AP to participate in collaborative Facebook page to cover Copenhagen climate conference

Posted by Betsey Reinsborough on December 2, 2009 at 1:05 PM

While covering the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, the Associated Press will join forces with 10 other papers worldwide through Facebook. The AP announced a planned joint Facebook page today in a press release. The page, called The Climate Pool, will feature a blog with contributions form all participating members.

Joined by the AP will be Agence France-Presse, ANP of the Netherlands, APA of Austria, APcom of Italy, Canadian Press, dpa of Germany, Kyodo of Japan, Lusa of Portugal, Press Association of the United Kingdom and RIA of Russia.

The feed will be in English with contributions from all newspaper partners. The aim of the collaboration is to encourage a global conversation about the need for climate change as well as to provide a forum for readers to speak directly with journalists.

A statement on The Climate Pool Facebook page describes the page. "The news agencies involved will be posting blog items, linking to relevant content and driving debate on the page's discussion boards as well as by using other tools of social media - moderating those discussions in accordance with the highest journalistic standards. This site is not aimed at replicating the traditional media coverage of such an event but of providing back stories and a forum for analysis and various points of view. Many of the participating news agencies will concentrate on national aspects concerning their home markets; some will focus more on a global market. All are committed to jointly providing a new model for collaborative journalism and reader engagement."

The page is modeled after one used by the AP during the coverage of the confirmation hearings for US Supreme Court Justice nominee Sonia Sotomayor this summer. The modified and expanded page was designed with the assistance of MINDS International, a global news agency network.

According to the managing director of MINDS, Wolfgang Nedomansky, "The climate summit in Copenhagen will affect the lives of billions of people, and it is likely to grip the attention of news consumers all over the world. The Climate Pool will provide a unique outlet for Internet users to discuss climate change with some of the world's most experienced journalists covering the conference."

The AP has also set up a Twitter feed for even more direct discussion.

The conference runs from 7-18 December in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Source: Associated Press