Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Missing News - ice melt-not that much of a problem

ABC Science, care of its activist reporter Sara Phillips, follow a familiar theme on sea level with this story titled "Ice Melt a weighty problem:expert". Other experts perhaps less prone to influence of  Henny Penny, and Goosey Loosey than the ABC's appear to disagree, reporting:  that, if current ice sheet melting rates continue for the next four decades, their cumulative loss could raise sea level by 15 centimeters (5.9 inches) by 2050.  Nonetheless the authors caution that considerable uncertainties remain in estimating future ice loss acceleration.

That's 15 centimeters. In their alarmist article ABC highlight the physically possible but apparently unlikely figure of 5 meters. Why the focus on the high-end scenario? Where's the balance?


The less scary perspective, missing from ABC's report, is apparently not felt important enough for ABC's audience. Where's the Balance?


This bias and personal activism apparently flies in the face of ABC's new Editorial standards that state:

1.3 Ensure that editorial decisions are not improperly influenced by political, sectional, commercial or personal interest.
4.1 Gather and present news and information with due impartiality.
4.2 Present a diversity of perspectives so that, over time, no significant strand of thought or belief within the community is knowingly excluded or disproportionately represented.


4.5 Do not unduly favour one perspective over another.  
The new Editorial Policy appears to have done nothing to reduce the influence of Groupthink in the ABC.


Complaint lodged, we'll report the findings.

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