To: National Geographic
Don't let Murdoch meddle with National Geographic
Institute an editorial independence policy—including the appointment of a Public Editor—to prevent ideological influence over National Geographic's scientific coverage by Rupert Murdoch or others.
Why is this important?
Rupert Murdoch's 21st Century Fox just bought a majority stake in National Geographic's media assets, including its iconic science magazine.
That's bad news for anyone who cares about an independent and informative media, if Fox's flagship news network is any indication—a study by the Union of Concerned Scientists found 72% of Fox News' climate science coverage to be "misleading."
Voters need accurate information about the world around us that's based on science, not ideology. For more than a century, National Geographic's non-profit journalism has given us that, and Fox says this sale won't change anything -- but we need a guarantee.
National Geographic must immediately adopt policies—including appointing a Public Editor—to ensure the magazine's editorial independence.