I think this was broadcast on The Daily
Politics yesterday and was followed by a “balanced” discussion,
chaired by Andrew Neil, between Bob Watson and Nigel Lawson – it is worse
than the introductory report: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11576013
While I have high regard for the BBC’s
coverage of climate change, The Daily Politics frequently exercises double
standards by uncritically promoting the views of ‘sceptics’ while
being fiercely critical of mainstream researchers. This approach appears to
reflects Andrew Neil’s own views on the subject, as can be seen through
his blog (eg http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/dailypolitics/andrewneil/2010/01/the_dam_is_cracking.html).
I think it is worth drawing attention to
the coverage of climate change by The Daily Politics for Professor Steve Jones’s
review of the impartiality of the BBC’s science coverage: http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbctrust/news/press_releases/march/science_impartiality.shtml
Bob Ward
Policy and Communications Director
Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the
Houghton Street
Tel. +44 (0) 20 7106 1236
Mob. +44 (0) 7811 320346
From: Discussion list
for the Crisis Forum [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of jo abbess
Sent: 19 October 2010 20:36
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: The BBC Gets It
Completely Wrong Once Again
Dear Crisis Forum,
This is a really appalling re-write of recent history from
the BBC :-
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11574503
"Doubts over scientists' climate change debate
claims"
I counted at least 10 inaccuracies in a piece of film shorter
than an ad break.
Surely some of you have some energy left to complain ?
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TEXT ON WEB PAGE
19 October 2010
Last updated at 13:48
Press coverage has cast further doubt on climate
scientists' claims that man-made global warming is real and adversely affecting
the planet.
Polls show that the public are becoming increasingly
confused about the issue. Adam Fleming reports.
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TRANSCRIPT OF AUDIO IN FILM PRESENTATION
It's the year that "uncertainty" became the
buzzword in the climate change debate, even for scientists who are convinced
that human activity is warming the planet.
Last year saw the publication of private e-mails written in
these buildings, the Climatic Research Unit at the
This summer, an inquiry, the last of three, left the
scientists' reputation intact, but told them that they had to be more honest
about how they reach their conclusions.
Then came "Glaciergate". In 2007 the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the group of international
scientists that inform global environmental policy, had written a report saying
that most of the glaciers in the Himalyas could melt by 2035, but that was
proved to be wildly inaccurate.
The head of the IPCC, the Indian academic Rajendra Pachauri
came under pressure to quit. In future [the] chairman will serve just one term,
and again the academics were told to be more honest about the question marks in
their research.
Back at home, David Cameron has pledged the "greenest
Government ever", but there are limits This week the Coalition announced
it wouldn't fund tidal power in the Severn Estuary because the bill was too
high.
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Furiously punching at the keyboard,
jo.
+44 77 17 22 13 96
http://www.joabbess.com