“I recommend that the BBC takes a less rigid view of ‘due impartiality’ as it applies to science (in practice and not just in its guidelines) and takes into account the non‐contentious nature of some material and the need to avoid giving undue attention to marginal opinion.” This is one of the recommendations of a review commissioned last year by the BBC Trust from Professor Steve Jones, emeritus professor of genetics at University College London. He was asked to assess the impartiality and accuracy of BBC science coverage across television, radio and the internet. His review and the Trust report which responds to it have now been published, along with the news that the BBC has accepted his recommendations.
Professor Jones was impressed by the professionalism of the BBC’s science coverage and the progress it has shown over the past decade. His suggestions in conclusion were intended to ensure continuing improvement. I’ve highlighted the one which bears most closely on climate change denial, though he related the concern to other issues as well, such as the MMR vaccine and GM food. His discussion of due impartiality, on pages 53-77 of the report, is thoughtful and thorough. I’ll extract a few of its main points.
He reports “widespread concern within the scientific community that in News and Current Affairs undue attention is given, when certain subjects are discussed, to oppositional views of received results.”
lots more at
http://hot-topic.co.nz/bbc-about-to-bite-bullet-on-climate-bs/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+co%2FRbRF+%28Hot+Topic%29&utm_content=Twitter
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