{"id":579524,"date":"2010-05-26T12:28:51","date_gmt":"2010-05-26T16:28:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/climateprogress.org\/?p=26019"},"modified":"2010-05-26T12:28:51","modified_gmt":"2010-05-26T16:28:51","slug":"brulle-%e2%80%9cthe-ny-times-doesn%e2%80%99t-need-to-go-to-european-conferences-to-find-out-why-public-opinion-on-climate-change-has-shifted%e2%80%a6-just-look-in-the-mirror-%e2%80%9d","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/579524","title":{"rendered":"Brulle: \u201cThe NY Times doesn\u2019t need to go to European conferences to find out why public opinion on climate change has shifted\u2026.  Just look in the mirror.\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The <em>NYT<\/em>&#8217;s Elisabeth Rosenthal had another front-page &#8220;teach the controversy&#8221; <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2010\/05\/25\/science\/earth\/25climate.html\">piece<\/a> yesterday, &#8220;Climate Fears Turn to Doubts Among Britons.&#8221;\u00a0 That has apparently become a specialty of the one-time paper of record (see <a title=\"Permanent Link to N.Y. Times and Elisabeth  Rosenthal Face Credibility Siege over Unbalanced Climate Coverage\" rel=\"bookmark\" href=\"http:\/\/climateprogress.org\/2010\/02\/09\/new-york-times-elisabeth-rosenthal-unbalanced-climate-coverage-ipcc-pachauri\/\">NYT faces credibility siege over unbalanced climate coverage<\/a> and <a title=\"Permanent Link to In yet another front-page  journalistic lapse, the NY Times once again equates non-scientists \u2014  Bastardi, Coleman, and Watts (!) \u2014 with climate scientists\" rel=\"bookmark\" href=\"http:\/\/climateprogress.org\/2010\/03\/29\/climate-scientists-meteorologists-bastardi-coleman-watts-new-york-times-leslie-kaufman-false-balance\/\">The <em>NYT<\/em> once again equates  non-scientists \u2014 Bastardi, Coleman, and Watts (!) \u2014 with climate  scientists<\/a>).<\/p>\n<p>I asked <a href=\"http:\/\/www.pages.drexel.edu\/%7Ebrullerj\/\">Dr. Robert J. Brulle<\/a> of Drexel University, whom the <em>NYT <\/em>itself <a href=\"http:\/\/climateprogress.org\/2009\/05\/03\/messaging-ecoamerica-global-warming-pollution\/\">quoted  last year<\/a> as \u201can expert on environmental communications,\u201d for his comments.\u00a0 Here they are:<\/p>\n<p><span id=\"more-26019\"><\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>It is well known in both sociology and communications that public opinion is largely shaped by media coverage.\u00a0 So the shift in public opinion about climate change is linked to the nature of mainstream media coverage of the so-called &#8220;climategate scandal.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Several media researchers have documented the persistent bias in main stream media.<\/p>\n<p>(See the links to the AAAS presentations of Max Boykoff and William Freudenberg).<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/climateprogress.org\/2010\/02\/25\/max-boykoff-media-balance-deniers-contrarian-climate-change\/\">Boykoff  on \u201cExaggerating Denialism: Media Representations of Outlier Views on  Climate Change\u201d<\/a>:\u00a0 Freudenburg:  &#8220;Reporters need to learn that, if they wish to  discuss &#8216;both sides&#8217; of the climate issue, the scientifically legitimate  &#8220;other side&#8221; is that, if anything, global climate disruption is likely  to be significantly worse than has been suggested in scientific  consensus estimates to date.&#8221;<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/aaas.confex.com\/aaas\/2010\/webprogram\/Session1591.html\">AAAS:\u00a0 Understanding Climate-Change Skepticism:  Its  Sources and Strategies<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/ddimick.typepad.com\/dennis_dimicks_blog\/2010\/03\/professor-bothered-by-stunning-lack-of-balance-in-us-media-reports-on-climate-science-via-thedailyclimate.html\">Professor bothered by &#8220;stunning lack&#8221; of  balance in U.S. media reports on climate science<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/wwwp.dailyclimate.org\/tdc-newsroom\/2010\/03\/translating-science\"><span id=\"parent-fieldname-title\">Translating science <\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Other links from FAIR;<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.fair.org\/index.php?page=4006\"><span>Media regress to the bad old days of false  balance<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.fair.org\/index.php?page=4006\"><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.fair.org\/index.php?page=4058\"><span>NYT Cools on Global Warming Realities<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.fair.org\/index.php?page=3889\"><span>Media amplify climate change skeptics<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Yet none of these independent analyses are noted in the article by Ms. Rosenthal.\u00a0 Acknowledging the media\u2019s role in facilitating the public relations aims of the climate denialists strikes too close to home for the NY Times to cover.