Re: personal groans

[Chris Lavers <chris.lavers@nottingham.ac.uk>]

At 14:02 27/08/99 -0400, you wrote:
>     Well, while we're commenting on the media, let me mention my own 
>     reservations about my forthcoming Discover channel program, "Dinosaur 
>     Attack", scheduled for broadcast on September 6.  The producer was 
>     kind enough to send me an advance copy.  For the most part I liked it, 
>     but there are a few things that were, well...not the source of my 
>     greatest joy.

snip
     
>     Jim Farlow
>

Let me start by saying that I have the greatest respect for JFs opinions
and work. But Dinosaur Attack was screened in Britain some time ago. IMHO
the meaning of the Paluxy River footprints is so up in the air that I
regard any sensible interpretation that seems to fit the facts as
interesting - no complaints there. But it was baldly stated that dinosaurs
were ectothermic with just a vague arm-wave about dino rib cages, and the
viewer was left with the overwhelming impression that dino-interactions in
general were low-activity, slow motion affairs. After nearly 30 years of
intense debate on this very issue I would have thought that some indication
of divergence of opinion should have been presented (I should add that I
have no firm opinion either way). Given that the program was aimed at a
general audience, I thought that this was either unforgivably opinionated
or unforgivably sloppy (not on the part of JF I hasten to add - see his
original e-mail). I think we have to be *more* careful about issues of
balance and accuracy in media aimed at the general public than we are when
shouting up and down the ivory tower. After the program I received two
phone calls from amateur palaeo friends wanting to know where they could
find the research that had "proved" ectothermy in the dino stars of the
program. Needless to say, there are thousands of British dino enthusiasts
who didn't or couldn't make such a call and are now thoroughly misled.
Somehow we need to exercise more control over program-makers and
journalists lest our carefully thought-out opinions be turned to
meaningless mush. And dangerous mush at that.

Best wishes to all.
Chris