health, fear and the media · the impact of media 6 liesbeth claassen, tjabe smid, fred woudenberg...

Health, Fear and the Media The Impact of Pseudoscience

Ketan Joshi, Research and Communications Officer

Infigen Energy

26/07/2013

Source: Today Tonight / YouTube

http://au.news.yahoo.com/today-tonight/consumer/article/-/13147236/mobile-danger-protests/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISCmIFKSTKE&noredirect=1

[TODAY TONIGHT VIDEO]

3

Source: The Daily Telegraph, http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/tank-mans-6m-rampage/story-e6freuzi-1111113969335

‘The John Patterson Story’, http://bit.ly/1aRNAyw

“I made some rash decisions”

The Impact of Media

4

Source: Image from http://www.naturehdwallpaper.com/fields/wallpaper-gallery-abstract-electromagnetic-fields-energy

Liesbeth Claassen, Tjabe Smid, Fred Woudenberg & Danielle R.M. Timmermans (2012): Media coverage on electromagnetic fields

and health: Content analysis of Dutch newspaper articles and websites, Health, Risk & Society, 14:7-8, 681-696

“Media coverage on electromagnetic fields

and health: Content analysis of Dutch

newspaper articles and websites”

The Impact of Media

5



Dominant Frame

17

9

68

8

39

1

26

1

8

3

Scientific/technical Precaution/concern

Conflicting interests Blame/outrage

Unclear or other

Newspapers

Websites

The Impact of Media

6



Cited Sources - Newspapers

6

7

34

37

51

61

Scientists/technicians

Government experts

Business spokesmen

Interest groups

Lay people

Government spokesmen

The Impact of Media

7

Source: Image from http://xkcd.com/556/

Benjamin Deignan, Erin Harvey & Laurie Hoffman-Goetz (2013): Fright factors about wind turbines and health in Ontario

newspapers before and after the Green Energy Act, Health, Risk & Society, DOI:10.1080/13698575.2013.776015

“Fright factors about wind turbines and

health in Ontario newspapers before

and after the Green Energy Act”

The Impact of Media

8

Source: Benjamin Deignan, Erin Harvey & Laurie Hoffman-Goetz (2013): Fright factors about wind turbines and health in Ontario


Fright Factors

Involuntary exposure

Inequitably distributed

Inescapable by taking personal

precautions

Cause hidden or irreversible damage

Pose particular danger to small

children or pregnant women

Arousing dread due to death, illness or

injury

Damage to identifiable victims

Poorly understood by science

Subject to contradictory

statements from responsible sources

The Impact of Media

9

Source: Benjamin Deignan, Erin Harvey & Laurie Hoffman-Goetz (2013): Fright factors about wind turbines and health in Ontario


Fright Factor Prevalence

394 – 94%

242 – 58%

188 - 45%

177 - 42%

Dread

Poorly understood

by science

Involuntary

exposure

Inequitably

distributed

42

1 A

rticle

s c

od

ed

10

[Cherry Tree Wind Farm Pikcher] CHERRY TREE WIND FARM

Cherry Tree Wind Farm

11 Source: Seymour Nagambie Advertiser – 4 September 2012

The Impact of Media

12

Source: Liesbeth Claassen, Tjabe Smid, Fred Woudenberg & Danielle R.M. Timmermans (2012): Media coverage on electromagnetic

fields and health: Content analysis of Dutch newspaper articles and websites, Health, Risk & Society, 14:7-8, 681-696

Cited Sources - Newspapers

6

7

34

37

51

61

Scientists/technicians

Government experts

Business spokesmen

Interest groups

Lay people

Government spokesmen

Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEh3sooKU8A

[Waubra Video]

Fright Factors Presented to Locals

14

“We identified the fright factor ‘dread’ as a

negative, loaded or fear-evoking description of

health-related signs, symptoms or adverse

effects of wind turbine exposure.”

The Arousal of Dread

Fright Factors Presented to Locals

15

“We identified the fright factor ‘poorly

understood by science’ as the need for a

health study, the unknown effects or

outcomes on health or the implementation of

a moratorium until health effects are better

studied.”

Poorly Understood by Science

Cherry Tree Wind Farm Analysis

16

107 20 8

Internal Store

Media Portal

Google News

67 59

Letter

Article

Radio

Television

Editorial

Data Sources:

Media Pieces by type:

135 media pieces

09/11/2011 through to 08/02/2013


17

• Expressions of concern, or direct assertions, that the development will have a direct impact on human health Health

• Expressions of concern, or direct assertions, that the development will generate audible noise emissions that will cause annoyance or impact on quality of life

Noise

• Expressions of concern, or direct assertions, that the development will have a direct impact on human health (through the inaudible noise emissions of the wind turbine, in the infrasonic range, including symptoms of 'Wind Turbine Syndrome')

Infrasound


18

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

Pre-Meeting Post-Meeting

Cou

nt o

f F

ea

r E

xp

ressio

n

Health Fears

Noise Fears

Infrasound

Nov 2011 to Aug 2012 Sep 2012 to Feb 2013

Fear Count – Pre/Post Anti-Wind Meeting


19

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Health Fears

Noise Fears

Infrasound Fears

Total articles

Fear Count – By Month


20

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Health Fears

Noise Fears

Infrasound Fears

Total articles

Fear Count – By Month

Presentations of health fears


21

• A piece that is largely objecting to the Cherry Tree development. At least 90% of the content comprises arguments that object to the wind development, or arguments that refute support of the development.

Anti

• A piece that presents argument both for and against the development, in equal measure, with references and quotes for each side.

Balanced

• A piece that is largely supportive of the Cherry Tree development. At least 90% of the content comprises arguments that support the wind development, or arguments that refute criticisms of the development.

Pro


22

0

10

20

30

40

50

Article Editorial Letter Radio Television

Anti

Balanced

Pro

Attitude Count by Type


23

Attitude Count by Month

0

4

8

12

Anti

Balanced

Pro

24 Source: Seymour Telegraph, 6 February 2013

25

The Power of Negative Information

26

The Scientific Method

Source:

Image from http://www.bayesian-inference.com/images/ban-samplesize.png

http://www.bupa.com.au/health-and-wellness/health-information/sleep-the-forgotten-dimension-of-good-health#happening

“As many as 80% of Australians are

experiencing some issue with sleeping”

“20% of Australians report being disturbed 3

- 5 times every night”

27 Source: http://etwasluft.blogspot.com.au/2012/10/the-range-of-wind-turbine-syndrome.html

28 Source: http://www.epa.sa.gov.au/xstd_files/Noise/Report/infrasound.pdf

<------- Lower Levels | Higher Levels -------->

29

Local Supporters

Source: http://www.beam.org.au/wf-support/

[email protected]

@ArghJoshi

health, fear and the media · the impact of media 6 liesbeth claassen, tjabe smid, fred woudenberg...

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