Duck and Cover :science journalism in the digital ace

摘要

"This guy from the New York Times, if he really thinks humanity is destroying the planet, humanity is destroying the climate, that human beings in their natural existence are going to cause the extinction of life on Earth—Andrew Revkin, Mr. Revkin, why don't you just go kill yourself and help the planet by dying?" Limbaugh said to millions of listeners. "This might be funny, in a sad way, if it weren't for the fact that my mailbox is already heaped with hate mail," Revkin wrote on his blog. After Revkin demanded an apology, Limbaugh replied a few days later, "I do not advocate death on this program. I do not advocate control over anybody else's life"— unlike Revkin, Limbaugh was implying. Revkin's experience was not unique. Once a low-profile beat, science reporting has become in recent decades a forum for controversy. Many science journalists regularly field stinging criticism of their work, some of it harshly personal. No one welcomes insults or persistent harassment, but most experienced journalists say rude feedback is part of the job.