National Geographic
Earthbeat host Mike Tidwell discusses the vast divide between National Geographic Magazine's editorial stance, and its advertising. The National Geographic Society lists its goal as: "inspiring people to care about the planet" and yet its website and magazines are littered with ads for big oil and gas-guzzling SUVs.
The June 2007 edition of the Society's classic yellow-bordered magazine combined astounding underwater photos with lyrical writing to bring home about the devastation occurring as world-wide warming melts the Arctic sea ice.
One month later, the July edition of the Society's classic yellow-bordered magazine came pre-packaged with a promotional DVD touting Shell Oil.
To watch that film, click here. To view an online version of the June National Geographic Magazine, click here.
Joining Mike Tidwell to discuss this disconnect are John Stauber, the CEO of the non-profit group, the Center for Media and Democracy in Wisconsin - and Ross Gelbspan blogger and author of the book Boiling Point.
Finally, with a round-up of recent climate news we speak to Joe Romm, blogger and author of Hell and High Water.
If you'd like to hear this edition of Earthbeat - please send us an e-mail
Image used courtesy of Daniel Y. Go via Flickr.
Music used in this edition of Earthbeat: 'The World's Gone Mad' & 'Breakdown' by Handsome Boy Modeling School.
Comments
Listened to your show on National Geographic and their ad material.
At the time I was reading Smithsonian Magazine and began noticing the ads in that publication. While many ads were from King Cong (Coal, Oil, Nuclear and Gas) these ads were more about the company's environmental record, clearly Greenwash of the rankest sort.
So here's the question, is Green Washing of King Cong actually preferable to ads for Ford F-350 4x4 crew cab trucks?
I confess myself of two minds on the matter. I don't think the truck ads have a place in National Geo, but neither does Green Washing.
Posted by: rick kennerly | August 27, 2007 01:32 PM