Morality of current affairs programs

Do current affair programs report morally?

This question can be answered by looking at a story done by Today Tonight on Mobile Phones (21st of August, 2009).

The story starts with the above picture and Dr. Vini Khurana stating, 'We certainly cannot say they are safe; nobody can say they are safe'.

For those who are unaware, Dr. Vini Khurana is an Australian neurosurgeon, who self-published a non-peer reviewed study presenting 'an increasing body of evidence... for the link between brain tumours and mobile phones'. - Without peer review or commercial publishing the information contained within this study cannot be accepted as fact, or anything close. This is a fact that a current affair took advantage of to prove the point of the story - Was this immoral? Of course it was!

Dr. Khurana also warns that mobile telephones could be the 21st century's Phalidamide (a.k.a Thalidomide), tobacco, asbestos, or solarium. This scenario wouldn't play out in the modern world, as there is rigorous testing and restriction on the maximum electromagnetic output from any given device, and these past experiences have made us more aware of the potential dangers. In addition to this, mobile phones have been around for more than 20 years, with older models having much higher EM output.

Also in this episode, there were two devices used to 'prove' the dangers of electronics, but most specifically (and importantly) mobile telephones. One device is designed to detect electromagnetic radiation (purchased for $150, the site suggests it's use for detecting the 'paranormal'), and emits a red light and high pitched beep when an arbitrary amount of EM radiation is detected. The maximum amount that can be detected by the device is .3mW/cm cubed. The viewer isn't told this, or the level considered to be safe. All the viewer receives is the sound and light, very scary when compared against a microwave, a hair straightener, a computer screen, and a washing machine.  

The second device used is an Infra red camera which measures 'heat and radio frequencies' heat IS a radio frequency, but mentioning 'radio frequencies' makes it sound related to EMRs. When the phone is placed against the reporter's ear, it shows an 'orange glow' indicating an 'increase of 5 degrees.'! Whilst some warming of tissues can be attributed to the effect of EMRs, in the case of a mobile this is tenths of a degree... not 5.

This rise in temperature can be attributed to placing a phone on a window sill, or in a trouser pocket, allowing the warm phone to radiate heat, therefore registering on the thermal image. As if giving credit to this test, the reporter states 'Infra red thermal imaging is the same technology used by health authorities to screen for swine flu'. - Is swine flu anything to do with mobile phones? No!

But, just to keep the report unbiased, the host does say 'The World Health Organisation states that there is no credible evidence to suggest that mobile phones are a danger to health. - THE authority on health issues, why would an independent, unbiased body lie to almost 7 BILLION people? 

I think, as has been demonstrated above, current affairs programs use sly, and usually immoral techniques to get their points across. They pick and choose whatever is available to support their point of view, rather than letting the material available formulate their point of view. Would a story about how safe mobile phones are sell? No, of course it wouldn't! 

Misrepresentation of facts in current affairs programs (particularly sensationalist one like Today Tonight, or A Current Affair) will continue to plague us, which is why we should discern and critically evaluate everything presented to us.

References:

Wikipedia, continuous.  Thalidomide. [Online]. (Updated 28th of September 2009)
Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thalidomide [Accessed 3rd of October 2009]

Wikipedia, continuous. Mobile phone radiation and health. [Online]. (Updated 28th of September 2009)
Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_phone_radiation_and_health [Accessed 3rd of October 2009]

Today Tonight Adelaide, 2009. Mobile Phones. [Online] (First Broadcast 21st of August 2009)
Available at: http://www.todaytonightadelaide.com.au [Accessed 3rd of October]