Media Give Climate Science Exoneration Less Ink Than False Charges

"Last year, the hacked emails of climate scientists from the University of East Anglia spawned what has hitherto become known as "Climategate -- a mini media tempest that briefly provided climate change deniers with what they believed to be grist for their favorite mill: that climate change is some sort of worldwide conspiratorial scam. There was never a whole lot to hang a scandal on, but that didn't stop the frenzy that pushed 'Climategate' onto front pages and network news shows.

Of course, since then, the grownups have stepped back to the fore, and  five  independent  investigations  have, as Steve Benen points out, 'concluded that the integrity of the science is entirely sound' and that the 'deniers' arguments were debunked.' Where's the coverage, though? Last week, CJR's Curtis Brainard put out a call:

'Each of these [independent investigations] has, in turn, drawn significant coverage in mainstream media and independent blogs of all varieties and points of view ... . But only a few brief articles have appeared in newspapers and magazines, and they were usually buried deep inside.'"

Jason Linkins reports for Huffington Post July 12, 2010.

SEE ALSO:

"Wanted: Climate Front-Pager" (Columbia Journalism Review)