Interview with Professor Eric Freedman (PhD, professor, Michigan State University School of Journalism. Knight Chair and director of the Knight Center for Environmental Journalism, USA)

 Mr. Freedman, among your book “Environmental Crises in Central Asia: from Steppes to Seas, from Deserts to Glaciers” people around the world discovered about the environmental challenges in Central Asia countries. Is Environmental Crises in Central Asia different from other countries in the world?

Some of the same environmental problems confront virtually every country, such as the negative effects of climate chance, depletion of natural resources and threats to wildlife and plant habitats.

Other problems are more specific to individual countries or regions. They include radiation remaining from the Semipalatinsk Test Site in Kazakhstan and the near-disappearance of the Aral Sea in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.

And the world needs more environmental journalists to illuminate the real risks that humans and the environment are facing. What is the responsibilities of an Environmental Journalist?

Like all journalists, those who cover the environment should be committed to fair, accurate and balanced reporting. Beyond that, environmental journalists’ responsibilities should include: willingness to read scientific and social science studies on environmental topics; to explain complicated scientific information and controversies to ordinary audiences; to avoid sensationalism; to raise public understanding of environmental issues they face; and to be objective rather than an advocate.

Do you think that environmental journalists have the potential to inspire their readers to change their everyday behaviors for the overall betterment of the world around them?

Yes. Truthful environmental coverage has motivated many readers, viewers and listeners to behave in more ecologically conscious ways. They include recycling more, wasting less electricity and water, buying more fuel-efficient vehicles, not littering and volunteering for environmental activities such as cleaning up parks and beaches.

 What, in your opinion, is more effective today: Environmental Journalist’s work, or the actual penalties of a particular countries?

Penalties. If government agencies are willing and able to strongly enforce their environmental laws, the risk of penalties such as fines or jail is more likely to affect behavior, especially by corporations. However, the work of environmental journalists in exposing violations and problems can put pressure on government agencies to enforce the laws and punish the violators.

In your experience as a journalist, did you manage to achieve a positive result in solving environmental problems? Is the American public actively advocating for the environment?

While some stories I’ve written have drawn attention to environmental problems (such as poor funding for state parks, pollution and invasive species), I can’t take credit for any “positive result” or solutions directly from my work. Part of the reason is that finding solutions to serious ecological problems requires effort (and often money) from many quarters – scientists, government agencies, eco-NGOs, citizens and sometimes businesses and corporations.

Environmental activism has taken place for many decades in the U.S., leading to some significant advances. At the same time, influential and powerful forces have been resisting environmental activism. Since the 2016 presidential election, environmental activism has increased significantly in opposition to Trump Administration policies. Those policies include more lenient air and water pollution standards, expanded drilling and mining on public lands, cutting the budget for environmental programs, putting politics ahead of science and reducing legal protections for endangered species.

 Are there many special publications in the US that write only about environmental problems and who sponsors them?

Three of the best known ones are:

Audubon Magazine, sponsored by the nonprofit Audubon Society

Earth Island Journal, sponsored by the nonprofit Earth Island Institute

Sierra, sponsored by the activist group Sierra Club.

 Today in many countries there is a dispute about the problems of global warming and the necessary measures in this regard in the field of ecology. How does the US press react to the debate of scientists and public figures on this issue?

 Most U.S. journalists accept the overwhelming scientific evidence that human activity is a major contributor to global climate change. In their view, there is no genuine fact-based debate -- despite what climate change “deniers” and some ultraconservative politicians and government officials claim. To most of us, the climate change “deniers” have no credibility, like people who believe the world is flat or that tobacco is safe for human health.

You are global specialist in the international reporting. How can you will describe the situation of international reporting in the world and what does mean objective journalism/fake news today?

 Journalists are under attack, physically and otherwise, across the world and are wrongly accused of causing the problems they seek to expose. Press rights advocacy groups such as the Committee to Protect Journalists and Reporters without Borders document cases in which journalists and other media workers are arrested, jailed, murdered, assaulted, fired, threatened or harassed.

At the same time, new organizations are reducing their staffs, leaving fewer professionals to cover the news. Bloggers and biased online “journalists” are thus becoming more important sources of “news” and information to the public, even if their stories and columns are incorrect and are written without reporting. Social media is also more important now as a distributor of news and information.

The term “fake news” used to mean that the reporter made up the “facts” and created an untrue story. However, in the current political climate -- at least in the U.S. -- too many people label any story they dislike as “fake news” – even if its content is accurate.

As we know, you are Director of the Knight Center for Environmental Journalism and Director of Capital News Service, do you think that Knight Center for Environmental Journalism will work for global journalism?

Environmental problems are not constrained by national borders. Therefore, the Knight Center faculty members are deeply engaged in global journalism research and trainings. Much of my environmental journalism research involves Central Asia and other parts of the former Soviet Union, and I have led workshops in Kenya, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. The center’s senior associate director leads trainings for journalists and for scientists in India and East Africa, among other places. Our research director studies how the press covers environmental issues in Latin America, Spain and elsewhere and is developing a study abroad program in Peru. Our current and recent environmental journalism master’s and doctoral students include ones from China, India, Democratic Republic of Congo and Cameroon.

What do you think about the journalistic ethics in the digital age? Could you share some examples of your best work?

I believe the fundamental ethical values of journalists should not change in the digital age but I recognize that applying some of those values may have changed. For example, smartphones make it much easier to record conversations and take photos without the subjects knowing—and possibly intruding on their privacy. Social media also make it easy to immediately disseminate incorrect information without an editor reviewing it first.

It’s hard to define “best work” but here are links to several environmental stories I’m proud of:

http://www.earthisland.org/journal/index.php/eij/article/in_the_shadow_of_death/

http://www.earthisland.org/journal/index.php/eij/article/repurposing_rocky_flats/ 

http://www.earthisland.org/journal/index.php/eij/article/extinction_is_forever/

How often do you use social media? Which sites do you use the most? Could you recommend professional advice for students of Faculty of Journalism about how to use social media for the professional purpose?

I do not use social media much, except for looking at friends and family posts on Facebook. However, here is some advice for future journalists about social media.

• ·       

How familiar are you with Kazakhstani media development? What could we do better? What is your vision about the Kazakh media development in the future? Do you think it will help to make the social challenge on society? 

From what I know, there are still many restraints on news media in Kazakhstan that make it difficult for the press to serve as a watchdog on behalf of the public. Also, some news outlets face serious financial problems that prevent them from hiring enough staff and paying their journalists a proper salary. Even so, there are many dedicated, highly skilled journalists in the country who continue to do their jobs well. As for the future, I think established news organizations (print, broadcast, online, social media) must do excellent, accurate reporting if they hope to keep their audiences and readers. Otherwise, the public will turn to less reliable sources of “news” or will simply stop paying attention to public affairs.

How do we bring something new; journalism education today?

We need to make sure our students remain excited about the power of the press to promote improvements in Kazakhstan, including raising awareness of environmental and social problems, and to advance transparency and democratization. We also need to train our students to use all the latest technologies that they will be expected to be familiar with on the job.

Karlyga Myssayeva, PhD
Vice-Dean Faculty of Journalism
For the Scientific and Innovational Service 
and International Relations
Al-Farabi Kazakh National University