nisbetmc | July 10, 2008
In the latest issue of the Columbia Journalism Review, Harvard University's Cristine Russell contributes an important analysis on the next stage in climate change media coverage. She spotlights reporters such as the NY Times' Andrew Revkin who are among an "advanced guard" of journalists who are figuring out how to strategically frame coverage of climate change in ways that resonate with new audiences and across a diversity of media platforms.
"Climate change will require thoughtful leadership and coordination at news organizations," asserts Russell. "Editors will need to integrate the…
nisbetmc | July 8, 2008
On Sunday, Discovery Channel's Ted Koppell returned to his old network home to appear on ABC News This Week. Koppell was on the round table panel in part to promote his fascinating new five part series "The Republic of Capitalism," which airs starting Wed. night at 10pm EST. Also appearing on the panel were Mark Halperin of "Time" magazine, Jonathan Capehart of 'The Washington Post" and Michelle Cottle of 'The New Republic."
Among the topics discussed was Barack Obama's faith-based strategy, specifically his announcement last week that he would continue to support federal funding for social…
nisbetmc | July 3, 2008Wikio has its latest rankings out, tracking the most influential blogs about science (as well as many other categories.)
Framing Science has pushed up from the top 25 blogs about science to break into the top 15, based on number and influence of links to the site.
Barbara Boxer on Managing James Inhofe and the Frame that Turned John Warner into a Climate Advocate
nisbetmc | July 3, 2008
Barbara Boxer appeared on Bill Moyers last week, providing fresh insight into her relationship with James Inhofe as well as the strategic appeal that turned GOP Senator John Warner into a climate change advocate.
In describing her reaction to Inhofe's theatrics during Al Gore's testimony earlier this year, here's what she had to say (full transcript of the interview):
BARBARA BOXER: I was a little stunned because here I had taken the gavel after a tough, you know, election season. We came in. We got power finally, albeit very small margin. But I was the chairman of the committee now. And Jim…
nisbetmc | July 3, 2008Chris Mooney has this Science Progress column up reviewing the seminar we conducted last week at Cal Tech. As he puts it, science needs a "paradigm sheep." Read on, it all makes sense. Trust me.
In the meantime, we are looking to take the seminar on the road to other leading universities and research institutions. We hope to have announcements about some Fall dates and locations very soon.
nisbetmc | June 28, 2008
As I've argued before, conservatives often have the advantage in elections and policy battles because of their tendency to enforce greater message discipline and coordination. The latest example is James Inhofe who for a decade has been perhaps the most visible and loudest voice of climate denial.
But now as his party's presidential nominee John McCain uses action on climate change as a way to appeal to moderates, Inhofe may very well be "laying low," letting his party leader do the talking on the issue, and refraining from what would otherwise be confusing messages about where the…
nisbetmc | June 27, 2008
A Gallup survey out this week reveals a wide partisan gap in perceptions of evolution. Specifically, 60% of Republicans say humans were created in their present form by God 10,000 years ago, a belief shared by only 40% of independents and 38% of Democrats.
These Gallup findings are the latest to underscore an emerging partisan divide on controversial areas of science. With many prominent Republicans continuing to dispute climate change, Democrats in recent elections making stem cell research part of their campaign strategy, GOP primary candidates openly doubting evolution, and Hillary…
nisbetmc | June 27, 2008I'm back in DC after a week long tour of southern California. On Monday night, an audience of close to 100 scientists, students, and staff turned out at Cal Tech for our latest Framing Science lecture. We followed on Tuesday with a day long science communication seminar (syllabus) that included 30 PhD students, post-docs, and Cal Tech staff. (Read one blogger's summary.)
I ended my morning session by posing the following issues and questions to the participants, with these issues arising from what I see as major changes in the political and media system that are generating new demands for…
nisbetmc | June 27, 2008
On TV, Neil deGrasse Tyson uses narrative to dramatize the importance of basic research.
Last week in San Diego, I participated on a panel at the BIO 2008 meetings that focused on the communication challenges facing the biotech industry. Organized by Richard Gallagher, editor of The Scientist magazine, a major topic of discussion were the challenges that industry faces in communicating the value of basic research. In fact, this was also a major topic at the Cal Tech seminar that I ran on Tuesday.
