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Show 33 journalistic qucs1 for objectivity and balance for misleading people into believing that the scientific communiry was divided on global warming. 90 As president ofSEJ in 1993, Jim Detjen was a spokesperson for the more traditional journalism and argued that advocacy would ruin the credibility of environmental journalism. "I think advocacy journalism is misguided and in the Jong run counterproductive," he wrote. 91 ln his environmental journalism textbook Green Ink, Fromc wrote that objectivity is impossible and undesirable. "Not only is that a sham, but it docs not promote as much digging into contrary views as the alternate ofadvocacy."92 He argues with Ryan that this area of journalism demands departure from traditional objectivity: Advoca,y is a word we have been taught to avoid.... But my point is that we ought to be advocates for the health and safety of the planet, professionally and personally concerned with global wanning, acid rain, destruction of tropical and temperate forests, loss of wilderness and wildlife, toxic wastes, pollution of air and water, and population pressures that degrade the quality of life.93 While there arc divisions within the organization, SEJ avoids the issue of objectivity in its succinct definition of environmental journalism: joumalis1s covering environmental issues. While the job title and focus of journalists who covered environmental issues before and since the 1960s might differ, this research categorizes the reporting of both time periods as environmental journalism. The journalism associated with increased environmental awareness of the 1960s was not created in a vacuum. So, although the definition of environmcmal journalism is the same for both 90 1bid., 86. ~ 1 Jim '» Deljcn, '·On Ethics, Thinking Long Tenn Helps," Sf.Jo11rna/] (Spring/Summer 1993), 2. frome, Green Ink, x. 91 1bid., ix. |
