Changing Times website
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SUPPORT HOLISTIC JOURNALISM
BEING THE CHANGE WE WISH TO SEE
Changing Times is a multi-media platform for journalism that inspires, informs, and motivates. It gives voice to those who are not heard elsewhere.
By helping to fund Changing Times, you will be supporting journalism that digs deep; that places issues and events in their true context and airs the viewpoints that really matter.
The aim of Changing Times is to go to the heart of issues; to discern causes, spotlight solutions, and make connections.
So much of today's journalism is pumped-up, one-shot stories that are drama-driven and foster negativity. I want to nourish positivity. I truly believe that, in my work as a journalist, I can help lift our energy and consciousness.
Reporting holistically means taking responsibility for the words that we write. It's about going beyond platitudes and helping to move things forward.
Changing Times is already making a difference
With its coverage of such issues as deforestation and wildlife protection, Changing Times has already made a difference. The website is not only a portal for news features; it also carries comprehensive information about health and well-being, including articles about spirituality.
Changing Times also brings you up-to-date information about important news stories such as the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370.
Since the website was created in 2010, it has attracted nearly 80,000 views. It's now time to take to take it to the next level so it can be an even stronger catalyst for constructive and sustainable change.
A great deal has been achieved already. With your help, I’ll be able to do so much more.
Orangutans
Orangutans get a lot of airplay on Changing Times. I have written numerous articles about the Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme and the Orangutan Information Centre, both based in Medan, Indonesia. The dedicated teams at these organisations rescue and care for orangutans and, whenever possible, release them back into the wild. They face huge challenges as the primates' habitat continues to be cleared to make way for oil palms.
Koalas
Another main focus on Changing Times is the plight of the koala. The iconic animal that tourists queue up to cuddle is suffering the ravages of disease and sustaining horrific injuries on logging plantations.
As their habitat is destroyed for urban and industrial development, thousands of koalas are dying as a result of car hits and dog attacks, and bushfires kill thousands more.
I recently reported on the first successful field trial of a vaccine against chlamydia in koalas, and will be updating readers on efforts to get a Koala Protection Act passed in the Australian parliament.
Urban development
The rampant over-development in the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur, is another topic covered on Changing Times.
The last remaining low-rise urban village in KL, Kampong Bharu, is being targeted for high-rise development and local landowners are furious about the new master plan to raze this historic area to the ground.
Photo showcase
Changing Times is also a showcase for documentary videos and photos. Contributors include award-winning photojournalist Roni Bintang from Indonesia.
Sea cucumber fishermen from Simeulue island, Indonesia. Copyright Roni Bintang.
Holistic journalism
Holistic journalism neither invents, nor exaggerates; it is discerning and compassionate. It doesn't believe everything it hears and doesn't pander to superstars and business magnates. It follows up on issues that have been dumped by the mainstream media because something more sexy has turned up.
Working holistically means going behind the scenes; going beyond the press release. It's about seeing the bigger picture, going out into the streets to ask so-called ordinary people how they see the world. Everyone has a story to tell, and everyone matters.
Working in a holitistic way doesn't mean never writing about the negative things that are happening; that would be evasion. But, as journalists, we need to avoid scare-mongering and false targetting. We need to be aware of the agendas of those in power.
My story
I've been a journalist since the 1970s. I have now chosen to work primarily outside of the mainstream so as to focus fully on issues about which I am truly passionate.
When I tackle issues or visit places, I look at them from every angle. I want the readers of Changing Times to get that same 360-degree view.
There is an interconnectedness in this world and I would hope that Changing Times reflects that; my aim is to draw together threads that are too often separated. When our focus is narrowed, we get an unbalanced picture.
We need to work together to bring balance back into society and protect the flora and fauna without which our planet will become a wasteland.
Communication is of the essence. When we are informed, our choices are more conscious.
Improving our own health and well-being and that of others, defending human rights and social justice, and protecting wildlife – these are all ways in which we can create a positive future.
Future plans and ideas
I intend to expand my coverage of the core issues I have been tackling to date.
