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Local news rarely covers climate change. Here's why we did

It took weeks of work and countless conversations with experts and everyday people in order to tackle the subject of climate change.

Late last month, after the first round of Democratic debates devoted just ten minutes to climate change, former NBC & PBS reporter John Larson posted the following in a Facebook group of his peers:

“Is there a climate discussion in your newsroom? In broadcast we excel at breaking news. We’re poor with huge stories that evolve… slowly. … Will anyone bring it up in your next morning meeting? Or better, explore ways to tell the stories? If not, how about you?”

From my desk, I nodded hard. And I couldn’t wait to share what I had brewing.

A few months earlier, I had shared similar frustrations with my news director. “I want to do a special on climate change,” I told her, but I wanted to maneuver around all the pitfalls that keep us in local news from tackling the topic.

It’s too toxic.

It’s too political.

It’s too daunting.

It’s too depressing.

The challenge was laid: how do we cover this subject – among the most important facing our planet – in a way that breaks through the noise and informs our audience?

Here’s what we came up with:

This week we launched PLAN G, a series of reports telling the story of Georgians uniquely affecting – or affected by – the changes to our climate. A special report each night on 11Alive culminates on Friday with a 20-minute documentary that will run as a half-hour special in our Friday evening newscasts. 

I shot and edited the entire special myself – with the exception of my opening standup – and worked with a graphic artist and digital specialist to handle the overall look and online rollout, respectively.

Mostly, I spoke often with producers and managers about how to attack this subject. We came up with a few foundations:

Dig deep for background. Before I shot a frame of video, I logged at least a dozen conversations with leaders and experts in our state. I learned of tremendous resources that approached the subject in an objective way. I built a compendium of potential storylines before deciding which to make my focus.

Let people tell their stories. Except for my opening standup – and the occasional questions to my interview subjects – I kept my voice out of it. I spoke with people of different backgrounds, life experiences, and even different views about climate change. I spent days with each. I wanted to allow them to speak for themselves – at least, as much within reason, since I still edited hours of footage per person into roughly 4-5 minutes each.

Don’t try to cover every inch. There are so many fascinating stories about Georgians in the center of the climate conversation. Even with 20 minutes of real estate, I knew I couldn’t possibly cover them all. I focused on four and tried to select people who could provide a wide array of perspectives.

Swing for the fences, but don’t be afraid to fail. In some ways, I’m a glutton for punishment. I find subjects that are taboo, that don’t have the sexiest headlines, that don’t get automatic clicks. I feel a journalistic responsibility to cover stories that matter, and I take on the uphill climb of presenting them in a way that will resonate.

In this case, I’m still not totally sure if it worked.

The night the special launched, it received tepid response. Our rollout began slowly, and we waited to reach out to the communities and groups we thought would gravitate to it. But even as we struggle to amplify its reach, I’m glad we took on the task.

As John Larson said, “We’re poor with huge stories that evolve … slowly.” But we can’t abstain from the responsibility.

We must continue to embrace it.

More from our Plan G - Climate Change Series:

He marched on Washington in the 60s. Today he brings faith into the fight on climate change 

For generations his family has been farming peanuts, now he sold portion of land to solar

The more you raise a highway, the more it sinks: Tybee Island's climate change paradox

How 18 miles of Georgia interstate became a 'way to save the world'

Fort Benning reports 1,500 heat-related injuries in last five years, largest in the country

'The Civil Rights movement of 2019': how Atlanta found its voice in the climate conversation

Could the electric car credit come back in Georgia?

How Georgians are taking control of the climate conversation

Watch 11Alive's special report, PLAN G, about how Georgians are leading the climate conversation. For more, follow reporter Matt Pearl on FacebookTwitter, and Instagram. 

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