In 2009, The New York Times created its environment desk. Edited by Sandy Keenan, the desk had a staff of nine (two editors, seven reporters) and also oversaw the . Less than four years later, it鈥檚 being disbanded.聽
The executive director of the Society of Environmental Journalists, Beth Parke called the announcement a “worrying” sign.
Dean Baquet, managing editor for news operations, offered reassurance that the move did not indicate a lessened commitment to climate and environmental reporting.
It wasn’t a decision we made lightly. To both me and Jill [Abramson, executive editor], coverage of the environment is what separates The New York Times from other papers. We devote a lot of resources to it, now more than ever. We have not lost any desire for environmental coverage. This is purely a structural matter.
Baquet maintains that all staff members will keep their jobs; they鈥檒l just be relocated to other sections of the paper over the next few weeks. The future of the Green Blog, however, is yet to be determined. “My goal is to make sure we’re producing the same level of work,” Baquet said. It “is too important of a topic to let it slip.”
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