There will be more in Changing Times about Sumatra and the spatial plan that threatens to wreak untold damage to the ecologically precious Leuser Eco-system.
I will continue to report on the work being done to save and protect orangutans and koalas, and am currently researching an article about the threats posed to seahorse habitat off the coast of peninsular Malaysia.
One of the most endangered creatures in the world is the pangolin, or scaly anteater. I intend to find out more about the threats these extraordinary creatures face, and the work being done to protect them. (There are conservation programmes in Indonesia, Vietnam, and Cambodia.)
I would also like to bring readers more information about the indigenous communities on the island of Borneo. As the rainforest on which they depend is destroyed, their lifestyle is increasingly endangered.
Environmental protection is not just about forests and oceans. Our cities also need to be as environmentally healthy as possible. While writing more about urban over-development in Malaysia, I also want to spotlight places where there is responsible development.
In São Paulo, Brazil, there is a new and innovative master plan. The Municipal Secretary for Urban Development, Fernando de Mello Franco, says the plan aims to match mobility and development. “It is not possible anymore to think of a city for cars,” he said. “Our priority is public transport.”
Changing Times readers will be kept up to date about the campaign to protect the Great Barrier Reef from industrial expansion, and there will be more coverage of the attempts bring in ag-gag laws in Australia that would be similar to those already in place in the United States.
Another issue I am eager to tackle is water fluoridation. The health dangers posed by this contamination of our water supplies need to be exposed. Genetically modified food, vaccination, and the threats posed by the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) are three other topics that Changing Times has high on its agenda.
I intend to set up a “Positive Profiles” page, which would be a focal point for interviews with environmentalists, healing practitioners, and others who are working for a positive future. People like Jane Goodall show what can be done when, as she puts it, "we learn to live with brain and heart working together in harmony."
I would like Changing Times to grow to the point where I could pay colleagues in Africa to contribute articles about environmental and social issues on that continent.
These are just a few of my ideas for Changing Times. Every day I have many, many more.
Please support my work. Thank you.
The headline koala photo in this campaign shows felled pine forest near Bathurst, Queensland, and was taken by Louise O’Brien.
BEING THE CHANGE WE WISH TO SEE
Changing Times is a multi-media platform for journalism that inspires, informs, and motivates. It gives voice to those who are not heard elsewhere.
By helping to fund Changing Times, you will be supporting journalism that digs deep; that places issues and events in their true context and airs the viewpoints that really matter.
The aim of Changing Times is to go to the heart of issues; to discern causes, spotlight solutions, and make connections.
So much of today's journalism is pumped-up, one-shot stories that are drama-driven and foster negativity. I want to nourish positivity. I truly believe that, in my work as a journalist, I can help lift our energy and consciousness.
Reporting holistically means taking responsibility for the words that we write. It's about going beyond platitudes and helping to move things forward.
Changing Times is already making a difference
With its coverage of such issues as deforestation and wildlife protection, Changing Times has already made a difference. The website is not only a portal for news features; it also carries comprehensive information about health and well-being, including articles about spirituality.
Changing Times also brings you up-to-date information about important news stories such as the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370.
Since the website was created in 2010, it has attracted nearly 80,000 views. It's now time to take to take it to the next level so it can be an even stronger catalyst for constructive and sustainable change.
A great deal has been achieved already. With your help, I’ll be able to do so much more.
Orangutans
Orangutans get a lot of airplay on Changing Times. I have written numerous articles about the Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme and the Orangutan Information Centre, both based in Medan, Indonesia. The dedicated teams at these organisations rescue and care for orangutans and, whenever possible, release them back into the wild. They face huge challenges as the primates' habitat continues to be cleared to make way for oil palms.
Koalas
Another main focus on Changing Times is the plight of the koala. The iconic animal that tourists queue up to cuddle is suffering the ravages of disease and sustaining horrific injuries on logging plantations.
As their habitat is destroyed for urban and industrial development, thousands of koalas are dying as a result of car hits and dog attacks, and bushfires kill thousands more.
I recently reported on the first successful field trial of a vaccine against chlamydia in koalas, and will be updating readers on efforts to get a Koala Protection Act passed in the Australian parliament.
