Re: Junk Science Junk Telecast

[Brad Shue <jshue@comp.uark.edu>]

On Sat, 11 Jan 1997, Raymond A. Rogoway wrote:
> Upon the advise of someone on this list I started to watch ABC TV's Junk
> Science last night. I even stuck a tape in the VCR. After about 30
> minutes I realized that this was a Junk Telecast about "junk science."
> In my humble opinion ABC was guilty of almost everyone of the "sins"
> that they were "exposing." Plus, the attitude of the reporter (a Geraldo
> Rivera wanabee) was anything but "scientific." It was "talk show TV",
> confrontational, designed to embarass the person being interview and
> editted to slant ABC's way. 

Ray, I could not agree more!  I found myself talking to the TV saying,
"But you were the catylist in promoting this 'bad science'".  Most of the
stories weren't about scientists doing science, they were about
non-scientists trying to do pseudo-science.  And the media, like ABC, were
the ones to promote it and hype it up at the time it came out.  Where was
this "critical eye" when they were hyping it?

IMHO, this show is one of the biggest arguments for the education of the
non-science person in basic science knowledge.  We have failed to educate
our Lawyers, Journalists and most of the liberal arts type of people in
basic science.  Ignorance is our biggest enemy.
--
James Bradford Shue                             jshue@comp.uark.edu
University of Arkansas                          Voice phone:(501) 575-6059
Physics Lab/Demo Curator                        FAX Number: (501) 575-4580
WWW Page					http://comp.uark.edu/~jshue