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High/low profile media stories 2010
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December 22, 2010
During the last year, scores of SFU experts have commented to media worldwide about a wide range of discoveries, events and controversies near and far. As 2010 draws to a close, we’re asking them two questions:
1) Given your field of expertise, what was the most high-profile news story this year?
2) What story do you think was worthy of more media coverage than it received?
Andre Gerolymatos is an SFU expert on international security and Hellenic studies. In June, he offered his thought on a Rolling Stone Magazine article in which the commander of the United States’ allied mission in Afghanistan criticized the Obama administration’s stalemate in that country. As a result of his comments, the commander was summarily fired. Gerolymatos says: “The failure of the Obama administration to succeed in Afghanistan is, in my opinion, the highest profile media story of 2010. The story that should have got more media attention was terrorism in Sweden because it is an ominous model of what could happen here.”
Reuters’ article on Obama, http://at.sfu.ca/fPKdMq
NPR article on terrorism in Sweden, http://at.sfu.ca/iQZGIn
Andre Gerolymatos, 604.728.2712 (cell), 778.782.5597; agerolym@sfu.ca
John Clague is an SFU expert on environmental earth sciences. One of Canada’s leading authorities on earth quakes, Clague’s telephone number was among the first to be punched in by media when a 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck Haiti in January. “This earthquake,” says Clague, “highlighted the disparity between the impacts of natural disasters in rich and poor countries. It also underscored how devastating the continuing fall-out from an earthquake can be. In this case it’s Haiti’s cholera epidemic.” Clague feels the media missed the mark in not giving much profile to “the misuse of public and government relief funds by public officials in many countries that experience disasters. The Haitian situation exemplifies this. Relief does not reach people who need it.”
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE60B5IZ20100113
John Clague, (after Dec. 23, not available until Jan. 6), 778.782.4924, jclague@sfu.ca (email best)
Neil Boyd is an SFU expert on criminology. He has applied his extensive legal and psychology background to helping the media unravel the rhyme or reason behind many horrific crimes. This fall he helped media understand the ramifications of keeping the sordid acts of serial sex slayer Colonel Russell Williams’ before the public eye. “The most high profile crime news story was the arrest and conviction of Williams, a respected military leader, but also a man who was leading the life of a predatory criminal,” says Boyd. “The story that deserved more coverage was the Tory government’s crime bills, none of them supported by any credible evidence. The most egregious bill is S-10, an initiative that will imprison for a minimum six months any Canadian who grows six marijuana plants or more.” Boyd adds he’s mystified by the lack of mainstream opposition to this legal extremism, even though the most Canadians support regulating adult use of cannabis.
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE69K4RN20101021
Neil Boyd, 778.782.3324, 604.947.9569 (h), nboyd@sfu.ca
Gary Mauser, an SFU business professor emeritus, is an expert on political marketing and a long-time opponent of Canada’s gun registry program. Mauser was ready to fire comments to the media this fall when Canada’s MPs preserved the controversial program in a dramatic showdown in the House of Commons. Mauser ranks the story as having the highest media profile in his research area. “Gun control remains a hearty perennial among the divisive issues,” says Mauser. “It certainly touches hot nerves among women, men, western Canadians, central Canadians, and proves that minority governments can’t make tough decisions.” Mauser laments that the political success of a powerful interest group, the Canadian Chiefs of Police, didn’t get more media profile. “Canadian police are no longer content with coyly influencing policy in the political backrooms,” explains Mauser. “They are now publicly flexing their muscles in support of somewhat surprising political parties.”
Star article on gun registry, http://i.sfu.ca/oyqPxw
Gary Mauser, 604.937.5292, mauser@sfu.ca
1) Given your field of expertise, what was the most high-profile news story this year?
2) What story do you think was worthy of more media coverage than it received?
Andre Gerolymatos is an SFU expert on international security and Hellenic studies. In June, he offered his thought on a Rolling Stone Magazine article in which the commander of the United States’ allied mission in Afghanistan criticized the Obama administration’s stalemate in that country. As a result of his comments, the commander was summarily fired. Gerolymatos says: “The failure of the Obama administration to succeed in Afghanistan is, in my opinion, the highest profile media story of 2010. The story that should have got more media attention was terrorism in Sweden because it is an ominous model of what could happen here.”
Reuters’ article on Obama, http://at.sfu.ca/fPKdMq
NPR article on terrorism in Sweden, http://at.sfu.ca/iQZGIn
Andre Gerolymatos, 604.728.2712 (cell), 778.782.5597; agerolym@sfu.ca
John Clague is an SFU expert on environmental earth sciences. One of Canada’s leading authorities on earth quakes, Clague’s telephone number was among the first to be punched in by media when a 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck Haiti in January. “This earthquake,” says Clague, “highlighted the disparity between the impacts of natural disasters in rich and poor countries. It also underscored how devastating the continuing fall-out from an earthquake can be. In this case it’s Haiti’s cholera epidemic.” Clague feels the media missed the mark in not giving much profile to “the misuse of public and government relief funds by public officials in many countries that experience disasters. The Haitian situation exemplifies this. Relief does not reach people who need it.”
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE60B5IZ20100113
John Clague, (after Dec. 23, not available until Jan. 6), 778.782.4924, jclague@sfu.ca (email best)
Neil Boyd is an SFU expert on criminology. He has applied his extensive legal and psychology background to helping the media unravel the rhyme or reason behind many horrific crimes. This fall he helped media understand the ramifications of keeping the sordid acts of serial sex slayer Colonel Russell Williams’ before the public eye. “The most high profile crime news story was the arrest and conviction of Williams, a respected military leader, but also a man who was leading the life of a predatory criminal,” says Boyd. “The story that deserved more coverage was the Tory government’s crime bills, none of them supported by any credible evidence. The most egregious bill is S-10, an initiative that will imprison for a minimum six months any Canadian who grows six marijuana plants or more.” Boyd adds he’s mystified by the lack of mainstream opposition to this legal extremism, even though the most Canadians support regulating adult use of cannabis.
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE69K4RN20101021
Neil Boyd, 778.782.3324, 604.947.9569 (h), nboyd@sfu.ca
Gary Mauser, an SFU business professor emeritus, is an expert on political marketing and a long-time opponent of Canada’s gun registry program. Mauser was ready to fire comments to the media this fall when Canada’s MPs preserved the controversial program in a dramatic showdown in the House of Commons. Mauser ranks the story as having the highest media profile in his research area. “Gun control remains a hearty perennial among the divisive issues,” says Mauser. “It certainly touches hot nerves among women, men, western Canadians, central Canadians, and proves that minority governments can’t make tough decisions.” Mauser laments that the political success of a powerful interest group, the Canadian Chiefs of Police, didn’t get more media profile. “Canadian police are no longer content with coyly influencing policy in the political backrooms,” explains Mauser. “They are now publicly flexing their muscles in support of somewhat surprising political parties.”
Star article on gun registry, http://i.sfu.ca/oyqPxw
Gary Mauser, 604.937.5292, mauser@sfu.ca