Planet in Peril

So often we critique journalism or report on how the business is failing. A little over a week ago, I found a program on CNN which I thought was a good example of journalism, of informing the people, especially in an area that seems to be downsized in many news organizations.

CNN has a program called "Planet in Peril" which runs Sunday nights at 8 p.m. est. According to their website, www.cnn.com/planetinperil, the show "examines the environmental conflicts between growing populations and natural resources." The hosts Lisa Ling, Anderson Cooper, and Dr. Sanjay Gupta travel across the world investigating conflicts and issues such as shark hunting, disease, or the extinction of the Silverback gorilla in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

In the past two weeks the program has covered issues in the Amazon rain forest regarding deforestation and the effects on the ecosystem there, diseases picked up from forest animals in Cameroon such as HIV, shark fin soup and its harvesting for soup in places such as Taiwan.

This program covers many important issues happening across the world, and even in the United States. It educates people so they can make a difference. So much of cable news is filled with redundant headlines or political commentary. It is refreshing to learn something new, something out of the ordinary scandal and corruption stories.

The program's website, while very simple, provides print stories, video podcasts, notes from the field, blogs from the hosts, and links to other sites where you can become an active participant in aiding the issues the show has discussed. Below is a podcast provided by the program's website. One of the hosts, Lisa Ling, is in Africa investigating the problem of poaching elephants.


The website even has an interactive map of the places "Planet in Peril: Battle Lines" has traveled documenting threats to the environment. There is a section dedicated to parents and educators providing activities, questions, and video as well.

I believe CNN has done a wonderful job with this program, providing an excellent example of journalism.

What do you think? Is it an example of journalism in its best form?