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Fox News fails yet again (literally)

I shouldn't be surprised by this, but am still disappointed. According to a new study conducted by the Union of Concerned Scientists, here is how accurate the three major cable-news channels are when it comes to climate science:

1. MSNBC: 92% accurate, 8% misleading

2. CNN: 70% accurate, 30% misleading

3. Fox News: 28% accurate, 72% misleading

For as awful as I think Fox News is, not even I expected those horrific numbers. Going further into detail regarding Fox News, the report also stated the following:

- "Fox News covered climate science 50 times in 2013. Of these segments, 28 percent were entirely accurate, while 72 percent included misleading portrayals of the science."

- "More than half of Fox's misleading coverage (53%) was from one program, The Five, where the hosts often instigated misleading debates about established climate science. In general, Fox hosts and guests were more likely than those of other networks to disparage the study of climate science and criticize scientists."

- "Fox News did show an improvement from a UCS snapshot analysis of Fox News coverage in 2012, in which the network's coverage was entirely accurate in only 7 percent of segments, while 93 percent contained misleading statements. To further improve accuracy, the most productive step Fox News could take would be for hosts and guests to better differentiate between scientific facts about climate change and political opinions about climate policy."

I'm not sure which number is more staggering - that Fox News was accurate with regard to climate science just 7% of the time in 2012, or the fact that after quadrupling their level of accuracy in 2013, their accuracy only reached 28%. Can you imagine if child shared such test scores with his parents?

After test #1 (7%)

Carolyn Dizpoynted: "What'd you get on your test the other day, sweetie?"

Billy: ::hands her the test::

Carolyn: "Wow... A 7%? There were 100 questions and you only answered 7 correctly? Billy..."

Billy: "I know. The teacher said I could re-do it, though."

Carolyn: "Okay - well, you better get to studying then!"

Billy: "Okay, mom."


After test #2 (28%)

Carolyn: "Have you gotten your test back yet?"

Billy: "Yup" ::hands her the test::

Carolyn: "A 28%? Well, you did better, I guess."

Billy: "I know, mom! Aren't you proud? Can I go out and play now?"

William (father): "Did I hear that correctly? You go from a 7% to a 28% and are proud? What are you, stupid or something?"

Billy: "Mom..." ::cries::

Carolyn: "William - was that really necessary?"

William: "Hey - I'm just being honest. What is a 7%, anyway? A, B, C, D?"

Billy: "F"

William: "...and what about a 28%? What's that?"

Billy: "F"

William: "...and if you got a 100% on your next test, what would these two average out to?"

Billy: "A 90%?"

William: "Jesus... No, it'd average out to, uh, uh..."

Carolyn: "64%, William..."

William: "Yeah - that... ...and what's a 64%?

Billy: "F"

William: "Well, no - it's a low D, but won't be good enough to get a degree."

Carolyn: "It's his first year there, William. Give him some time."

William: "Why'd I spend all this money on his college, anyway? Ugh. I'm going to grab another beer."

Yes, Fox News - so inaccurate that even if they were 100% accurate in 2014, they'd still have a failing grade of 45% since 2012.

http://www.ucsusa.org/global_warming/solutions/fight-misinformation/cable-news-coverage-climate-change-science.html

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