The news boss
Patrick Conroy of the eNCA (DStv 403) has some harsh words for the news media, saying that "news organisations are failing their audiences in modern times. Reporting on sciences has been downgraded to niche publications and been replaced with gossip rags and reality TV series abour rich spoilt brats who are famous just for being famous."
The weather department of the eNCA hosted South Africa's Society for Atmospheric Summit in Cape Town yesterday and today with the eNCA's chief meteorologist
Derek van Dam and
Patrick Controy both addressing the annual conference. Delegates also got a behind-the-scenes look at the eNCA's weather department.
"As the planet struggles to cope with 7 billion people, we face a very uncertain future. The mainstream media has been too slow to realise this fact and report on it adequately. eNCA's support for the SASAS 2012 conference is an indication that we take the need for increased scientific reporting very seriously," says
Patrick Conroy.
"The role of a modern weather broadcaster continues to diversify as science meets broadcasting," says
Derek van Dam. "TV stations across the planet are recognising that all-encompassing 'station scientists' are required especially when weather and science becomes news," said
Derek van Dam.
"Whether it's covering tsunamis or typhoons, climate change or volcanic eruptions; knowledge of every type of scientific phenomenon has become a basic requirement for broadcast meteorologists."
"The purpose of this conference is to identify new research in the field of atmospheric sciences, while eNCA Weather seeks new ways to bridge the divide between broadcasters and the scientific community," says
Derek van Dam.
