Some climate journalists are more interested in the awareness of their readers than in arguments. The activist approach is cemented in so-called charters for the industry.
Climate activists protest in the fountain in Trafalgar Square, London, in October. In journalism, too, the boundaries to activism are fluid.
Before an interview, journalists rack their brains over many things. The “Spiegel” journalist Benjamin Maack tormented in front of his Conversation with Luisa Neubauer a rather special concern: he had a “mini-crisis” in the morning, he admitted to the climate activist – because of his sneakers. They are made of leather, not produced sustainably, he was ashamed. It also becomes clear in other ways how authority is distributed in this encounter: Maack mainly inquires in a submissive tone about the activist’s emotional life. Critical questions about extremist and anti-Semitic tendencies in the movement or the compatibility of climate protection and democracy are missing. Overall, the text is reminiscent of a “meet and greet” between a fan and his idol.