Complexity, Objectivity, and Shifting Roles: Environmental Correspondents March to a Changing Beat

Figures & data

Table 1. List of interview subjects.

Name	Organisation	Title	Base country	Career-stage
Akshat Rathi	Bloomberg Green	Climate and energy reporter	UK	Early
Alister Doyle	Reuters (former)	Environment correspondent (2004–2019)	UK^a	Late
Annie Snider	Politico	Environment reporter	US	Early
Ben Jackson	The Sun (former)	Environment editor 2009–2015	UK	Late
Caroline O’Doherty	Irish Independent	Environment correspondent	Ireland	Mid
Daniel Murray	Business Post	Reporter (with focus on environment)	Ireland	Early
Emily Holden	Guardian	Environment correspondent	US	Early
Fiona Harvey	Guardian	Environment correspondent	UK	Mid
Kevin O’Sullivan	Irish Times	Environment and science editor	Ireland	Mid
Matt McGrath	BBC	Environment correspondent	UK	Mid
Mike Swain	Daily Mirror (former)	Science and environment editor (2006–2012)	UK	Late
Padraig Hoare	Irish Examiner	Environment correspondent	Ireland	Mid
Valerie Flynn	Sunday Times	Reporter (with focus on environment)	Ireland	Early

Interviewees were categorised as “early-career” if working 10 years or less in this area, and “late” if they had finished their careers with the outlets.

^a Alister Doyle covered the environment from a global perspective for Reuters. Given the agency’s origins, it is classified here as UK.

Table 2. Theme and topic codes for thematic analysis.

	Internal aspects	External aspects	Conceptual
Topics coded	Changes to role of environment journalist	Public engagement	Objectivity
	Demand for the environment beat	Politicisation/polarisation of environment	Advocacy/activism
	Changes to beat	Online negativity and trolling	Indicator species?
	Resources	Impact of Covid
	Comparison with other beats
	Importance/loss of expertise
	Challenges