This illustrates a couple of things I think are seriously wrong with our
open communication society. While I would not want to prohibit anyone from
offering their opinion I do think :
1) people who speak publically should feel an individual responsibility to
be sure they have things right before they start talking;
2) those interviewing them have just as much responsibility to be sure of
the facts before broadcasting the interview;
3) the listener, or reader, or viewer had better be aware that there are
many people talking who don't know the facts;
4) some peole just don't care about the facts as long as they can convince
someone to either do or believe what they want them to do or believe; and
finally
5) even when everyone knows their stuff it is sometimes difficult to
correctly and fully answer a question so that non-experts will understand
the answer and the situation in the 15-30 seconds, or even a couple of
minutes, that most broadcast interviews last.
I had a really good experience with this a few weeks ago when a local TV
journalist interviewed me concerning the spat of earthquakes we had recently
had. He came to the college, had his camera man with him, and we talked
for about 45 minutes while looking at maps etc. Less than 30 seconds of
what I said were included in his broadcast but he combined it with an
equally short excerpt from an interview with a woman whose house was very
slightly damaged to create a 1-2 minute news story that was accurate,
relevant, and timely. He did a very nice job. So, we know it can be done,
now to ask why isn't it done more often? Beats me, I don't teach
journalism.
Darryl
----- Original Message -----
From: "Joel Cannon" <jcannon@jcannon.washjeff.edu>
To: <asa@calvin.edu>
Sent: Thursday, September 28, 2000 7:59 AM
Subject: Oil resources on NPR
> To Glenn (with tongue in cheek):
>
> While getting dressed this morning, I was listening to a commentary on
> NPR from a person from the Manhatten Institute (author of a book whose
> title that started with "The 70's..." Someone on the list with a
> better short term memory
>
>
> I guess Glenn has his facts wrong. The speaker was arguing against
> Clinton's move to release reserves to try to control
> prices. Apparently, he chooses not to have heard of Hubbert. Said
> essentially that all the oil is out there that we need. All that is
> needed is incentive to go find it. I think he even stated that the
> United States is sitting on an ocean of oil. It did sound like this
> man lived in a wonderful Idyllic world.
>
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
---- > Joel W. Cannon | (724)223-6146 > Physics Department | > Washington and Jefferson College | > Washington, PA 15301 | > > > >
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