Presentation at the 2015 Conference on Communication & the Environment.

1. Knowledge-Based Journalism in Politicized Science Debates:
Applying Insights from Cultural Theory & Risk Analysis
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Matthew C. Nisbet
Associate Professor
Northeastern University

2. Journalists as Knowledge Professionals
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o Dimensions of Knowledge-based Journalism:
o Content Knowledge. Specialized, experiential,
immersive understanding of subject, beat, discipline
guides news judgments, source selection, critical
assessment of claims.
o Process Knowledge. Specialized understanding of
news media decision-making and effects can be
used to guard against biases, choose among
storytelling techniques, more effectively engage
audiences.
Patterson 2013
Donsbach 2014

3. Journalists as Public Intellectuals
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o Informed critics, advocates, and explainers.
o Deductive analysis across cases and events, drawing
connections, making inferences, and offering judgments.
o Serve in the role of critic, advocate, or activist.
o Personalities, brands, and commodities.
o Distinctive voice and personality; shift between detached
analysis and personalization.
o Brands that transcend news organization and platforms.
o Large social media followings, online spirals of attention.
o Create/disrupt narratives and assumptions.
o Influence assumptions and mental models of activists,
funders, journalists, and other elites.
Nisbet 2013; 2014
Fahy 2015

4. Diffusing Culturally Antagonistic Meanings:
Diversifying Policy and Technology Options
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Kahan et al 2007
Pielke 2007

5. Facilitating Disagreement, Questioning Expertise:
A Networked, Critical Approach to Journalism
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Rosen 2012
Andrew Revkin

6. Doing Knowledge-Based Journalism
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7. The Dot Earth Blog
Revkin as Explainer, Informed Critic and Convener
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8. Further Reading
www.climateshiftproject.org/studies
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Fahy & Nisbet 2011 Nisbet 2014 Fahy & Nisbet 2015