Breaking.
My heart, that is.
21st Century Fox, which is managed by James Murdoch, has bought National Geographic.
A National Geographic news release says:
The National Geographic Society and 21st Century Fox announced today that they are expanding their partnership in a venture that will include National Geographic's cable channels, its 127-year-old magazine, digital and social platforms, maps, travel and other media.
The good news, I suppose, is that the new media partnership will be led by Declan Moore, now National Geographic’s chief media officer.
The deal, worth $725 million, "will enable enable the National Geographic Society to create the National Geographic Grosvenor Center for Education—dedicated to creating geographically competent high school graduates—and the Centers of Excellence in Geography, Scientific and Environmental Journalism, and Photography, to develop and fund innovative exploration, documentation and storytelling," the release says.
An AFP news story on the sale is here.
But still, I worry.
National Geographic is justly renowned for its photography. The best photographers in the world have published some of their finest work in this magazine.
Think Afghan Girl, for just one of the most famous examples.
But National Geographic, at heart, is a magazine of science, not only bringing far-flung locales into our homes through its pages, but also bringing scientific concepts. And the magazine that offers finely detailed stories on climate change, on endangered species, on changing food resources in a changing world, is now owned by a company that is among the chief deniers of climate change.
In the midst of global climate change talks last December, a top Fox News official sent an email questioning the "veracity of climate change data" and ordering the network's journalists to "refrain from asserting that the planet has warmed (or cooled) in any given period without IMMEDIATELY pointing out that such theories are based upon data that critics have called into question."
The directive, sent by Fox News Washington managing editor Bill Sammon, was issued less than 15 minutes after Fox correspondent Wendell Goler accurately reported on-air that the United Nations' World Meteorological Organization announced that 2000-2009 was "on track to be the warmest [decade] on record."
That report was issued several years ago, but
things have not changed at that network:
On Wednesday evening’s edition of Fox News’ “The Five,” host Greg Gutfeld questioned whether Bill Nye was a real climate activist, since he rode on Air Force One with President Barack Obama. He also denied that climate activism was ever really about the Earth — instead, he said, it’s about “ego and retribution.” Great Earth Day coverage, Fox!
The Guardian
says:
Research has shown that Fox News is a major driving force behind climate denial, decreasing viewer trust in scientists and the existence of global warming. In 2013, only 28% of Fox News’ climate science segments were accurate, although that was an improvement over its 7% accuracy in 2012.
Fox News anchor Shepard Smith has been one of the few voices on the network willing to accept the scientific reality of human-caused climate change. On the August 10 edition of Fox News’ Shepard Smith Reporting, Smith reported on biased industry-funded science by Coca Cola, and made the connection to fossil fuel-funded climate denial studies.
I will keep my hope and trust that the National Geographic staff will continue to offer powerful and groundbreaking environmental stories such as:
When the Snows Fail
How Killing Elephants Finances Terror in Africa
Canadian First Nations Seek to Protect Forest Homeland
We need strong and unbiased news reporting on such vital issues in the world. Fox must allow National Geographic to remain that independent voice.