN and come to think of it - me!!
Posted by susan rattray on Fri 26 Dec 2008 at 09:06 PM
CNN, obviously you are making "Bean-Counter" decisions... Need I observe that is what happened at GM, Ford, & Chrysler ???
Get some perspective of history, and be part of the solution, not part of the problem: Too Many Americans no longer have the ability to filter the facts from the advertising. Present the facts. Teach analytical thinking.
Posted by Randall Garriott on Mon 29 Dec 2008 at 05:09 PM