Urban development
The rampant over-development in the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur, is another topic covered on Changing Times.
The last remaining low-rise urban village in KL, Kampong Bharu, is being targeted for high-rise development and local landowners are furious about the new master plan to raze this historic area to the ground.
Photo showcase
Changing Times is also a showcase for documentary videos and photos. Contributors include award-winning photojournalist Roni Bintang from Indonesia.
Sea cucumber fishermen from Simeulue island, Indonesia. Copyright Roni Bintang.Holistic journalism
Holistic journalism neither invents, nor exaggerates; it is discerning and compassionate. It doesn't believe everything it hears and doesn't pander to superstars and business magnates. It follows up on issues that have been dumped by the mainstream media because something more sexy has turned up.
Working holistically means going behind the scenes; going beyond the press release. It's about seeing the bigger picture, going out into the streets to ask so-called ordinary people how they see the world. Everyone has a story to tell, and everyone matters.
Working in a holitistic way doesn't mean never writing about the negative things that are happening; that would be evasion. But, as journalists, we need to avoid scare-mongering and false targetting. We need to be aware of the agendas of those in power.
My story
I've been a journalist since the 1970s. I have now chosen to work primarily outside of the mainstream so as to focus fully on issues about which I am truly passionate.
When I tackle issues or visit places, I look at them from every angle. I want the readers of Changing Times to get that same 360-degree view.
There is an interconnectedness in this world and I would hope that Changing Times reflects that; my aim is to draw together threads that are too often separated. When our focus is narrowed, we get an unbalanced picture.
We need to work together to bring balance back into society and protect the flora and fauna without which our planet will become a wasteland.
Communication is of the essence. When we are informed, our choices are more conscious.
Improving our own health and well-being and that of others, defending human rights and social justice, and protecting wildlife – these are all ways in which we can create a positive future.
Future plans and ideas
I intend to expand my coverage of the core issues I have been tackling to date.
There will be more in Changing Times about Sumatra and the spatial plan that threatens to wreak untold damage to the ecologically precious Leuser Eco-system.
I will continue to report on the work being done to save and protect orangutans and koalas, and am currently researching an article about the threats posed to seahorse habitat off the coast of peninsular Malaysia.
One of the most endangered creatures in the world is the pangolin, or scaly anteater. I intend to find out more about the threats these extraordinary creatures face, and the work being done to protect them. (There are conservation programmes in Indonesia, Vietnam, and Cambodia.)
I would also like to bring readers more information about the indigenous communities on the island of Borneo. As the rainforest on which they depend is destroyed, their lifestyle is increasingly endangered.
Environmental protection is not just about forests and oceans. Our cities also need to be as environmentally healthy as possible. While writing more about urban over-development in Malaysia, I also want to spotlight places where there is responsible development.
In São Paulo, Brazil, there is a new and innovative master plan. The Municipal Secretary for Urban Development, Fernando de Mello Franco, says the plan aims to match mobility and development. “It is not possible anymore to think of a city for cars,” he said. “Our priority is public transport.”
Changing Times readers will be kept up to date about the campaign to protect the Great Barrier Reef from industrial expansion, and there will be more coverage of the attempts bring in ag-gag laws in Australia that would be similar to those already in place in the United States.
Another issue I am eager to tackle is water fluoridation. The health dangers posed by this contamination of our water supplies need to be exposed. Genetically modified food, vaccination, and the threats posed by the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) are three other topics that Changing Times has high on its agenda.
I intend to set up a “Positive Profiles” page, which would be a focal point for interviews with environmentalists, healing practitioners, and others who are working for a positive future. People like Jane Goodall show what can be done when, as she puts it, "we learn to live with brain and heart working together in harmony."
I would like Changing Times to grow to the point where I could pay colleagues in Africa to contribute articles about environmental and social issues on that continent.
These are just a few of my ideas for Changing Times. Every day I have many, many more.
Please support my work. Thank you.
The headline koala photo in this campaign shows felled pine forest near Bathurst, Queensland, and was taken by Louise O’Brien.
Organizer
Annette Gartland
Organizer
