ABSTRACT
Reporters shape public opinion, and public opinion shapes environmental negotiations. Ironically, most reporters do not believe that they have real power. In fact, most reporters would claim that they are not players at all in the game of environmental negotiations. Reporters have extraordinary power. They use that power to further their personal careers and their personal agendas. Reporters are human beings with differing beliefs, values, and biases. Reporters, they would claim, are sideline observers; they are not part of the action. Reporters are not supposed to be part of the action. The most common decision a reporter has to make is whether or not to cover a particular issue. Reporters have rapidly approaching deadlines. In addition to limited time, reporters have limited energy. They have to choose what they will cover because there are more available issues on any day than all the reporters in the world could cover.
