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From: jlipps@ucmp1.berkeley.edu (Jere H. Lipps)
Subject: NBC's newest insult to viewers!
NBC is now proposing (see email press release below) to reshow their
scientific travesty "The mysterious origins of man", using the objections
of the scientific community as a selling point. This is a major disservice
to the general public and misrepresentation of the majority of the
scientists' objections.
The problem with the program was less the content, although that was sad,
than the representation that this is the way science is done. The
program's first showing made science teaching more difficult, and to
continue to reinforce the dumbing of America by showing it again as science
is irresponsible. Just this week, an Associated Press release published in
most major newspapers documented that "only 25% of American adults got
passing grades in a survey by the National Science Foundation of what
people know about basic science". Few understand the process of science,
and that is what this program, its producers and NBC also miss.
If you are worried about science in America, tell your local NBC station,
NBC, and its various sponsors that you object to the portrayal of this
program as science. America must get smart and we can make a difference!
"Mysterious Origins . . . " and similar programs are a very definite
blackmark on NBC, it's affiliates, the programs' sponsors, and its
producers to represent them as science. Entertainment possibly, but not
science! Why, I wonder, would a TV network, the makers of a program, and
sponsors of the first showing like
Kellogg Co.,
Coca-Cola
McDonalds
Olive Garden
Toyota
Kellogs
J. C. Penney
Wendy's
LensCrafters
Folger's Coffee
M&M's Candy
that are heavily dependent on solid science for their own welfare promote
the continuing decline of American prowess in science? Very sad, indeed.
As science the program is garbage, but no one I know wanted the program
banned from the airways, least of all me, who finds it a wonderful example
of pseudoscience. Unfortunately, it represents the failure of the media
to understand science or what they are doing to the American public's
understanding of it.
Producers of these kinds of so-called science shows demonstrate a lack of
understanding of the fundamental process of how science is done, and they
pander their ignorance to the public. That is a disgrace!
It is a pity that the producers and NBC are now using the justifiable
objections of scientists as a way of promoting their program.
I challenge to NBC and its program producers to have an introduction to the
reshowing of this program by a real scientist--one with proper credentials
from an established and generally accepted scientific institution--discuss
the process of science and tell the viewers that the program may be
entertainment, but it is not science!
For further information about this program, NBC, the Producers, sponsors,
content, and previous comments, see the MOM WWW Site at
http://rumba.ics.uci.edu:8080/faqs/mom.html
Jere H. Lipps
Department of Integrative Biology
University of California
Berkeley, CA 94720
(510) 642-9006
>NBC PRESS RELEASE
>
>CONTROVERSY SURROUNDS "THE MYSTERIOUS ORIGINS OF MAN"
>
>UNIVERSITY PROFS WANT SPECIAL BANNED FROM THE AIRWAVES
>
>Program That Dares To Challenge Accepted Beliefs About Pre-Historic Man
>Will Be Rebroadcast June 8 on NBC.
>
> NBC's "The Mysterious Origins of Man" sparked heated controversy
>within the academic community when originally broadcast February 25, 1996,
>and will be rebroadcast on Saturday, June 8 (8-9 p.m. ET). Professors of
>science and anthropology from some of the nation's most prestigious
>colleges and universities voiced strong opinions about some of the theories
>in the special, which challenged long-accepted beliefs about man's
>beginnings.
>
> The program presented startling evidence suggesting man may have
>made the climb from Stone age to civilization more than once; that
>present-day man is just the latest in this cycle, and that Darwin's Theory
>of Evolution has serious flaws.
>
> "Our goal was simply to present the public with evidence which
>suggests an alternative view to some of our most accepted theories," says
>producer Bill Cote. "We questioned fundamental issues that they (some
>scientists) felt should not be questioned. The bottom line is, the world
>is bigger than scientists can explain, and some of them want us to believe
>they can explain everything.
>
> "We expected some controversy when we produced this show, "Cote
>continues, "but no one was prepared for the enormous cry of outrage from
>members of the scientific community."
>
> Hundreds of messages jammed Cote's special online website
>(http:www.bcvideo.com/bcvideo) following the program, and activity
>continues on several sites dedicated to the program. "While many viewers,
>including some scientists, praised the production as 'a great
>accomplishment and contributing to public education," says Cote, "many
>scientists expressed outrage and criticism."
>
> Michael H. Gerber (Emmy-winning special "The Mystery of the
>Sphinx") and Robert Watts ("Star Wars" trilogy, "Indiana Jones" trilogy,
>"The Mystery of the Sphinx" are the executive producers. John Cheshire,
>Bill Cote and Carol Cote ("The Mystery of the Sphinx") are the producers.
>Bill Cote directed from a script he wrote with Cheshire. Charlton Heston
>hosts the program from B.C. Video Inc.
>
>Media Contacts:
> Dorothy Elery Austin, Entertainment Press & Publicity, (818) 840-3647
> Robert Pientrantion, Entertainment Electronic Publicity, (818) 840-3565
Partial index: