This is why media coverage of climate debate has been corrupted

Josh_greens_go_by_airUN and Oxfam caught bribing media to write crusading climate stories

By Ian Wishart

News journalists are being bribed by the United Nations and the Oxfam charity to write scare stories about climate change ahead of the global climate treaty negotiations in Paris later this year.

Details of the bribes – which take the form of ego-boosting “awards”, global travel in CO2 generating airliners and financial payments – are contained in a news release just published by the UNDP today, an organisation headed by former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark.

Journalists’ codes of ethics prohibit being induced to give favourable coverage, but those rules have increasingly been ignored in recent years by the use of backdoor mechanisms like funding journalism “awards” as a means of generating content and rewarding propaganda-writers.

New Zealand’s major media, like the TV3 network, have frequently covered climate stories in the Pacific with the financial “assistance” of lobby groups like Oxfam and Greenpeace.

The full text of the news release follows:

15 September 2015 – Oxfam will support the Voice2Paris  global storytelling contest launched in August by the United National Development Programme (UNDP) by providing three additional fellowships for participating journalists to cover the UN Conference on Climate Change, COP21, in Paris in December. Oxfam’s contribution to the contest aims at encouraging journalists’ participation in climate change reporting and raising public awareness of climate actions.

“The contest is a fantastic opportunity to create awareness of the harmful impacts of climate change on communities, and of potential opportunities in climate-vulnerable developing countries. This is also a great opportunity for young journalists to strengthen their perception of climate change and to frame it not merely as an environmental issue but also as an issue of social justice and poverty alleviation” said Wang Binbin, Manager of the Climate Change and Poverty Team, Oxfam Hong Kong.

The storytelling contest targets writers 35 years and under from developing countries who want to contribute ­– locally and internationally – towards greater public awareness of climate change…

Read more: http://www.investigatemagazine.co.nz/Investigate/17255/un-and-oxfam-caught-bribing-journalists-to-write-climate-change-scare-stories/

[disclosure: Ian Wishart is the author of climate change books Air Con and Totalitaria, but has not sought or accepted payment from lobbyists]

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September 15, 2015 7:32 am

How charities spend your donations

LarryFine
Reply to  David Johnson
September 15, 2015 9:22 am

Millions of people donate money to such charities, thinking that the’yre working towards eliminating poverty, when in fact the Green movement fights against things like GMO rice, and they promote the Global Warming fraud to keep starving people in poverty.

Bryan A
Reply to  LarryFine
September 15, 2015 12:42 pm

Sounds to me like it is time to Submit a Story regarding Climate Change and how it will affect the amount of personal budgets that will need to be available for spending on Energy costs

Mark
Reply to  LarryFine
September 16, 2015 6:33 am

“Poverty alleviation”???? What on earth. Increasing the cost of energy is a direct tax on poor people. And this will somehow bring them out of poverty. What planet are these people from?

Roger
Reply to  LarryFine
September 16, 2015 8:31 am

[snip – policy violation and off topic, we don’t discuss GMO food here -mod]]

Aphan
Reply to  David Johnson
September 15, 2015 10:21 am

You conspiracy theorist you!!! (sarc) MEME=More Evil Motives Exposed. Lewandowsky finally has evidence that MEME’s are “seeping” into the climate debate!

Ian H
Reply to  Aphan
September 15, 2015 11:28 pm

The words ‘Lewandowsky’ and ‘evidence’ don’t belong in the same sentence.

Phaedrus
Reply to  David Johnson
September 15, 2015 6:04 pm

or waste?

Eugene WR Gallun
September 15, 2015 7:37 am

In politics money corrupts — and a lot of money buys a hell of a lot of corruption.
Eugene WR Gallun

MarkW
Reply to  Eugene WR Gallun
September 15, 2015 8:54 am

If you think that the solution is to get money out of politics, that’s impossible.
As long as govt has the power to control people’s lives, people will spend whatever it takes to influence politicians. Look at how hard politicians have worked to get around all existing campaign finance laws. To the point of ignoring them completely when they feel they can get away with it.

Reply to  MarkW
September 15, 2015 2:17 pm

As long as govt has the power to control people’s lives, people will spend whatever it takes to influence politicians.

So sad the Bern supporters don’t get this.

Dave in Canmore
September 15, 2015 7:38 am

“The storytelling contest …”
Describes the media’s efforts up until now perfectly!

Jimbo
Reply to  Dave in Canmore
September 15, 2015 9:21 am

My thoughts too. These guys would put the Brothers Grimm to shame.

Jimbo
Reply to  Jimbo
September 15, 2015 9:36 am

The headline “This is why media coverage of climate debate has been corrupted” explains everything now.

