Has the Spin Machine Conquered Journalism? WCSJ Helsinki 2013 Conference

June 23, 2013

Has the Spin Machine Conquered Journalism? WCSJ Helsinki 2013 Conference

Risk communication in the world of EMFs often means: heavily financed down-playing of risks.

Now, The Spinning 'Dream Team' performs at the 8th World Conference of Science Journalists 2013 in Helsinki, Finland.

Their workshop is called "Reporting the health effects of WiFi routers, cell phones and smart meters".

Some astonishing, previous activities by the workshop presenters:

- K. F. has already in 2007 said that it is time to stop microwave health research. He has also written favourable reviews with long-time industry consultants.

- T. G. is the initiator of a letter against existence of risk from EMF
- T. G.  is behind a project call "Urban-Electro Brigade" which will offer free measurements in people's  homes and to test objects that emit radio frequencies. The brigade, whose creation was made possible by a grant from philanthropist L.T., will consist of six students of the Ecole Polytechnique, "independent scholars" who will be there "to collect questions, comments and concerns of people and to provide tools, references and arguments to help them see more clearly".

- C. L. sees 6 minute pulsed microwave (radiofrequency) radiation measurements ensuring safety of population and does not acknowledge biological studies  showing damage thousands time below ICNIRP/FCC/Safety Code 6 guidelines. 

- A. B.  published a book on EMF where he mocks people who report health-risks. He isvery fond of talking about panic.

- G.Z. is the secretary of the ICNIRP (International Commission of Non-Ionizing Radiation 'Protection'). This closed club has rather strange way of evaluating scientific studies.


Wow, impressive "impartiality" and "sound science" viewpoints from the WCSJ 2013 workshop's like-minded presenters!

Why is there nobody providing an alternative, biology-originating, risks-acknowledging viewpoint?

I am asking this, because the workshop was advertised: "All panelists have been selected for their impartiality (no affiliation to either activist or industrial advocacy groups". [Now this sentence has been removed from the program :-( ].

Is this an industry-friendly gathering similar to the Canadian Wi-Fi panel? It's  original leader has a merit like "has assisted industry with misperception and misinformation with respect to cellphone antennas".

I thought journalists should be critical and simultaneously open-minded ?!? I hope the WCSJ 2013 organising committee will discuss about ethical issues related to this workshop.

---

EXTRA: A chemical viewpoint: If you look at this Helsinki WCSJ conference, it is heavily sponsored by big pharmaceutical companies.

I am seeing a symbiotic relationship between mobile and pharmaceutical industries.

Please, let me provide an example:

"Interestingly, the expansion of wireless networks corresponds with the increase in prescription expenses for Methylphenidate, a drug whose chemical structure is related to Phenylethylamine (PEA) and which is indicated in cases of attention deficit disorder (ADD) "

http://tinyurl.com/BuchnerEger2011 , page 11.

Simply put: Best-sellers in drugs seem to be those which control hormon (& alkaloid) levels which in turn have been (perhaps) imbalanced by pulsed microwave (radiofrequency) radiation.

Similar studies measuring chronic exposure effects in real-life conditions: [1],[2].

No wonder chemical, pharmateucical and mobile&power -industries have mutual interests to protect :-?

If you happen to be a real, critical science journalist, here might be an interesting starting point for your investigations.

http://beyondradiation.blogs.com/mblog/2013/06/has-the-spin-machine-conquered-journalism-wcsj-helsinki-2013-conference.html