Nothing says that debate is still open quite like someone yelling that the matter is closed with no chance for a rebuttal. Unless of course, you are the BBC and the matter at hand is global warming.
The British broadcaster released a progress report over the weekend that examined the corporation’s science coverage and found that there was still an “over-rigid application of editorial guidelines on impartiality.” Pause to re-read that. The BBC is criticizing itself for being overly impartial.
Instead, the corporation would rather see itself making it clear to audiences where the weight of scientific opinion lies. The company has already sent 200 staff members to workshops aimed at preventing them from giving “undue attention to marginal opinion.” The report said that “science coverage does not simply lie in reflecting a wide range of views but depends on the varying degree of prominence such views should be given.”
This so-called marginal opinion includes global warming skepticism. According to the BBC, man-made climate change was one area where too much weight had been given to unqualified critics. According to the report, various BBC shows had been misleading when they created a “false balance” by allowing under-qualified skeptics on-air.
It would appear that rather than seek out qualified opponents, the BBC wants to just call the debate closed before it even begins.
