- Nov 28, 2001
- 22,205
- 43
- 91
<weak rant>
News agencies have to start hiring people who know what the fuck they are talking about when delivering science and technology based news. Or else stop reporting these stories all together. They can't get away with this in other areas why should they with science. If they reported that a man was involved in a car accident doing 50,000 miles per hours on the highway they would soon be out of a job (actually sadly in today's news environment they might now be) but when it comes to science news they can almost get away with saying whatever the fuck they want to. Here is an extreme example:
http://www.dnaindia.com/scitech/report_indian-scientists-detect-signs-of-life-on-moon_1322785
Yes it's just a web site, not CNN or anything, but it's still indicative of the issue. They did not discover life obviously they discovered as quoted by someone working with the satellite "Certain atomic numbers were observed that indicated the presence of carbon components.". Note to news agencies: if you don't know what the fuck they are talking about ask an expert don't just make up some sensationalist crap to boost ratings. You know that little thing they used to call "JOURNALISM!". OF course there is the now famous CNN fuckup where they reported the doomed Columbia shuttle traveling 18 times the speed of light. Then there are the hundreds of times where they show a picture that is obviously a NASA artist rendition of something and talk about is as if it's a real picture.
</weak rant>
News agencies have to start hiring people who know what the fuck they are talking about when delivering science and technology based news. Or else stop reporting these stories all together. They can't get away with this in other areas why should they with science. If they reported that a man was involved in a car accident doing 50,000 miles per hours on the highway they would soon be out of a job (actually sadly in today's news environment they might now be) but when it comes to science news they can almost get away with saying whatever the fuck they want to. Here is an extreme example:
http://www.dnaindia.com/scitech/report_indian-scientists-detect-signs-of-life-on-moon_1322785
Yes it's just a web site, not CNN or anything, but it's still indicative of the issue. They did not discover life obviously they discovered as quoted by someone working with the satellite "Certain atomic numbers were observed that indicated the presence of carbon components.". Note to news agencies: if you don't know what the fuck they are talking about ask an expert don't just make up some sensationalist crap to boost ratings. You know that little thing they used to call "JOURNALISM!". OF course there is the now famous CNN fuckup where they reported the doomed Columbia shuttle traveling 18 times the speed of light. Then there are the hundreds of times where they show a picture that is obviously a NASA artist rendition of something and talk about is as if it's a real picture.
</weak rant>
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