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Several dozen news organizations committed recently to blitz-reporting of climate issues: the Covering Climate Now initiative. By most estimates it succeeded in bringing greater attention during and around the recent UN Climate Summit. It is quite likely much of this coverage will continue.
Swedish newspaper Dagens ETC jumped across that often blurred line between editorial content and advertising to announce it is ending all fossil fuel industry advertising. It is fairly unsurprising as Dagens ETC is focused on environmental issues, independently published in Stockholm since 2005. It does, obviously, cut into the newspaper’s revenue stream.
“We prioritise the climate issue because it is more important than any other issue,” wrote editor-in-chief Andreas Gustavsson in an editorial (September 26), published in Swedish and English online. “We simply cannot publish advertisements for the fossil fuel industry. This is a decision we have had to grow into, and one which maybe we have taken too long to reach. Everyone at Dagens ETC – the owner, the board, the head of marketing, the journalists – are in agreement. A restrictive advertising policy means we take a financial hit, but I am also convinced that this will prove to be a wise decision in the long term.”
“It is a matter of credibility, and a conversation that needs to be had right now,” he concluded. This means, it seems, no more ads for petrol (gasoline) stations, oil products, automobile sales and air travel. Mr. Gustavsson also noted the newspaper no longer refers to “global warming” but, rather, “global heating.”
The two biggest Swedish daily newspapers did not join in. “I realize that it can be perceived as a certain double standard, that we have such a solid climate coverage and at the same time advertise (petrol),” said Dagens Nyheter (DN) editorial director Caspar Opitz, quoted by Dagens ETC (September 27). “We have to adapt, yes, probably, but we are not yet ready with exactly how. The issue is being discussed.”
“If you want to change who is allowed to advertise it is probably a question that should primarily be addressed to out legislators,” said a Schibsted marketing department spokesperson. Schibsted publishes, among others, major daily newspaper Aftonbladet. “If policies and legislation are changed, we always adhere to those changes.” (See more about media in Sweden here)
Be that as it may, several news outlets picked up the story of Dagens ETC giving up fossil fuel advertising, including the (UK) Guardian (September 26), which was widely quoted. None of those reports took the obvious step of adding local context to the story. So much for enterprise journalism.
Swedish photo-journalist Adam Karls Johansson took a photo in August 2018 of a small girl sitting between a pink backpack and a handwritten sign on the ground before a very large building. The building was the Swedish Parliament in Stockholm, the sign said “skolestrejke for klimatet,” the girl was then 15 year old Greta Thunberg. It was Greta Thunberg’s first school strike for climate. "She sat alone, and the adults just walked past her. It was as if they did not notice her at all,“ recalled Mr. Johansson, quoted by journalisten.no (September 26). “Along with some other journalists, I tried to sell the story of the schoolgirl who was striking for climate to a Swedish magazine, but they weren’t interested.”
Ms Thunberg is no longer alone in raising awareness of climate change. More than a million people worldwide, mostly school age, demonstrated last Friday (September 20). This week she spoke to the United Nations (UN), an event widely covered across the planet. Some adults continue to ignore the person and the message. When US president Donald Trump, who refers to climate science as a hoax, entered the UN he momentarily crossed paths with Ms Thunberg but, it appeared, didn’t notice. She did. A still photo of that moment taken from a Reuters video showed her “starring intently,” said CBS News (September 24), a “steely look” said the Guardian, “death stare” said BuzzFeed. The photo went viral.
The Swedish Right Livelihood Foundation awarded Ms Thunberg and three others its annual award, known as the “alternative Nobel Prize.” Last week she was presented with Amnesty International’s 2019 Ambassador of Conscience Award. She is one of 300 nominees for the Nobel Peace Prize, which will be announced next week. President Trump is currently facing impeachment proceedings in the US House of Representatives.
TV land threw a giant retirement party Sunday night. “Game of Thrones” is now officially in the past after eight seasons. At the Primetime Emmy’s it received 12 awards, and a record 32 nominations, for its final season even as many critics found it wanting after the first seven. Ten of “Game of Thrones” awards were handed out at the Creative Arts celebration the previous weekend. The fantasy drama series ended its run this past May. The US Academy of Television Arts and Sciences voted for winners, and others, for the annual Primetime Emmy Awards, which was broadcast live in the US on the Fox network. Ad breaks were filled by messages from streaming services.
Premium cable network HBO saw it through, beginning to end, and licensed distribution outside the US to different country-specific cable operators. It’s likely the last season attracted 100 million viewers worldwide. Nobody knows for sure as it is still running in some countries. The Northern Ireland facilities used for filming much of the series is being turned into a theme park. The legacy will live on for at least another two or three years.
HBO’s docudrama “Chernobyl” also won 12 Emmys, surprising some. The five-part “limited series” depicted events surrounding the nuclear meltdown and its aftermath. Other HBO shows won awards, giving it the most wins of the night. HBO is part of WarnerMedia, acquired last year by telecom AT&T.
The rather dark comedy-drama “Fleabag” won for outstanding comedy series and outstanding lead actress, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, who is also lead writer. It was originally produced for UK public broadcaster BBC and now distributed by Amazon Prime Video. Another comedy-drama - “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” - won for Amazon Prime Video, which seems attracted to comedy.
Oh, yes, Netflix was there too. Its drama series “Ozark” won two awards, and one each for “When They See Us” and interactive series “Black Mirror: Bandersnatch,” created by British writer Charlie Brooker. Netflix recently leased Shepperton Studios, near London, for its reported US$500 million investment in original content in the UK.
Fox cartoon character Homer Simpson opened the awards show followed by Bryan Cranston, star of “Breaking Bad,” the AMC series that ended in 2013. “Television has never been this damned good,” he proclaimed. In October Netflix will offer a sequel “El Camino: a Breaking Bad Movie.”
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