What is wrong with these people. Why are we forced to pay a licence fee to an organisation that reports such complete nonsense. At the recent SE Regional Meeting of ARG UK, John Baker gave an excellent talk on the poor media coverage that herps receive in the press. This isn't just sensationalist stories such as the reporting of claimed adder bites, but inaccurate basic information. In a particularly notable example John showed a BBC Wildlife article that gave identification tips for common toad. Unfortunately, the photograph used in the article was not actually a common toad - it was a European green toad (Bufo viridis)! The BBC website has in the past published news items about great crested newt that are illustrated by photographs of smooth newts (for an example see here).
I'm delighted to let John know that it isn't just amphibians and reptiles that are on the receiving end of such piffle. Yesterday, the BBC website ran a sensationalist article (with accompanying
blog item by Rory Cellan-Jones) claiming that Apple have just released a tech note advising mac users to install anti-virus software. Those of you who use macs will know that there are zero viruses in the wild that can currently affect OSX (compare that with the current situation for windows, ouch). If Apple were indeed advising mac users to start installing anti-virus software it may indeed herald the end of the world. It is therefore amusing that the tech note in question was actually two years old. Once alerted to the coverage the note was receiving, Apple promptly removed it with advice that mac users needn't be concerned by such matters!
Mac users are a vocal lot and poor old Rory has been advised of the error of his ways (including by me - see below). The BBC website has now republished their 'news item' with the title
Apple Removes Anti-Virus Advice. Perhaps a major downside of the internet is that it is just too easy for folks who should know better to simply copy and paste inaccurate items and republish them as facts. Photographs of green toads can be easily accessed from photo libraries. The fact that it isn't the correct species? Who cares, who likes toads anyway?!
Increasing numbers of people are questioning the value of their TV licence. If the BBC are not careful, they may find that these folks become a vocal majority...
My own response to Rory Cellan-Jones' poorly researched item should appear on his blog. It is reproduced below for your information:
"Rory
I must say I am really quite disappointed with the BBC and particularly with you, with your inaccurate and sensationalist blog post. As many others have already stated, the validity of this story could so easily have been checked before the news item was published. I guess this type of blather is something we just have to accept nowadays from the BBC.
The real concern is how many other news items are also so poorly represented with inaccurate information? Errors such as the one you will now be remembered for (and let's face it, it was a clanger) will be picked up by folks when the item is relatively well known. But, my concern is for the less well understood news stories, where serious reporting errors such as the one you have made are never detected and/or acknowledged.
As a mac user, I do want to ensure that my computing experience remains virus and malware free. Unfortunately, your poorly researched blog item has now reinforced the very notion that your story attempted to dispel and that's official..."