MediaWatch: May 4, 1998

Scientists Don't Scare Viewers

Networks Ignore 15,000 Scientists Opposed to Kyoto Treaty

National news reports on global warming often underline that dire warming scenarios are endorsed by the "overwhelming majority" of scientists. Imagine the journalistic inconvenience on April 20, when the Science and Environmental Policy Project released a petition from 15,000 scientists around the world declaring there was no convincing evidence linking greenhouse gases to "catastrophic heating." The networks did what they thought was the only responsible thing. They ignored it. Two nights later, after one scientist claimed the Earth is warmer than ever, CBS, CNN, and NBC all presented full evening news stories without any opposing views.

On the CBS Evening News, reporter John Roberts explained Michael Mann of the University of Massachusetts thinks 1995-97 are the warmest years since 1400. Roberts ended: "It will take years of research to determine exactly what's behind this trend and what if any dangers it might pose, but one thing is certain, the heat is on. Global temperatures for the first three months of 1998 were the warmest on record."

CNN anchor Martin Savidge contended on The World Today: "Don't believe in global warming? Well, this next story could change your mind." Reporter Ann Kellan's one-sided story concluded: "The scientists say if carbon dioxide levels keep rising at the current rate, the warming trend could get even stronger. They warn that global warming could cause problems ranging from drought to flooding caused by polar ice melting."

NBC's Tom Brokaw asked: "Does it seem like the world is getting warmer? More hard evidence it's not just your imagination. In Depth tonight." Robert Bazell added: "A Department of Energy report out today says greenhouse gas emissions will rise by as much as 80 percent in the next 20 years. So there seems to be little question but that the Earth will continue to get warmer, probably a lot warmer."

The 15,000 skeptical scientists, including Frederick Seitz, a past President of the National Academy of Sciences, issued a statement urging rejection of the Kyoto treaty: "The proposed limits on greenhouse gases would harm the environment, hinder the advance of science and technology, and damage the health and welfare of mankind." Seitz asserted: "This freely expressed vote against the warming scare propaganda should be contrasted with the claimed 'consensus of 2500 climate scientists' about global warming. This facile and oft-quoted assertion by the White House is a complete fabrication." But TV viewers wouldn't know.

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