How Independent Media Is Changing How We See the World

Bioneers Pulse – updates from the Bioneers Community

Bioneer,  The rapid rise of citizen journalism and nonprofit news organizations has provided a much-needed alternative to storytelling from media conglomerates. As the concentration of monopoly power in media has combined with the unprecedented power of digital technologies to vacuum up the media ecosystem into a reality distortion field of giants, influence peddling and infotainment, independent media sources are amplifying the underrepresented narratives that help us form a more informed, big-picture idea of what people are actually experiencing throughout the world. This week, we highlight work from independent media groups and discuss how nonprofit media is adjusting to meet the demands of today’s readers, listeners and viewers. Share the News Help us increase the reach of Bioneers ideas by sharing our browser-friendly version of this newsletter with your community. Share These Stories! How Sierra Magazine, At 126 Years Old, Is Keeping 'Environmental' Journalism Fresh While today many national and traditional news outlets are covering not only wide-ranging climate activism, but the harrowing repercussions of a planet (and its inhabitants) in peril, Sierra magazine has been on the frontlines of climate- and conservation-focused journalism since the late 1800s. Following, Bioneers Senior Director of Programs and Research Teo Grossman chats with Jason Mark, editor-in-chief of Sierra magazine, about the uptick of mainstream environmental media coverage, what it means for environmental activism as a whole, and how his over-100-year-old publication fits within the new media landscape. Read more here. Monika Bauerlein: The Future of Journalism Democracy is in crisis, and one central reason is the transformation of the media landscape resulting from the collapse of the economic model for news. From where will truth-seeking, fact-based, trustworthy journalism come as we rebuild our democracy? How do we overcome the hyper-capitalist algorithm devouring the free press? Monika Bauerlein is the groundbreaking CEO and former Co-Editor of Mother Jones, which since 1976 has stood among the world’s premier progressive investigative journalism news organizations. Read more and watch here. Building a Better News Landscape Fake news, junk news, viral headlines, scandals and newsroom layoffs. What’s happening in—and to—the news can make your head hurt. But there is a way to build a better, more just and democratic model for journalism than the corporate media of the past. In this panel, we hear from the courageous people doing it. Hosted by Mother Jones CEO Monika Bauerlein. With: Lila LaHood, Publisher, San Francisco Public Press; Nikhil Swaminathan, Executive Editor of Grist; Marcia Parker, publisher of CalMatters. Read more here. Listen Now: 9 of Our Favorite Independent Podcasts The stories we’re told can determine how we view the world around us, and with the media industry monopolized by an elite few, it’s important to dig deeper than mainstream coverage. Bioneers has been hosting an award-winning independent radio show and podcast for nearly two decades and we’ve been amazed and inspired by the explosion of really top-notch audio storytelling and reporting projects. Check out nine indie podcasts you should be listening to (along with The Bioneers: Revolution from the Heart of Nature, of course!). Read more here. Help Support COVID Relief to Indigenous Communities At Bioneers, we have worked swiftly behind the scenes to help Indigenous communities hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic and have already distributed rapid-relief support to those in the front lines, who are risking their lives to help Indigenous communities survive the latest pandemic. Alexis Bunten, Bioneers Indigeneity Program Director, wrote this piece to share what her and her colleagues have learned about the disproportionate effects of COVID-19 on Indigenous communities, from historical perspectives to the current reality, and to offer several ways that you can donate to these efforts. Read more here. Supporting Women Leaders in the Environmental Movement Women’s Earth Alliance and the Sierra Club are partnering to support women leaders by helping them grow or scale their grassroots environmental and climate initiatives. This project, called the 2020 Women’s Earth Alliance Grassroots Accelerator, is accepting applications until June 8th. Encourage women in your network to apply now! Learn More Here More from Bioneers.org: COVID Near the Congo: Our Conversation with a Disease Ecologist Caught Abroad | On her way to the Congo, Belgian disease ecologist and wildlife biologist Anne Laudisoit got stuck in Uganda during their COVID-19 shutdowns. In this interview, she chats with Bioneers Senior Producer J.P. Harpignies about zoonotic diseases and how scientists around the world are managing outbreaks. American Hemp Farmer | Hemp farmer, journalist and goat herder Doug Fine takes climate change personally since he witnessed a wild-fire-fleeing bear kill nearly all his goats. Fine shares his adventures and misadventures as an independent, regenerative farmer and entrepreneur. Transitioning to a Crisis-Resilient Agriculture | Fred Kirschenmann, a Distinguished Fellow at the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, is a persuasive advocate for soil health and agricultural resilience and a farmer of 1,800 certified-organic acres in North Dakota. Dr. Kirschenmann is interviewed by Arty Mangan, Bioneers Restorative Food Systems Director. Do you know people who might enjoy reading this? Please share it with them! Share Tweet Share +1 Forward

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