CNBC must apologize for soliciting "global warming is a hoax" story
Last week, the cable business channel CNBC, was caught seeking out an economist, and known climate change denier, to write an article about the "global warming hoax."
Cindy Perman, the commentary editor of CNBC.com, mistakenly sent the following message to DeSmogBlog.com:
"Hi there. Given this new report on the cost of climate change, wanted to extend an invitation to Alan Carlin to write an op-ed for CNBC.com. Can be on the new report or just his general thoughts on global warming being a hoax."
For years now, scientists at major institutions have concluded that climate change is happening and that fossil fuel emissions from our factories, cars and power generation are to blame. And we are already seeing the impacts in the form of more wildfires, droughts and other extreme weather-related events.
When it comes to issues of science, media such as CNBC have a responsibility to report their stories based on what scientists have concluded and not seek out commentary from non-scientists as a means of counterpoint.
In 2013, a report by Media Matters for America found that, "... more than half of CNBC's climate change coverage was misleading. Twenty-four out of the 47 substantial mentions or segments on climate change on CNBC, or just over 51 percent of coverage, cast doubt on whether manmade climate change existed."
A year later and it looks like nothing has changed at CNBC as they actively seek out non-scientists to make the false claim that global warming is a hoax.
Sign our petition and demand an on-air apology!