Guardian (UK snoozpaper)
Meet the Guardian environment team
From the latest science on melting icecaps to how to organise a green funeral, the Guardian’s award-winning team of green experts tells you everything you need to know about the state of the planet and what you can do to help save it
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2009/sep/02/guardian-environment-team

Hivemind
Reply to  Jimbo
September 15, 2015 3:29 pm

But the Grimm brothers knew they were writing fantasies. These ‘journalists’ actually want people to treat what they are writing as if it’s true, causing millions of deaths from starvation and cold, as they go. But, in this, they are just following a long and well-established road: Stalin caused millions of deaths in his own country, Hitler gassed millions, Mao starved millions, Pol Pot killed millions in his reeducation camps.
When you get down to it, climate science, which is just a branch of socialism, is just grim.

Bob Burban
Reply to  Jimbo
September 15, 2015 5:20 pm

The formative years of the Brothers Grimm were during the Dalton Minimum, when life for many folk were very grim.

David Chappell
Reply to  Jimbo
September 15, 2015 11:08 pm

A green funeral? Has to be Parsee style then. DuckDuckGo it…

Louis Hunt
Reply to  Dave in Canmore
September 15, 2015 9:23 pm

“This is also a great opportunity for young journalists to strengthen their perception of climate change and to frame it not merely as an environmental issue but also as an issue of social justice and poverty alleviation…”
It is going to take some very creative “storytelling” to explain how sharp reductions in the use of fossil fuels is going to alleviate poverty or provide for social justice. But I’m sure these young journalists are up to the task. All they need is a fervid imagination that is unrestrained by reality. It will be interesting to see if the winner sticks with their chosen field of journalistic propaganda or is inspired to go on to a career of creative writing in the genre of fantasy, contemporary horror, or science fiction.

Felflames
Reply to  Louis Hunt
September 16, 2015 3:42 am

Can’t be sicience fiction.
That requires building a consistent and logical set of rules for the story you are tellling.
And consistency and logic seems to be severely lacking from most of the “green death” crowd.

AndyE
September 15, 2015 7:42 am

Helen Clark, a former, eminently cool-headed prime minister of New Zealand, must have gone bananas. I think this initiative will be a source of laughter all over the world. She has lost her political nous.

Peter
Reply to  AndyE
September 15, 2015 9:11 am

Helen Clark once almost fell out of the plane. Door malfunction. Short after her government busted Mossad stealing NZ passports. Yes, she was level headed but not pliable enough for NWO.

Reply to  Peter
September 15, 2015 10:31 am

Explanation required. Israel’s Mossad not busted, per se. See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_Israel%E2%80%93New_Zealand_passport_scandal

Alan Wilkinson
Reply to  Peter
September 15, 2015 9:00 pm

@tomer, they never confessed of course but they were busted all right. Like the French spies who sank the Rainbow Warrior. NZ may be small but we are not stupid.

Gregory
September 15, 2015 7:42 am

Exactly David. Non-profits taking tax-free money from donations and piping it to other sectors to support their political views, which then fuel the “proof machine”.

Bill Treuren
Reply to  Gregory
September 15, 2015 11:19 am

This will put in jeopardy their tax free status. There are very clear constraints, this is the angle to fight this crap from.
Many years ago a prime minister in NZ removed such status from CORSO regardless of the ethics of the action CORSO collapsed in the funding stakes.

Resourceguy
September 15, 2015 7:52 am

The public deserves a lot more investigation of this type. The problem has been more widespread than this story describes.

Scott M
September 15, 2015 7:58 am

and this is just part of it, the advertising $’s also are spent in the favorable press, as well its so easy to shame someone who doesnt tow the line…..”you dont care about the environment”, “you support more pollution” etc etc etc

SteveT
Reply to  Scott M
September 16, 2015 2:24 am

someone who doesn’t tow the line….
******************************************************************************
It should be toe the line – not pull on it

September 15, 2015 8:08 am

And they are getting away with it!

Ryan S.
September 15, 2015 8:13 am

At least they accurately call it “storytelling.” Journalists used to get paid to uncover, and tell, the truth. Now, journalism is about fitting the narrative telling a story.
Boy times have changed.

cirby
September 15, 2015 8:14 am

A number of years ago, the UN Climate Conference was held in Cancun, Mexico, so diplomats and NGOs from all over the world could come together and discuss what to do about the climate.
That week, Cancun had some of the coldest December weather in history (mildly cool and overcast – hey, it’s a resort town).
A day after it turned cool, almost all of the important politicians and most of the press left (with several days of the conference still to go). Because it’s incredibly important to talk about the climate, but only when the weather is nice enough to sit on the beach while doing so…

Matt
September 15, 2015 8:27 am

“——shame someone who doesnt tow the line…”
It’s TOE the line.

kim
Reply to  Matt
September 15, 2015 8:46 am

Yeah, traditionally. This variant arises from a similar metaphor. I like them both. Both quite apt.
=========

kim
Reply to  kim
September 15, 2015 8:47 am

The adept can toe the line while towing the line. Serfs, all.
===============

schitzree
Reply to  kim
September 15, 2015 11:22 am

Ah, but can they line the toe? And do they need a toe liner to line it with?

