Are newspapers willing to mislead the public, for a price?

Should newspapers sell advertising space to those who propagate misleading or demonstrably false information about scientific issues? Is the paper’s desire to earn “a little extra cash for depleted print coffers,” as the New York Times’ public editor put it, a good enough justification for doing so? These are questions raised by the recent decisions by the Times and the Washington Post to publish in their print editions full-page, paid advertisements filled with misleading statements about climate change. The papers published advertisements paid for by the Samsung Chemical Coating Co., titled “A New Theory for the Origin and Evolution of the Universe” (the Post on Feb. 28) and “When Global Warming Ends, about the year 2060, The Ice Age will Begin” (the Times on March 7.) These two advertisements present as “fact” misleading statements that directly contradict scientific consensus. Continue reading ... Your patients are rating you online: How to respond. Manage your online reputation: A social media guide. Find out how.
Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - Category: Journals (General) Authors: Tags: Physician Mainstream media Source Type: blogs