Psyche, Science, and Society

Inducing press to check Iraqi mortality

December 11th, 2006

I posted the following on the Media Lens Message Board:

It occurs to me that Media Lens might be the perfect forum to induce/pressure some reputable reporter to do what Roberts suggests and go to several Iraqi graveyards to ask if the majority of deaths are violent (as predicted by Lancet) or nonviolent (as predicted by IBC, MoH, Pedersen, etc.), or something in between. Roberts has stated from the beginning that, unlike other controversial studies, theirs CAN be tested by the press. Perhaps one of those press organizations, like Reuters, BBC, that still has a bunch of Iraqi stringers who can move around. To get a basic sense, I would think that 4-6 graveyards should give a general picture. We could then move beyond debate about methodology, which does not seem to be converging upon agreement.

Any way to induce someone to do this?

Entry Filed under: Iraq, Media, Middle East, Mortality, Public Health, Research Methods, Social Issues, War and Peace