Aphan
Reply to  Matt
September 15, 2015 12:00 pm

They tow it up a little here
They tow it down a little there
And soon enough they’re going to find
The trend will be a square.

Auto
Reply to  Matt
September 15, 2015 2:41 pm

Matt,
Yeah.
But English is a very adaptable tongue.
Five years ago, I’d’ve given you several plusses.
No doubt you are right – but Scott has actually communicated.
You understood – enough to give orthographic advice.
I understood, too.
Communicate to your audience.
A group of socially aware 14 year olds will understand more than an experientially-gifted old fart like me – if it’s in Facebookish or Twitterese.
Me – I like sentences, some with clauses and sub-clauses [No – not little Santas!].
Auto

Reply to  Auto
September 16, 2015 9:12 am

Yeah, I’ve given up trying to explain what the word, “decimate,” actually means. Today it’s synonymous with annihilate. My objection is that we now have two words meaning exactly the same thing, when they once had two distinctly different meanings. We are losing the preciseness and flexibility of our language, while increasing its redundancy and vagueness.

Auto
Reply to  Auto
September 16, 2015 1:18 pm

Jtom,
So – what you clearly describe – decimate/annihilate – is poor communication.
Your conclusion is reasonable – but, because English is a living language, new words rise.
Decapitate or decapitation – literally beheading – is already coming close to the old decimate.
Auto

Martin A
Reply to  Matt
September 16, 2015 11:13 am

Toe rags the lot of them.

Stephen Richards
September 15, 2015 8:28 am

dont leave the EU out of this either. They have been paying the BBC for something.

David A
Reply to  Stephen Richards
September 15, 2015 1:09 pm

Obama is also funding such nonsense.

Goldrider
Reply to  David A
September 15, 2015 7:45 pm

He’s just ordered more icebreakers to keep up with the Russkies and all that, well, you know–MELTED ice!

Dahlquist
September 15, 2015 8:30 am

Sort of like the story this past Sunday about the melting Glaciers in the Cascades reported on by the Seattle times… And caught by Dr. Don Easterbrook, Glaciologist / Geologist who had recently been doing his own studies of some of the Glaciers in the Cascades and who refutes some of the “Facts” in the Seattle Times story.
Mt. Baker glaciers disappearing? A response to the Seattle Times.

kim
September 15, 2015 8:45 am

The Bigaciousest Lie.
=======

John W. Garrett
September 15, 2015 8:45 am

Jeepers.
Cancun.
Bali.
Paris.
Copenhagen.
What next? Tahiti?

Resourceguy
Reply to  John W. Garrett
September 15, 2015 8:49 am

You were expecting Bangladesh or clear cut tracts in the Amazon?

Edmonton Al
Reply to  John W. Garrett
September 15, 2015 8:57 am

They have a lot to discuss, or more lies to think up. SO! How about a round the world cruise to visit all the countries that will be under water after thermageddon and 6m sea level rise.
QE2 or a Norwegian Cruise ship for 5000 could be booked. Maybe 2 ships, to take all the CAGW journalists and eco-terrorists.

Neil Jordan
Reply to  Edmonton Al
September 15, 2015 9:48 am

Imagine that, an Ark-load of climate scientists and climate camp followers. Don’t let Henrik Ibsen find out.
http://www.imagi-nation.com/moonstruck/clsc5.htm
“This often misunderstood Norwegian playwright once remarked, “With pleasure I will torpedo the ark.””

schitzree
Reply to  Edmonton Al
September 15, 2015 11:29 am

The problem with ship loads of Alarmists is they have a distressing tendency to get caught in ice.

PiperPaul
Reply to  Edmonton Al
September 15, 2015 11:48 am

Let’s call it B Ark.

timbrom
Reply to  Edmonton Al
September 15, 2015 5:15 pm

PiperPaul, pipped me to it. But don`t forget what happened to the Golgafrinchans left behind!

Ack
Reply to  John W. Garrett
September 15, 2015 9:28 am

Nah, Tahiti will be under water by then.

Thomas Englert
Reply to  Ack
September 15, 2015 4:41 pm

Let’s hope not. The highest point in Tahiti is 7352 ft above sea level.

Harrowsceptic
September 15, 2015 8:45 am

Another good example of the “Global Warming Perperual Motion Machine” They fund alarmist global warming papers to be written and then claim the papers give overwhelming proof of Global Warming. It is like the recent comment about the NOAA call for papers. This clearly showed that they were only interested in papers that proved any aspect of the “Science is Settled” global warming so that they could then claim……. So as I said Global Warming perpetual motion .

