There must be a climate journal, demands XR. ‘Painful’ that the NOS is being questioned, the media respond

The action announced as ‘occupation’ on Saturday by Extinction Rebellion at the NOS building in Hilversum can count on misunderstanding in journalism. Thomas Bruning, secretary of the Journalist Vakbond NVJ, calls it « incomprehensible » and « painful that » XR « questions the reporting and independent position of journalism and in this case the NOS ». He calls on climate activists to abandon the action.

XR writes in a pamphlet on the site nosweeslijk.nl that « extinction rebellion is right in front of the freedom of the press, » says. « We need a press that is not guided by the interests of governments and large polluting companies. » The NOS gives facts that affect the climate crisis, but omits « interpretation, » said Xr. NOS must « again » mention that « the climate crisis is the most likely cause of extreme weather, » it says. There must also be a climate journal and sources from the ‘Global South’ must be discussed, where in particular indigenous peoples experience the consequences.

Although the NOS gives facts that affect the climate crisis, be omitted

« They say they stand for freedom of press, » responds NOS editor-in-chief Giselle of Cann. « But set requirements for what we report is at odds with that. » She says she regularly talked to XR members, but « they didn’t get their way ». There will be no climate journal under her leadership. « We are a general news medium, » she says. « Everything that is relevant is news for us. » The fact that many millions of public money is spent on sports reporting by the NOS is also part of the XR criticism. « That is simply arranged in the law, » she says. « I’m only about the news. »

‘Suspicions’

Van Cann hopes that employees « just be able to enter the building and not be intimidated, » as happened last November in an unannounced action by XR. She does not intend to enter into the conversation on Saturday, she says, noting that XR did not ask for that either. « They come to make a point. »

Deputy editor-in-chief and climate journalist Jaap Tielbeke van De Groene Amsterdammer states that XR spreads « unfounded suspicions. » The problem is not that journalists « fail because they misunderstand the seriousness of climate change or walk on the leash of polluting companies, » he writes in a comment. It is mainly the media dynamics that « makes it difficult to do justice to this complex crisis in Slow Motion. » In that sense, it is « good » that people « occasionally pull protest signs to the Malieveld or the Mediapark, to prevent us from slipping into the spiral of silence unnoticed. »

‘Hamas propaganda’

XR also has criticism on the NOS reporting on Gaza. The group is talking about ‘fake neutrality and false balance’. The NOS « hides » war crimes of Israel. The NOS is at the same time under fire from opinion makers in the De Telegraafmost recent columnist Ronald Plasterk who blames the broadcaster the « evening after evening » of Hamas propaganda. That the support for Israel’s action in Gaza is waning among the Dutch population would even be due to the reporting of NOS. « Propaganda works, » says the columnist.

According to Van Cann, a columnist has « the maximum freedom to opinion. » For other genres, « the requirements for facts and substantiation are higher ». She also finds these attacks not comparable to the announced XR action. « This is not about freedom of press. »

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