On 22 Mar 09, at 17:11, Paul MacBeath wrote:
> So it's a mortal sin to write anything with the slightest of edges
> on it for fear of creating a negative picture of science?
>
> That's like asking Charlie Brooker to stop being mean about TV for
> fear of causing damage to the entertainment industry.
The thing about Charlie Brooker is that, unlike a constantly carping
blogger, this often acerbic TV critic balances his edgy, critical
stuff with lyrical praise for people whose work he regards as being of
cultural value. Brooker can be vitriolic, but he also displays a wise
and kind side to his character. In contrast, many political bloggers
and newspaper op-ed writers have nothing good to say about anything
(apart from themselves), and these individuals often come across as
though they have something large and extremely uncomfortable wedged up
their backsides.
I'm not naming names here; it's a general problem, and one that has
afflicted the Guardian for some years. With the rise of pseudo-blogs
such as the Guardian's Comment is Free, the situation is
deteriorating, and some newspaper columnists are adapting their
writing style to the blogging age. This is not good.
I used to write for Comment is Free, but resigned from its writers'
roster when I realised that the website had become a moral and
political cesspit which debases all who come into contact with it.
Writers get sucked into writing in a way guaranteed to wind up the
readers, who in turn react by leaving comments that encourage the
writers to continue with this spiral of negativity. The blogging
medium by its very nature nurtures this kind of behaviour, especially
when the subjects under discussion are political.
As for particular examples of bad science journalism, Michael Kenward
suggests contacting the hacks in question. Absolutely! In recent times
I have done this with BBC News website reporters and others, and
engaged my fellow jounalists in constructive discussion about our
work. I've done this quietly and courteously, and have seen published
stories updated to reflect the consensus which emerged from the
private discussion.
Francis
--
Dr Francis Sedgemore
journalist and science writer
http://sedgemore.com
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