Curtis Brainard at CJR: Critics of SEJ 'shortsighted and wrong'

Over at Columbia Journalism Review, Curtis Brainard offers his take on Friday's theatrics by filmmaker Philim McAleer.

The SEJ member's attempt to hog the mic at Al Gore's keynote speech, and his spin on the incident afterwards, demonstrate his healthy degree of self-interest, as well as skill with slicing and dicing the facts to suit his ends:

Conservative blogs are already trying to cast the event as proof that environmental journalists are nothing but "homers" and treehuggers who won't challenge their sources or report critically on environmental issues. Those assessments are shortsighted and wrong. (Full disclosure: I'm a member of the Society of Environmental Journalists, but so is McAleer.)

...Such egotistical stunts are, of course, not uncommon during Q&A sessions at conferences, panels, and speeches. Given McAleer's upcoming film, however, this seems like an especially obvious ploy to gain publicity. In a video documenting the event, he claimed that he was asking Gore "tough" questions that environmental journalists wouldn't.

But the fact that "An Inconvenient Truth" contains inaccuracies is nothing new. The errors are minor and the film is broadly accurate; well-respected scientists and other critics have been saying as much since it debuted. The British High Court was absolutely right that teachers should present additional information to provide context, especially where political matters are concerned. That should be true of any subject.

Read the rest at Columbia Journalism Review >

Comments

[crackbaby]

The hack "journalist" who was asked VP Gore about errors in his movie made another comment that really telegraphs the infantile intellect with which he is operating.

When VP Gore asks if he believes that Polar Bears are endangered, his response is that their numbers are going up. Then, in a nearly inaudible comment, the self-described journalist says that if the numbers are going up, the species is not endangered.

Of course that is wrong. Many species populations are going up but they are still very endangered. Whooping Cranes, anyone?

The stupidity of these deniers should and must be countered by facts, logic and balls. Too bad this ass wasn't treated with the respect he deserves (e.g. none).

I have to wonder if anyone in Madison actually engaged this guy from a position of knowledge and authority and without the low self-esteem syndrome that characterizes so many liberals or the sound-bite facade that enviro journalists use to keep their readers from realizing that they are so often lacking in background and education in the subjects they cover.