Norsk Medietidsskrift (Jan 2011)

Klimakrisen utfordrer objektivitetsidealet i norsk journalistikk

  • Andreas Ytterstad

DOI
https://doi.org/10.18261/ISSN0805-9535-2011-04-03
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 18
pp. 323 – 343

Abstract

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Only a few years ago a normative turn away from objective reporting in Norwegian climate change journalism took place. Journalists begun to ask themselves whether it was their job to rescue the planet. In this article, several dimensions of the ideal of objectivity are explored among Norwegian climate change journalists: balance, reflecting public opinion, truthfulness and neutrality. The truth-seeking ideal is illustrated by the conflict between political and natural realism in climate change politics: How large do cuts in emissions of greenhouse gases need to be? The author defends a critical realist ideal of objectivity, which does not have to be in contradiction with agenda-driven journalism.

Keywords