When the public thinks about "science," they generally think in terms of either medical advances…
nisbetmc | June 23, 2008Here are the details on the talk I am giving with Chris Mooney tonight at Cal Tech. Also online are the syllabus and readings for the science communication workshop we are running on Tuesday. For readers in the Los Angeles area, we hope to see you tonight!
nisbetmc | June 19, 2008
The box-office troubles of docs such as "Bigger, Faster, Stronger" is in contrast to Expelled's impact.
The LA Times runs a story this week on the downturn in box office fortunes for the documentary film genre. The inability of well crafted docs about front burner issues such as Iraq or steroids to reach audiences and to catalyze policy debate makes the impact of Expelled (see column) that much more troubling and suprising.
As the LA Times reports:
Critically acclaimed films about provocative subjects struggle to make money all the time, but rarely have so many lauded documentaries…
nisbetmc | June 15, 2008Next week, I will be teaming up with Chris Mooney at Cal Tech for an evening lecture followed by a day long science communication seminar for the university's graduate students and post-docs. Details are below along with the suggested reading list.
Speaking Science Boot Camp
Matthew C. Nisbet & Chris Mooney
Over the past several years, the seemingly never-ending controversies over evolution, embryonic stem cell research, global climate change, and many other topics have led to a troubling revelation. Scientific knowledge, alone, does not always suffice when it comes to winning political…
nisbetmc | June 15, 2008
Satire at its best, decoding the label "elitist" as applied to Barack Obama. As Colbert puts it: "Let's face it, Obama is not an average Joe like me and David Brooks!"
nisbetmc | June 14, 2008
In The Happening, "Marky" Mark Wahlberg plays a science teacher who tells his students that evolution is just a theory.
Over at IO9, an influential science fiction and science blog, there's detailed speculation that M. Night Shyamalan's The Happening offers viewers strong pro-intelligent design themes.
If you listen to this Science Friday interview, you will see that Shyamalan is not the most sophisticated guy when it comes to science. After all, he is the devoutly Christian director who made his break though with a film about a kid who sees dead people (The Sixth Sense) and then later…
nisbetmc | June 13, 2008My latest "Science and the Media" column at Skeptical Inquirer Online is now up. In the column I review the likely audience impact of Expelled and focus on the use of the film as part of a communication strategy to push through "academic freedom" bills in states across the country.
nisbetmc | June 11, 2008
The National Journal has released its annual survey of Congressional members on their views of climate science. When asked: "Do you think it's been proven beyond a reasonable doubt that the Earth is warming because of man-made pollution?," of the 38 Democratic members of Congress interviewed, 98 percent answered "yes."
But among the 39 Republican members of Congress surveyed, just 26% percent answered in the affirmative. Among the reasons from Republican members on why they continue to doubt the science, the National Journal quotes the following:
"Reasonable people have doubts. For every Al…
nisbetmc | June 5, 2008
A recent report for the Gallup survey organization by Oklahoma State sociologist Riley Dunlap backs up what I have been arguing at this blog and in various articles regarding the "Two Americas" of global warming perceptions.
Following the lead of their preferred party's elected officials and leaders, Democrats continue to grow more concerned about global warming while Republicans remain relatively unconcerned, dismissive of the science, and distrustful of news reports.
The full report is a must read. See in addition this recent study (PDF) I did analyzing two decades of public opinion…
nisbetmc | June 4, 2008
If the author is skeptical of mainstream science, is there a conservative think tank behind them?
A new study by a team of political scientists and sociologists at the journal Environmental Politics concludes that 9 out of 10 books published since 1972 that have disputed the seriousness of environmental problems and mainstream science can be linked to a conservative think tank (CTT). Following on earlier work by co-author Riley Dunlap and colleagues, the study examines the ability of conservative think tanks to use the media and other communication strategies to successfully challenge…
nisbetmc | June 4, 2008
So how did Barack Obama beat improbable odds to capture the Democratic nomination? A team of reporters at the Washington Post has the best account I've seen on Obama's ingenious state and delegate strategy.
nisbetmc | June 3, 2008At Knight Science Journalism Tracker, Charlie Petit has a pretty comprehensive round-up and commentary on news coverage of this week's (failed) climate change legislation.