Francis, I really wish you had read the letter and accompanying
documents before venting your spleen. I have complained to both Ofcom
and Channel Four. But they are still considering the complaint, and in
any case Wag TV is not bound to reflect any ruling in the DVD, for which
they are already taking advance orders.
The letter protests at distribution of the DVD in the format that it was
broadcast because it contains numerous major misrepresentations.
Presumably you are not defending the right of broadcasters to knowingly
mislead the public?
I don't think it is unreasonable for scientists to object to the
distribution of inaccurate information. Given that Wag TV are able to
exploit a loophole in regulations, an appeal to them to act in the
public interest seems to be the only option open. At the very least,
hopefully the letter will at least raise awareness of the major
misrepresentations in the programme.
Bob Ward
Director, Global Science Networks
Risk Management Solutions Ltd
Peninsular House
30 Monument Street
London
EC3R 8NB
Tel. +44 (0) 20 7444 7741
Blackberry +44 (0) 7710 333687
www.rms.com
-----Original Message-----
From: psci-com: on public engagement with science
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Francis Sedgemore
Sent: 25 April 2007 10:24
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [PSCI-COM] The Great Global Warming Swindle
With all due respect, Bob, this is not the way to go about challenging
that awful documentary. I can just see the headlines:
"Establishment scientists attempt to silence climate change sceptics!",
etc., etc, ad nauseam. Durkin's comment at the end of David Adam's
article in The Groan is just the start.
If The Great Global Warming Swindle DVD should be withdrawn or
corrected, then what about Al Gore's execrable Oscar-winning political
comeback vehicle, An Inconvenient Truth? And in a country that does not
proscribe holocaust denial, how can we demand the withdrawal from sale
of Martin Durkin's trashy anti-science film?
If scientists have been misrepresented by Durkin - and they most
certainly have - then they should sue his arse. When Durkin's
ideological bedfellows in the RCP/IoI/Spiked/Sense about Science/
Science Media Centre/Whatever else they're called this week accused ITN
journalists of fabricating evidence of Serbian concentration camps in
Bosnia, the journalists sued, and that was the end of LM Magazine.
So sue Durkin, and possibly Channel 4 too. Complain to Ofcom (I have).
At least call for the head of Hamish Mykura, C4's commissioning editor
for science. But call for Durkin's DVDs to be withdrawn? Not in my name.
We don't need this. What we need is more scientists and science
communicators aggressively putting the case for good science. And as for
the scientists, a little less windbaggery from the great and the good
would be appreciated. Stern letters and articles in the broadsheets make
us all look ridiculous by association.
Francis
On 25 Apr 07, at 09:46, Bob Ward wrote:
> For those who are interested in the ongoing controversy over 'The
> Great Global Warming Swindle', there is an article of interest in
> today's edition of 'The Guardian' at: http://
> environment.guardian.co.uk/climatechange/story/0,,2064925,00.html
>
> The joint letter with 37 signatures and accompanying documents can
> be found at: http://www.climateofdenial.net
>
>
> Bob Ward
> Director, Global Science Networks
--
Dr Francis Sedgemore
Freelance journalist and science writer
tlf: +44.7840191336; web: http://skysong.eu
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