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Old 05-15-2012, 09:24 AM   #34
journotraveler
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Eilonwy View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by journotraveler View Post
"Grossly exaggerate" isn't tolerated.
I'm sorry, but this is demonstrably untrue. Even if the distortion isn't intended, it still happens all the time. Probably every single issue.

News media, even highly respected shows and publications, constantly regurgitate unchecked "facts" and turn "no statistically significant difference" into "LOOK AT THIS HUGE DIFFERENCE." Or they focus on researchers who are hacks: fearmongering, offering quack remedies, or skewing data to reaffirm stereotypes.

I know that you work as a journalist, and I'm not targeting you. But it's a real problem that really frustrates me.
Seriously? Every single time, and you can demonstrate this? There are journalists who cover science, who have science degrees or medical degrees themselves, like NPR's Shankar Vedantam and the NYT's William Broad, who take accurate reporting about science very seriously.

I'm not trying to pick a fight with you, so let's just agree to disagree. I don't want to derail the thread. I just really hate when people make sweeping, blanket statements about the media like we're all cynical manipulators out to distort the news/information.

ETA: Jennifer Kahn, the author of the article in question, has a degree in astrophysics.
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Last edited by journotraveler; 05-15-2012 at 09:39 AM.
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