Henry Bauer touches on the very heart of why mainstream science journalism has been largely unwilling/unable to bridge the communication gap between the cold fusion community and the broader science community. "A constant dilemma for reporters," Bauer says, "is that they need access to sources, and if they publish material that casts doubt on the official view, they risk losing access to official sources."
That is true. And yet Flatow's report was accurate and positive, albeit timid. Some people in the media get away with reporting facts about cold fusion, and they are not punished by losing access. I suspect the others would also escape unscathed, but perhaps they are cowards and do not want to risk it. Most, I think, simply buy the establishment's line without question. I have contacted many people in the media and elsewhere. Only a few have responded, and most of those have parroted the Scientific American or some other official source. Often they cite phantom sources. They claim the DoE ERAB report said this or that, when it said nothing of the kind. In other words, laziness causes more harm than fear.
- Jed