PiperPaul
Reply to  Harrowsceptic
September 15, 2015 11:51 am

“Global Warming Perpetual Motion Machine”
Climate feedback loop, but not the one the professional alarmists are always on about.

Resourceguy
September 15, 2015 8:46 am

It should not just be a localized complaint about greens when they substitute rising seas and climate scare for land subsidence in Bangladesh and other river deltas. They need to be continuously hounded for that substitution of science with climate fraud.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/13/opinion/sunday/the-next-genocide.html?src=me

Rob
September 15, 2015 8:51 am

This is the direct payments to write stories which is only half the story. What else happens is that NGOs fund TV programmes which are then shopped around to TV (the BBC laps them up) as “documentaries”, but which are really propaganda and the source of funding is never revealed.

September 15, 2015 8:53 am

Thanks, Anthony. Not “News” exactly.
This is a very sad state of things; corruption seems to be more attractive than virtue to many, they just want to “get ahead” by all and any means.

Mark from the Midwest
September 15, 2015 8:59 am

The news media has a strong tradition of skirting the truth, going back to the bias of Walter Cronkite, through Dan Rather, and on through such luminaries as Brain Williams. Why should any of this come as a surprise?

Reply to  Mark from the Midwest
September 15, 2015 3:24 pm

The one that always bothered me was Pol Pot. It did not take rocket scientists to figure out what was going on over there and everybody and his brother was leaking what would have been award winning documentation of the Holocaust all at the same time the UN was installing Pol Pot in “observer” status. Not a single major western news organization published anything about it until after the Vietnamese invaded and cited the genocide as a reason for having to take action! “News” organizations my Ass!

jorgekafkazar
Reply to  fossilsage
September 15, 2015 7:59 pm

Noam Chomsky was a Pol Pot supporter, denied that the slaughter took place.

Reply to  fossilsage
September 16, 2015 10:56 am

Yep – Chomsky went out of his way to condemn those bringing news of the slaughter as smearing the peaceful and benevolent Khmer Rouge.

Reply to  fossilsage
September 16, 2015 1:09 pm

Sort of the way Paul Ehrlich insists that the “inevitable” collapse of human population is not the result of taking his advice but some kind of “law” of biology. The “environment” will only be happily “balanced” once human population levels drop to between 500,000 million to a billion worldwide. Then, apparently, all evolution proceeds at the pace that is forever locked to an Avatar like rhythm of “naturalness”. It’s amazing to me that these guys aren’t laughed out of academia or at this stage tarred and feathered and run out of town on a rail!

rogerknights
September 15, 2015 9:17 am

Let’s not forget the monetary awards (like the $100,000 Heinz prize) that climate scientists (like James Hansen) get.
(But that’s OK, although apparently it violates federal regulations, because “it’s for the grandchildren.” (Al Capone could plead the same excuse.))

Reply to  rogerknights
September 15, 2015 4:56 pm

Heize married to sec of state moron john kerry

Alx
September 15, 2015 9:36 am

When you are saving the world from evil, I mean Climate change, and have to battle inhuman pagans, I mean climate deniers, than any manner of non-ethical or immoral behavior becomes justified as ethical and moral.
Add to that everyone has a need and a price. The amount of the awards was not shown, but I imagine a the right level of award will cause a skeptic to suddenly start writing on the “harmful impacts of climate change”.
It’s all good in climate change land.

hunter
September 15, 2015 9:38 am

NGO’s are like governments only less accountable.

Leonard Lane
Reply to  hunter
September 15, 2015 12:03 pm

hunter, so true. NGO’s usually live on government grants and tax exemptions and their work is sweet–do what you wish, pay yourself enormous salaries, hold lavish parties and call them fund raising. and on and on. NGOs are, for the most part, just appendages of the Ministry of Truth.

PaulH
September 15, 2015 9:50 am

I’m not convinced there are enough bribes to create all the biased reporting out there. Most of it is written by true-believers.

TonyL
Reply to  PaulH
September 15, 2015 10:13 am

And the best way to make a True-Believer is ???

jorgekafkazar
Reply to  PaulH
September 15, 2015 8:00 pm

And ijjits.

Reply to  PaulH
September 16, 2015 11:05 am

“I’m not convinced there are enough bribes….”
Hence the “storytelling contest” – you dangle the carrot of cash, prizes and (always valuable to reporters) awards to ambitious under-35 SJWs and you get an inundation of alarmist doom and gloom articles all over the world while having to actually pay for only a microscopically-small part of it.
Think of the contestants as unpaid interns willing to work for a raffle ticket.

Robert Thomson
September 15, 2015 10:01 am

“Wang Bin bin, Manager of the Climate Change and Poverty Team, Oxfam Hong Kong.” ……………… So for Oxfam, Poverty and Climate Change walk hand in hand – one idea that needs to be whanged in the bin?

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