By Pat Johnson
 RICHARD JOHNSON/ SPECIAL TO THE TOWN CRIER Public health issues, according to Morning Forum speaker Paul Rogers, receive high priority in coverage. |
Paul Rogers, natural resources and environment writer for the San Jose Mercury News, explained the paper’s criteria for selecting news stories in his address, “Energy and the Environment: How the Press Decides What to Cover, and Major California Trends,” to a Morning Forum audience Nov. 7.
Rogers covers logging, fishing, air pollution, recycling and global warming for the Mercury News. He was part of the team that won the Pulitzer Prize in 1990 for coverage of the Loma Prieta earthquake. He has won the David Brower Award, the Sierra Club’s highest national award for environmental journalism. He teaches environmental journalism at UC Santa Cruz.
Public health issues, according to Rogers, receive high priority in coverage. Smog, respiratory illness, clean water and damaged spinach are all of concern to readers. Quality-of-life information is popular as well, including traffic and recreation.
Rogers said environmental issues have a direct impact on the economy. Cleaning up toxic waste is a thriving business, and hybrid cars have long waiting lists. Solar power and possibly solar paint are emerging technologies.
Success stories about the environment are beginning to drive coverage. One of the best examples is air pollution: in 1969, there were 69 bad air days; in 2005, there was one bad air day. The improvement can be attributed to the ban on leaded gas, tougher laws and advanced technology. Endangered species are another success story, with bald eagles, brown pelicans, whales and sea otters among the animals whose numbers have increased in recent years.
Rogers said that when he chooses his stories he considers several factors, such as the number of people the story affects. When the entrance fee at Yosemite Park was raised, for example, a large number of people were impacted.
Breaking news, such as an oil tanker leak, is very difficult to cover, he said, because there is no time for research. When such a time-critical situation occurs, call an expert.
“You are paid to learn,” Rogers said he tells his students.
Rogers said another important objective is to track trends. One of the most fascinating developments, he said, is the merging of religious organizations and environmental groups to counter global warming. Two groups that have never worked together have found a common interest in the environment.
Some stories have the “wow” factor, Rogers said. The Hubble space capsule and pictures from Mars leave the reader wanting more.
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