Catastrophe Sells - Debating the Media coverage of Environmental News

As the public’s window to the world, the media must simplify complex matters without
distorting meaning and stories must catch the public’s attention while not succumbing to overt sensationalisation. At the same time, highly important issues must be given their due coverage while not deafening the public with their frequency. The Deutsche Welle supported media table "Catastrophe Sells" focused on the difficulties the media faces in reporting environmental challenges. Top scientists and journalists from all over the world tried to answer the following questions:

• How can the media ensure the continued salience and urgency of a message
that is ongoing in nature without resorting to sensationalism?
• How can positive societal change be both encouraged and reported while retaining
public interest?
• What will it take to move away from a focus on what is happening to a focus on
how we can change it?
• How can scientists make their results more easily understood and accessible to
the media?
• How can the media, in turn, more accurately represent the science, which tends
to progress in smaller increments as opposed to spectacular breakthroughs?

More information about the public roundtables

Ortwinn Renn (University of Stuttgart and Director of DIALOGIK, Germany), James Painter (BBC World Service, UK; Reuters Institute, UK), and Walter Ammann (President, Global Risk Forum, Switzerland). Photo Copyright Mike Le Gray 2009.

Moderator Irene Quaile-Kersken of the Deutsche Welle, Germany watched James Painter speak. Photo Copyright Mike Le Gray 2009.

Ranjitha Balasubramanyam, Deutsche Welle Radio, Germany. Photo Copyright Mike Le Gray 2009.

Richard Klein, Climate Change Specialist, Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI), Sweden. Photo Copyright Mike Le Gray 2009.

Stefan Krug, Spokesman for Greenpeace, Germany. Photo Copyright Mike Le Gray 2009.

Ortwin Renn. Photo Copyright Mike Le Gray 2009.

James Painter and Ortwin Renn. Photo Copyright Mike Le Gray 2009.

Richard Klein. Photo Copyright Mike Le Gray 2009.

Walter Ammann. Photo Copyright Mike Le Gray 2009.

Ranjitha Balasubramanyam. Photo Copyright Mike Le Gray 2009.

Audience member posing a question to the panel. Photo Copyright Mike Le Gray 2009.

Audience member posing a question to the panel. Photo Copyright Mike Le Gray 2009.

All conference photographs are copyright Mike Le Gray 2009. For information on licensing please contact him directly at mikelegray@mac.com or +49 1757 283 084. For examples of Mike Le Gray's work visit www.flickr.com/photos/black-dog or www.digitalperspective.biz