\u00a0 The aim of the climate denialists public relations campaign is to spread confusion and doubt about climate change.\u00a0 They have been very successful, aided by, what Dr. Boykoff noted as the exaggeration of outliers and a false sense of balance:<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cSuch claims are amplified when traditional news media position noncredible contrarian sources against those with scientific data, in a failed effort to represent opposing sides.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p>The article by Ms. Rosenthal ends with the observation that \u201cThe public is left to struggle with the salvos between the two sides.\u201d\u00a0 Why is this the case?\u00a0 Because the media has abdicated its duty to inform the public under a misguided notion of providing \u201cbalance\u201d between science and nonsense.<\/p>\n<p>The NY Times doesn\u2019t need to go to European conferences to find out why public opinion on climate change has shifted.\u00a0 They can save the carbon emissions of the trip.\u00a0 Just look in the mirror.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>I would add that the British media is arguably now worse than the American media on this issue:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a title=\"Permanent Link to RoseGate becomes DailyMailGate:   Error-riddled articles and false statements destroy Daily Mail\u2019s  credibility\" rel=\"bookmark\" href=\"http:\/\/climateprogress.org\/2010\/02\/15\/rosegate-dailymail-error-riddled-articles-misquote-credibility-science\/\">RoseGate becomes DailyMailGate:  Error-riddled articles and  false statements destroy Daily Mail\u2019s credibility<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a title=\"Permanent Link to BBC asks CRU\u2019s Phil Jones the  climate version of \u201cWhen did you stop beating your wife.\u201d\" rel=\"bookmark\" href=\"http:\/\/climateprogress.org\/2010\/02\/16\/bbc-interview-phil-jones-climate-science-when-did-you-stop-beating-your-wife\/\">BBC asks  CRU\u2019s Phil Jones the climate version of \u201cWhen did you stop beating your  wife.\u201d<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a title=\"Permanent Link to Exclusive:  Forest scientist  fights back against \u2018distorted\u2019 UK article on Amazon and IPCC\" rel=\"bookmark\" href=\"http:\/\/climateprogress.org\/2010\/03\/24\/simon-lewis-jonathan-leake-richard-north-amazon-gate-ipcc-sunday-times-complaint-pcc\/\">Exclusive:   Forest scientist fights back against \u2018distorted\u2019 UK article on Amazon  and IPCC<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a title=\"Permanent Link to DelingpoleGate:  Monbiot slams  anti-science columnist for leading \u201cTelegraph into vicious climate over  email\u201d\" rel=\"bookmark\" href=\"http:\/\/climateprogress.org\/2010\/01\/29\/delingpolegate-monbiot-slams-anti-science-columnist-for-leading-telegraph-into-vicious-climate-over-email\/\">DelingpoleGate:  Monbiot slams anti-science columnist for  leading \u201cTelegraph into vicious climate over email\u201d<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Rosenthal herself notes in the article:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>In March, <a title=\"Faculty page\" href=\"http:\/\/www.see.leeds.ac.uk\/ebi\/people\/simon-lewis-research.htm\">Simon L. Lewis<\/a>, an expert on rain forests at  the University of Leeds in Britain, filed a 30-page complaint with the  nation\u2019s Press Complaints Commission against The Times of London,  accusing it of publishing \u201cinaccurate, misleading or distorted  information\u201d about climate change, his own research and remarks he had  made to a reporter.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI was most annoyed that there seemed to be a pattern of pushing the  idea that there were a number of serious mistakes in the I.P.C.C.  report, when most were fairly innocuous, or not mistakes at all,\u201d said  Dr. Lewis, referring to the report by the <a title=\"More articles about Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.\" href=\"http:\/\/topics.nytimes.com\/top\/reference\/timestopics\/organizations\/i\/intergovernmental_panel_on_climate_change\/index.html?inline=nyt-org\">United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate  Change<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>On top of that, the &#8220;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.guardian.co.uk\/uk\/2010\/mar\/02\/british-winter-coldest-30-years\">British winter was the coldest for 31 years.<\/a>&#8220;\u00a0 We have had enough warming now that people are surprised by coolish winters, so it&#8217;s no surprise that over a short period of time, it will impact public opinion, even when that winter isn&#8217;t actually close to record breaking.