Where Climate Coverage Goes to Die

"It was Jeff Bezos, the Amazon billionaire, who came up with the tagline "Democracy Dies in Darkness" for The Washington Post. According to a memoir by the paper's former editor, Martin Baron, Bezos greenlighted the "democracy" line after an internal staff favorite was rejected by his then-wife, MacKenzie Scott. In his book Baron admits to initially being impressed by the new owner, now the world's third-richest man."

"In the United States, the very notion of public service journalism is under assault, at precisely the moment that it's most needed. And climate journalism is a case in point. Sammy Roth, who reported on climate for the Los Angeles Times and now writes his own newsletter, " Climate-Colored Goggles," has documented Bezos's thrashing of the Post's climate work, which had often been first-rate."

Jeff Bezos's stewardship of The Washington Post coincided with extensive staff cuts that hollowed out key reporting areas. Layoffs eliminated metro, international, book, and climate desks and removed specialized reporters and multimedia staff. Fourteen climate journalists were among more than 300 employees let go, leaving a diminished team to cover an escalating global crisis. Corporate and political ties and funding decisions have complicated perceptions of editorial independence. Similar boss-driven undercutting has affected other major outlets, reducing national capacity for investigative and public-service reporting at a time when rigorous climate coverage is critically needed.

Read at The Nation