Re From a nyt and long time iper Re New York Times defends hiring extreme climate denier: 'millions agree with him'

["Dave Farber" <farber () gmail com>]

Begin forwarded message:

> From: Dave Crocker <dcrocker () gmail com>
> Date: April 23, 2017 at 10:56:24 AM EDT
> To: dave () farber net, ip <ip () listbox com>
> Cc: "Schwartz, John" <jswatz () nytimes com>
> Subject: Re: [IP] From a nyt and long time iper Re New York Times defends hiring extreme climate denier: 'millions 
> agree with him'
>
>
> > > *From:* "Schwartz, John" <jswatz () nytimes com
> > > <mailto:jswatz () nytimes com>>
> ...
> > > However you feel about the hiring of Bret Stephens, it's important
> > > to keep in mind that he has been hired as a single voice among the
> > > opinion columnists at the NYT.
>
>
> Notwithstanding the rest of Schwatz' note or the fact of tclimate
> /reporting/ done by the Time... Taken on its own, this line of
> argumentation says that the Times has no responsibility for asserting
> and enforcing any criteria for /quality/.  It essentially pushes for
> diversity over quality, which is exactly what the "well, he's popular
> and we have lots of readers who share his views" demonstrates.  That
> there are many other -- potentially equally spurious -- voices does not
> lessen the problem with this one.
>
> A journal of record has to have meaningful editorial criteria.  Choosing
> popularity over quality criteria would seem to move the Times out of the
> category of "All the news that is fit to print" to "whatever".
>
> The fact that the new hire is for the Opinions sections does not relieve
> the Times from worrying about substance and quality.
>
>
>
> > From: Dave Burstein <daveb () dslprime com <mailto:daveb () dslprime com>> 
> ...
> > Climate change deniers, of course, have very little data on their
> > side. The same is true of any religion, including my own.
> > I don't think the New York Times should automatically exclude
> > someone because he believes in a scientifically unprovable religion,
> > whether Judaism or Wahabi Islam.
>
> This is an interesting perspective.  It suggests that we should see climate denial as a form of religion.  And hence 
> the fact that this religion has many followers justifies giving it valuable newspaper real-estate, the same as other 
> religions.
>
> Separate from any philosophical or moral problems there might be with such a perspective -- not to mention the 
> objective problem that it is touted as a counter to science, not as a form of religion -- is the unfortunate fact 
> that climate denial actively endangers others.  And not just a few others.  Basically everyone.  On the planet.
>
> There is also the uncomfortable problem that allocating column-inches based on Burstein's proffered logic will lead 
> to claims that there should also be space given to spokes-folk who tout for Al-qaedao or ISIS.  After all, they, too 
> have many who share their views...
>
>
> d/
>
> -- 
> Dave Crocker
> Brandenburg InternetWorking
> bbiw.net
>
> -- 
> Dave Crocker
> Brandenburg InternetWorking
> bbiw.net



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