Is National Geographic's Imprimatur on a California Water Puff Piece?

 Across the pond and I still cannot escape California water issues. Friend and colleague Lloyd G. Carter sent me a link to Ron Kaye's blog post, "National Geographic Brings You Happy Stories on California's Endless Water Crisis".

Prior to getting Carter's email I had not heard of Ron Kaye nor have I read the article in question, which  is not on NatGeo's WWW site.  What I did learn is that Water For Tomorrow is name of the magazine of the Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA).

Here is the cover of the subject magazine. Note that at the lower left is the National Geographic logo plus the words, 'A Custom Publication'. All three issues of Water For Tomorrow bear this logo.

Sure looks like NatGeo has given its blessing to this issue, edited by free-lancer Don Haymann.

Kaye quotes a gem from Haymann:

Other countries around the world are struggling on a daily basis to bring safe, clean water to their people. Let California be a bright example of a place that most efficiently uses this
life-sustaining gift.

Most efficiently uses this life-sustaining gift? Bright example? Huh?

Three words: 'statewide groundwater management'. Or perhaps 'California Bay-Delta'.

Kaye opines that perhaps Haymann is referring to 'Third World countries'.

Another Haymann jewel via Kaye:

There are many aspects of California's
water system to be proud of, not the
least of which is the concerted effort
being made by all communities to
conserve water."

Here is a bit of what Kaye says:

 In all the self-congratulatory prose over 20 pages, there's nary a word about California's decades-long battle over water issues, the failure to build the peripheral canal project, the enormity of problems in the Bay-Delta region, the declining supply, the inability of state government to even put the proposed $11 billion water bond on this year's ballot.

It's all self-serving pats on the back for the state's water agencies without a word of criticism or context, only given credibility by the National Geographic logo on the cover.

Kaye has republished one article from the magazine; it's about LADWP's restoration of the Lower Owens River, 'Mono Lake and the Lower Owens River: A Dynamic Restoration'. See today's quote.

I don't care what ACWA wants to publish in its magazine; that's their business.  'Puff pieces' are fine; that is what house organs do, and you take such pieces with a grain (or kilo) of salt.  

But when NatGeo affixes its logo to any publication, regardless of disclaimers that may be inside, that publication acquires a gravitas and credibility it would not normally have. Based on what Kaye says, this publication does not appear to have those last two characteristics.

Can you spell d-i-s-i-n-g-e-n-u-o-u-s?

The 60 Minutes story of a year ago looks like a Pulitzer piece in comparison.

Note added on 6 December 2010: Jeff Michael commented that he's written about this and NatGeo's other 'custom publishing' ventures last May. See his post.

"As we continue on our mission to provide water for Los Angeles, we remain committed to our environmental obligations in the Owens Valley...Though much work remains to be done, the re-watering of the Lower Owens is a promising start."  -- James McDaniel, LADWP

Comments

[Ken Lanfear]

A number of years ago, I worked on a cooperative project between USGS and National Geographic. The NGS staffers were great, but NGS was incredibly protective of their brand. It's hard to believe they'd just take the money and let this slide. Therefore, I must assume either NGS actually approved this publication or their lawyers are ready to make a big fuss.

[PAUL F MILLER]

It's really quite simple ... just follow the $$$ ...

It's a game ... illusion ...

We don't ask ... don't tell ...

[Jeff Michael]

I blogged on an earlier issue of this about 6 months ago,
http://valleyecon.blogspot.com/2010/05/written-by-national-geographic-or-acwa.html

You can find other examples of National Geographic custom publishing on the Onward Publishing sight. PR pieces for railroads, utilities, etc.

[Chris Gulick]

Nothing is sacred in the water/money wars.
Do you suppose Nat Geo realizes the hit they are going to take in credibility for allowing this ?

[David Zetland]

I looked around the internets for more evidence of NG "Custom publishing" and saw nothing. Seems that they put their logo on the cover and take $$. Seen any other orgs publishing with NG?

I'll be blogging on this soon.