\u00a0 Stanford communications expert Jon Krosnick <a href=\"http:\/\/climateprogress.org\/2010\/03\/17\/large-majority-of-americans-continue-to-believe-global-warming-is-real-and-trust-scientists\/\">notes<\/a> that \u201cOne factor that can influence opinion is the perception of local  changes   in the weather&#8221; (see &#8220;<a title=\"Permanent Link to One more reason that recent  U.S. polling on global warming is down slightly\" rel=\"bookmark\" href=\"http:\/\/climateprogress.org\/2010\/03\/18\/global-warming-polling-cool-weather\/\">One more reason that  recent U.S. polling on global warming is down slightly<\/a>&#8220;).<\/p>\n<p>As long as the <em>NYT <\/em> diverts so much of its scarce front-page coverage on climate to articles like this one, the prospects remain poor that the public will become informed on the actual state of the science.<\/p>\n<p>Related Post:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a title=\"Permanent Link to Science Times stunner: \u201c\u2026 a  majority of the section\u2019s editorial staff doubts  that human-induced  global warming represents a serious threat to humanity.\u201d\" rel=\"bookmark\" href=\"http:\/\/climateprogress.org\/2010\/03\/16\/science-times-stunner-a-majority-of-the-sections-editorial-staff-doubts-that-human-induced-global-warming-represents-a-serious-threat-to-humanity\/\">Science Times  stunner: \u201c\u2026 a majority of the section\u2019s editorial staff doubts  that  human-induced global warming represents a serious threat to humanity.\u201d<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a title=\"Permanent Link to And the 2009 \u201cCitizen Kane\u201d  award for non-excellence in climate journalism goes to \u2026\" rel=\"bookmark\" href=\"http:\/\/climateprogress.org\/2009\/12\/22\/and-the-2009-citizen-kane-award-for-non-excellence-in-climate-journalism-goes-to\/\">And the 2009  \u201cCitizen Kane\u201d award for non-excellence in climate journalism goes to \u2026<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a title=\"Permanent Link to Signs of global warming are everywhere,  but if the New York Times can\u2019t tell the story (twice!), how will the  public hear it?\" rel=\"bookmark\" href=\"http:\/\/climateprogress.org\/2009\/07\/01\/global-warming-new-york-times-bark-beetle-west-wilfires\/\">Signs  of global warming are everywhere, but if the New York Times can\u2019t tell  the story (twice!), how will the public hear it?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a title=\"Permanent Link to MacCracken:  The New York Times quote  did not represent my views, and it did not even represent the reporter\u2019s  attempt to portray my comments\" rel=\"bookmark\" href=\"http:\/\/climateprogress.org\/2009\/06\/20\/mike-maccracken-the-new-york-times-climate-impacts-report\/\">MacCracken:  The New York Times quote did not represent my views, and it did not  even represent the reporter\u2019s attempt to portray my comments<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a title=\"Permanent Link to The New York Times sells its integrity  to ExxonMobil with front-page ad that falsely asserts \u201cToday\u2019s car has  95% fewer emissions than a car from 1970\u2033\" rel=\"bookmark\" href=\"http:\/\/climateprogress.org\/2009\/06\/18\/the-new-york-times-sells-its-integrity-to-exxonmobil-with-front-page-ad-that-falsely-asserts-todays-car-has-95-fewer-emissions-than-a-car-from-1970\/\">The  New York Times sells its integrity to ExxonMobil with front-page ad  that falsely asserts \u201cToday\u2019s car has 95% fewer emissions than a car  from 1970\u2033<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a title=\"Permanent Link to Anti-science idealogues spin the NY  Times public editor, Clark Hoyt, on \u201cClimategate\u201d\" rel=\"bookmark\" href=\"http:\/\/climateprogress.org\/2009\/12\/06\/clark-hoyt-new-york-times-public-editor-on-climategate\/\">Anti-science  idealogues spin the NY Times public editor, Clark Hoyt, on  \u201cClimategate\u201d<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The NYT&#8217;s Elisabeth Rosenthal had another front-page &#8220;teach the controversy&#8221; piece yesterday, &#8220;Climate Fears Turn to Doubts Among Britons.&#8221;\u00a0 That has apparently become a specialty of the one-time paper of record (see NYT faces credibility siege over unbalanced climate coverage and The NYT once again equates non-scientists \u2014 Bastardi, Coleman, and Watts (!) \u2014 with [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":687,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-579524","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/579524","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/687"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=579524"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/579524\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=579524"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=579524"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=579524"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}