UPDATE: 1/5/12 5:30AM – Due to reader pressure, the article has been changed – see below the Continue reading line.
The story about the hybrid sharks being a byproduct of climate change turns out to be an act of quote fabrication in some media outlets. This story by Dina Spector of the Business Insider, is a prime example of such quote fabrication:
After I showed the original press release contained not one mention of “global warming” or “climate change”, one of our readers decided to ask the researcher about this statement attributed to to Jessica Morgan in that Business Insider story:
According to lead researcher Jess Morgan, the hybridization might be a sign that the animals are adapting to rising temperature levels as a result of climate change.
Here’s the answer. Bolding mine.
I did the obvious thing this morning and emailed Jessica Morgan the following:
From: Dennis Kuzara [mailto:xxxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Thursday, 5 January 2012 1:04 AM
To: jessica morgan
Subject: Is this quote accurate?
Jessica
Dina Spector of the Business Insider,| Jan. 3, 2012, 3:09 PM, stated the following:
> The world’s first hybrid shark was discovered by scientists in waters off Australia’s east coast on Tuesday, reports Amy Coopes of the AFP.
>
> According to lead researcher Jess Morgan, the hybridization might be a sign that the animals are adapting to rising temperature levels as a result of climate change.
The press release made no mention of “climate change” or “global warming”. Is the quote in this news article that is attributed to Jess Morgan, (which I assume is Jessica Morgan) accurate?
Since sea surface temperatures have increased less than 0.45 degree C over the last 30 years, clarification of any known ties between shark interbreeding and climate change would be appreciated.
Thank you
Dennis Kuzara
And I received this reply:
On 1/4/2012 7:34 PM, Morgan, Jessica wrote:
Quote not correct – I have now stated numerous times that it is extremely unlikely that climate change caused the hybridization event – however, the hybrid-Australian blacktips are now being seen further south of their known range (Australain blacktips have a tropical distribution) in cooler waters suggesting that the hybrids may have a wider temperature tolerance than their parents (ie the hybrids may be better adapted to handle changing water temperatures). That long statement is being condensed and printed as your quote below.
Jess
==============================================================
Interestingly and refreshingly, Business Insider allows you to ask a question of the reporter, here’s a screencap of the footer allowing you to do just that:
You can click anywhere on the screencap (or the button) above to ask Dina that question. I’m sure we all want to know why. We look forward to hearing why the Business Insider makes up “scary” quotes from scientists where none actually exist.
According to her website at http://dinaspector.com:
Dina Spector graduated summa cum laude from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University with a B.S. in magazine journalism and a minor in geography.
A fine reference, and I’m sure she’ll have a good reason rooted in solid journalism that she’ll gladly share with us.
================================================================
UPDATE: The article has been significantly changed, both the headline and body of the text have been modified significantly, and the fabricated quote from researcher Jessica Morgan has been removed. See the screencap:
There’s no mention though of any correction on the story. http://www.businessinsider.com/worlds-first-hybrid-shark–2012-1
And, even though researcher Jessica Morgan says:
I have now stated numerous times that it is extremely unlikely that climate change caused the hybridization event
They still have “climate change” in the headline.
No duty to the truth or scruples with these folks I guess.
==================================================
UPDATE2: I’ve heard back from the editor:
Here’s a story about your story, I’m sure you are already getting some questions
—
Henry Blodget
CEO/EIC, Business Insider
257 Park Avenue South, 13th Floor
New York, NY 10010
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I just posted this on their comments:
Actually, regardless of the global warming debate, why was this article claims of global warming changed without notice?
It would seem after WUWT noted your article, you folks went back and REMOVED the reference to global warming?
BIG BIG problem!
You not issued a correction!
In other words after being made fools of you correct the text without ANY notice to the readers? FOLKS! give your heads a shake! Correcting the article and REMOVING the global warming reference WITHOUT issuing a correction is WORSE than the original article!
So you are COVERING up your mistake without any accountability?
In other words you will at ANY TIME to issue changes to ANY article without notice of change? Then WHY TRUST ANYTHING written on the site? If what I just read on the site means I cannot quote you folks since it might change 5 minutes later without notification!
Anything written can be changed without ANY accountability at any time then?
This is like having a conversation with someone but giving them the RIGHT to go back on their word and CHANGE what they said at will at any time!
This correction in the article FAR worse than the original posted about global warming!
We have written word and things like tape recorders so people cannot go back on their word without some accountability.
Apparently retroactive going back on one’s word and changing text without notice is consider ok behavior by Business Insider?
This is insane! I don’t care if some mistake was made in miss quoting.
Simple put retroactive changing of written text without notice is not acceptable! It means you I can NEVER trust anything read here since you can then go back and change the meaning of what you stated?
So anything written here is subject to change without notice or accountability? So do not trust anything written on the site since we can change our face values and what we wrote at any time?
Nuts, just beyond nuts!
Unless a note about the change + correction is included, you people are simply scum.
Grammar and some text edits is fine for any article without notice. However a full scale removing a claim of global warming from that article is a HUGE change in context and is being done without ANY explain is simply not acceptable.
This is currently a BIG scandal until a correction note is issued for that article.
The two screen shots and your retro active edit can be found here:
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2012/01/04/media-101-how-to-jump-a-shark/
You been caught red handed editing and changing a article without notice.
This has now an issue of why readers should trust Business Insider and has little to do with global warming issues. You can no more make a public claim that Google just purchased GM and then go back and retro edit that article to remove that mistake without some text explain that original text.
Albert D. Kallal
Edmonton, Alberta Canada
What’s Oz for foreplay?
Baa…
AGW has a lot to answer for.
All the scam artists appear to have some degree ,going on how dumb they appear to be spinning busted climate gate rubbish perhaps it should be looked into how they revieved a degree in the 1st place .
Today’s headline in “Earthweek” in today’s newspaper, is “Hybrid Sharks may be Results of Climate Change”. This phrase in the article is attributed to “Australian researchers. I did some googling on the web and find that the climate change comment is being attributed to “Colin Simpfendorfer”, a member of Jessica’s team.
http://www.newsbiscuit.com/