Dr. Sean Holman

Biography

Sean joined the faculty in 2021 at Mount Royal University as an Associate Professor of Journalism. Before entering academia, Sean was an investigative journalist and documentary filmmaker based in British Columbia. He is known as the founder and publisher of the pioneering online public affairs news service Public Eye, and he hosted and produced the syndicated talk show Public Eye Radio. His bylines have appeared in notable publications such as Columbia Journalism Review, Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, Vancouver Sun, and Times-Colonist. Sean is a frequent commentator on climate change coverage and government secrecy. His research focuses on the use and misuse of information, particularly against the backdrop of catastrophic climate change, biodiversity loss, and democratic decline. With a lengthy record of high-impact investigative journalism, Sean's work has led to the departures of eight public party officials and major legislative changes. In 2005, he received the Jack Webster Award for an investigation that resulted in resignations of the minister for children and family development and the head of Community Living British Columbia. In 2012, he was recognized with a special mention in the Canadian Newsperson of the Year competition for his efforts to utilize new media technologies to broaden journalistic voices in the country. He directed and produced the documentary Whipped: Secret World Party Discipline, which aired on the Cable Public Affairs Channel. Sean has also served as the vice-president and regional director of the Canadian Association of Journalists and authored a widely-shared open letter in 2019 urging Canadian news media to treat global warming with the urgency it demands. He continues to work on projects both nationally and internationally, currently exploring how journalists and climate scientists perceive climate change coverage, as well as developing projects to help climate disaster survivors share their oral histories.

Research Interests

Experience