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I have just re-joined psci-com after an absence of six months. I thought list-subscribers might be interested in the complaint I have submitted to both Channel Four and Ofcom about 'The Great Global Warming Swindle', which was broadcast a few weeks ago - from the archive I cannot see any previous discussion on the list about the programme. I am forwarding below the cover letter for my complaint and would be willing to supply on request to anybody on the list a copy of the accompanying document that outlines seven 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 <http://www.rms.com/> ________________________________ From: Bob Ward Sent: 30 March 2007 14:20 To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Complaint about 'The Great Global Warming Swindle' FAO The Broadcast Team Dear Sirs/Madams, I am writing to make a complaint about a number of breaches of the Ofcom Broadcasting Code by 'The Great Global Warming Swindle', which was broadcast on Channel Four on 8 March 2007, and subsequently repeated on the More 4 channel. I have documented in the attached document seven major breaches of Section 5.7 of the Code, which states: "Views and facts must not be misrepresented". The programme misrepresented the scientific evidence and interpretations about climate change that have been documented by researchers through peer-reviewed papers. The programme also contained factual inaccuracies and erroneous attributions. I do not dispute the right of broadcasters to make programmes that present different viewpoints on the science of climate change. As a member of the Board of the Science Media Centre, I am fully supportive of the freedom of the media to report different viewpoints. However, it is clearly not in the public interest for such views to be supported through misrepresentations by broadcasters of the scientific evidence. Indeed, the errors in this programme are so serious and fundamental that it surely destroys the entire credibility of its central argument ie that the recent rise in global average temperature is due to solar activity instead of greenhouse gas emissions from human activities. The overall effect of the misrepresentations was to completely mislead viewers of the programme. Therefore, it is difficult to see how any repeat broadcast of this programme, in the absence of profound amendments to remove the misrepresentations and inaccuracies, would be in the public interest. Yours sincerely, 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 <http://www.rms.com/> This message and any attachments contain information that may be RMS Inc. confidential and/or privileged. If you are not the intended recipient (or authorized to receive for the intended recipient), and have received this message in error, any use, disclosure or distribution is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately by replying to the e-mail and permanently deleting the message from your computer and/or storage system. ********************************************************************** 1. To suspend yourself from the list, whilst on leave, for example, send an email to [log in to unmask] with the following message: set psci-com nomail 2. To resume email from the list, send the following message: set psci-com mail 3. To leave psci-com, send an email to [log in to unmask] with the message: leave psci-com 4. Further information about the psci-com discussion list, including list archive, can be found at the list web site: http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/psci-com.html 5. The psci-com gateway to internet resources on science communication and science and society can be found at http://psci-com.ac.uk **********************************************************************