GetUp’s good idea

Ideas for sceptics

Left wing pressure groups are well organised, wealthy, and clever. They are also very good teachers.

The activist group GetUp has announced that they plan using the broadcasting watchdog to take action against radio announcers Alan Jones and Chris Smith for comments they have made questioning man made global warming:

Under the Australian Communications and Media Authority’s (ACMA) code of practice, broadcasters are required to make reasonable efforts to ensure that current affairs material, presented as factual, is reasonably supportable and to correct errors of fact at the earliest opportunity.

This is a marvellous idea – for sceptics. Sceptical points of views and challenges have been successfully dismissed by the media. Climate realists have found it virtually impossible to get their arguments heard. The action GetUp is proposing is an ideal tactic for sceptics to adopt to challenge unscientific assertions made by the media.

GetUp have also issued a strident criticism of Jones and Smith which, in turn, could be used to argue that the ACMA code should be enforced across broadcasting generally, and also at the national broadcaster:

"Alan Jones’ complete disregard for providing a balanced view of climate change on his show is unacceptable," Mr Mclean [GetUp spokesman] said, adding that his organisation’s research indicated the broadcaster had not interviewed any climate scientists who believe in the concept of human-induced climate change.

"This is completely unhealthy for public discourse and a perfect example of why the ACMA code was created in the first place."

A “balanced view” at the ABC? Now there’s a novel thought. In the ongoing tax debate, GetUp may prove to be a gold mine – for tax opponents.

News source: news.ninemsn.com.au