• 03 NOV 16
    • 0

    The axing of the entire Catalyst crew

    It was confirmed this afternoon on the ABC radio national program PM that the reason the entire Catalyst science grew has been sacked was largely because of the Wi-Fried program. In an interview with Professor Simon Chapman (who had soundly criticised the Wi-Fried program) he was amazed that the response of ABC senior staff was to sack the entire science crew and that it was a loss for Australian science reporting.

    The obvious message is loud and clear for the Australian Media. Dare report anything bad about Wi-Fi technology (and other contentious science issues), and your head will be chopped off as well! It was not enough to just get rid of the producer of the Wi-Fried program, Maryanne Demasi, it looks like ABC management made the decision that all the Catalyst crew had to pay the price because of Demasi’s program daring to question the safety of telecommunications technology.

    So, who were the people behind the scene who helped convince the ABC to take such a drastic action? Likely suspects are the Australian Science Media Centre (AusSMC), the Minister for Communications Senator Mitch Fifield, and of course ACEBR Director Rodney Croft.

    You should be able to hear the interview on the PM website here: http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2016/s4568538.htm

    As for the Science Media Centre model of science communication see: http://www.emfacts.com/download/Science_media_centre_spin.pdf

    Don

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