Fact Finders in the era of Global Disorder and Climate Crisis | ft. Mitali Mukherjee

At a time when wars dominate headlines, climate disasters intensify, and newsrooms themselves face funding cuts and political pressure , who tells the story, and how, matters more than ever.

In a conversation that is both personal and structural, we spoke with Ms. Mitali Mukherjee, Director, Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, UK. Having led a distinguished career as a business journalist, and now heading one of the world’s leading centres for journalism research and policy engagement, she brings both newsroom experience and a global institutional perspective to the discussion. Drawing from her experience in India’s broadcast media landscape to the structural shifts reshaping academic and research institutions worldwide, she reflects on what it means to report and research in an era defined by disruption.

This conversation looks beyond the daily news cycle to understand the structural forces shaping journalism today. From social defunding and the changing business models of media to the difficulty of sustaining consistent, in-depth climate reporting in an increasingly saturated media environment, we discuss what it takes to support independent journalism and research in uncertain times, and why it continues to matter.

Further Reading:

• Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism's Climate Change and News Audiences Report 2025

• Climate related projects from our journalist fellows

• Samuel Thomas and his project on the farmer herder crisis

• Niko Efstathiou and his project on wildfires and misinformation

• A paper jointly worked on with Dr Anthony Feinstein on the stress and distress faced by climate change journalists

• Details about Mitali’s book Crypto Crimes: Inside India's Best-Kept Secret

• The Digital News Report

Full transcript of the episode is available in English.

Presented by 101Reporters

Mitali Mukherjee is on LinkedIn.

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