Summary of Kevin Killough on energy: “Our policies are being set by very unserious people” | Tom Nelson Pod #87

00:00:00 - 00:40:00

Energy reporter Kevin Killough discussed his passion for providing objective reporting on energy and his frustration at the lack of objectivity from journalists and politicians. He emphasized the need for specific journalism that gives a platform to all sides of the energy debate. His Cowboy State Daily aims to be an unbiased source of information on energy, with stories focused on Wyoming and prioritizing a Wyoming audience. Killough debunked the idea of insurmountable funding from oil and gas companies, as conservation groups raise significant amounts of money to push their policies. Ultimately, he expressed concern about increasing energy costs due to the policies set by “very unserious people” and encouraged people to stay informed on energy issues by checking out his publication.

• 00:00:00 In this section, Kevin Killough discusses his journey as an energy reporter for the Cowboy State Daily and how he got interested in energy and the pitfalls of the energy transition. He talks about encountering activists on Facebook who were very uninformed about energy and how he became passionate about it after reading Alex Epstein's Moral Case for Fossil Fuels. He also discusses how there is an audience hungry for another point of view on energy and the energy transition. He talks about his experiences covering the coal and agricultural industries and how the Cowboy State Daily is an opportunity to be a true energy reporter who can ask tough questions.
• 00:05:00 In this section, Kevin Killough, an energy journalist for Cowboy State Daily, discusses his process for finding story ideas and his approach to covering the diverse and broad topic of energy. He spends hours each morning going through news from a wide range of sources, including Google News and Breitbart, and prioritizes finding a way to provide a Wyoming angle to each story. Killough notes that while he covers topics beyond Wyoming, he always tries to prioritize his Wyoming audience. He also mentions some of his recent stories, including one on why Teslas are expensive to repair and another on a pumped storage project in Wyoming.
• 00:10:00 In this section, Kevin Killough, an energy reporter, discusses his frustration with the media's lack of objective reporting on energy and the environment. He notes that journalists are often focused on promoting the energy transition and do not ask critical questions when interviewing proponents of renewable energy. He predicts that as more people experience increased blackouts and rising energy bills, they will start to demand more objective reporting from journalists. Killough also encourages people to share his work on social media, as it can reach audiences who are seeking reliable information on energy and the environment.
• 00:15:00 In this section, energy journalist Kevin Killough discusses the energy illiteracy amongst politicians and journalists. Killough mentions examples where intelligent arguments regarding energy are dismissed by politicians and media due to a lack of understanding of energy issues. He also mentions the limitations of levelized cost of energy as it does not accurately represent the energy technology's full cost when placed on the grid. Killough notes that there is a need for journalists to target specific audiences and give a platform to those who are not typically given one. He also expresses concern about the traditional objective format used in journalism today and whether it's effective given the thousands of sources available to readers.
• 00:20:00 In this section, Kevin Killough discusses his approach to reporting as a pro-energy and pro-civilization journalist, acknowledging his biases while still striving for honesty and integrity in his reporting. He talks about reaching out to interview and fairly represent those on the other side of the energy debate, such as climate alarmist Gerald Kootenai, and his publication's goal of making information readable and accessible without paywalls or excessive pop-ups. The newspaper, which covers a variety of beats in addition to energy, aims to be an alternative to more opinionated and biased energy reporting outlets.
• 00:25:00 In this section, Kevin Killough discusses the amount of money that conservation groups raise in comparison to the main fossil fuel groups like the Petroleum Association of Wyoming and the Wyoming Mining Association. Killough debunks the idea that oil and gas companies have an insurmountable amount of funding to push their policies and perspectives on the masses by highlighting how much money is poured into these organizations to push policies and the level of political favor they enjoy under the current administration. He also talks about his experience as an energy reporter, where even the oil companies are reluctant to speak to him since they believe they will be negatively reported on anyways. Ultimately, Killough discusses the importance of arguing to a hundred, where instead of defending oneself against accusations of polluting the environment, it's necessary to consider the world without the industry and the impact it would have on various industries like farming and skiing.
• 00:30:00 In this section, Kevin Killough discusses the negative impacts of fossil fuels and how the media fails to talk about their benefits. He points out that while there are negative impacts to using fossil fuels, there are also benefits that society enjoys, such as the ability to drive. Killough also states that wind and solar energy are not popular in his area, but that they are exported to other states. He adds that more wind energy farms will impact wildlife and may lead to costs of profiting off of California's interest in renewable energy. Additionally, Killough brings up the issue of companies claiming to be 100% renewable, using accounting tricks, and not addressing how they deliver their products. He notes that even though Budweiser and Apple claim to be fully powered by renewable energy, they may not be transparent about where these credits are coming from.
• 00:35:00 In this section, Kevin Killough discusses the impractical solutions being proposed to tackle emissions reduction in meat and the serious consequences of such policies. He points out that Bill Gates is funding seaweed supplements for cows and that gas masks are being put on cows, both of which are ridiculous solutions. The people setting these policies, such as Sheldon Whitehouse and Alex Epstein, are being questioned, and the media is not providing enough coverage on how reducing emissions and relying on intermittent wind and solar power may cause significant problems, including energy shortages. Killough feels that more journalists should evaluate such policies in a realistic and practical manner since ultimately, people's lives are at stake.
• 00:40:00 In this section, energy policy analyst Kevin Killough expresses concern over how energy costs are skyrocketing due to policies set by "very unserious people". He emphasizes the need to be ahead of the game in terms of decision-making to prevent individuals from having to choose between using their heater or eating. Killough encourages people to check out Cowboy State Daily to stay informed on energy-related issues, which will impact not only Wyoming but the entire country and the world.