If you are a scientist and you are going to be talking to the media, you should first read "A Scientist's Guide to Talking With the Media" by Hayes and Grossman (2006, Rutgers University Press). On page 77 this book talks about reviewing copy before it is printed (sometimes you can and sometimes you can't, but don't make it a precondition).
Warren Aney (503)246-8613 -----Original Message----- From: Ecological Society of America: grants, jobs, news [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of David M. Lawrence Sent: Monday, 23 April, 2007 07:17 To: [email protected] Subject: Re: Fwd: Global Warming Swindle The take-home lesson is to be careful whom you talk to and be careful what you say to them. Someone requests an interview, practice due diligence. If you've never heard of them before, check them out. Make sure they are legitimate journalists. Ask if they are members of organizations like the National Association of Science Writers, the Society of Environmental Journalists, the Society of Professional Journalists, etc. I work as both a journalist and a scientist. As a journalist, I would never offer anyone such an agreement as proposed. As a scientist, I would never request such an agreement. The role of the journalist is supposed to to be an independent voice -- a skeptical filter for the public. Journalists are not supposed to be mouthpieces for institutions, corporations, celebrities -- even scientists. I don't think any reputable scientist would want to give up intellectual control over his research. Why would a scientist ask a journalist to give up editorial control of his reporting? Dave ------------------------------------------------------ David M. Lawrence | Home: (804) 559-9786 7471 Brook Way Court | Fax: (804) 559-9787 Mechanicsville, VA 23111 | Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] USA | http: http://fuzzo.com ------------------------------------------------------ "We have met the enemy and he is us." -- Pogo "No trespassing 4/17 of a haiku" -- Richard Brautigan -----Original Message----- From: Ecological Society of America: grants, jobs, news [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of joseph gathman Sent: Monday, April 23, 2007 7:47 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: Fwd: Global Warming Swindle <stuff snipped> On a different note, the lesson to learn from the scientist who was misquoted seems to be: don't talk to the media unless they give you, in writing, the right of approval or rejection of what they do with your words. Of course, they probably won't do that... Joe
