Ethics in Journalism – Statistics and Numbers

This is Part 2 in a Multi-Part Series Examining Journalistic Ethics.

ALLIANCE – More than once the words have been spoken “anyone can make statistics say what they want them to say.” The same can also be said about other facts a journalist wishes to manipulate.

Statistical studies, if performed properly produce accurate results whether or not the reporter likes or agrees with the results. Performing statistical studies involves much more than simply taking a survey and averaging the numbers. True statistical models use a variety of studies to show their accuracy or lack thereof.

When performing a proper study, a 0.1% variation in the bell curve of the study indicates the study was inconclusive. If a reporter ignores the results of these statistical models and prints what they want the results to be, it is no different than if a reporter simply made up facts rather than actually collecting anything reliable.

“Math Tools for Journalists” professional/professor version by Kathleen Woodruff Wickham states, “Having a basic understanding of statistics and the role played by the manipulation of numbers is an important element in a journalist’s toolbox.”

Not having an understanding of the analysis process can cause a journalist to use statistics that are wrong or even intentionally manipulated. When this happens, the journalist is using false information. Perhaps this is due to a lack of the understanding of numbers; perhaps it is because the journalist wishes to urge readers into the journalist’s point of view.

“Journalists are frequently asked to evaluate surveys and studies,” Math Tools for Journalists explains. “Unless they know how the numbers were used, they cannot report accurately on the results.”

One example, also used in a previous article concerning journalistic ethics, is the use of statistics from a movie’s website by an Alliance Times-Herald journalist in Alliance, Neb. in an article entitled “Climate Change: It’s Time to Take it Seriously.”

Whether or not climate change is true or false, this article examines the use of statistics and does not debate the validity of the climate change issue. The focus here is the proper use of statistics and percentages.

The Alliance Times-Herald’s reporter quoted statistics obtained from a website designed to promote a movie entitled “Before the Flood,” a film by Leonardo DiCaprio and Fischer Stevens.

On this website, the movie promo provides many numbers in the form of statistics and percentages, but the site provides no reference or data analysis used to arrive at such numbers.

The website for the movie states, “Globally, livestock farming accounts for approximately 15% of total greenhouse gas emissions and is the source of roughly 50-60% of global emissions of methane and nitrous oxide, the two key non-CO2 greenhouse gases. In the United States feeding the populace is even costlier, incurring about 20-25% of all combined national emissions.”

The movie makes these claims without providing any scientific or mathematic basis for the numbers given. Not only does the film not provide a source for these given percentages, it does not even take into account other forms of agriculture.

When plant matter is tilled back into the soil, bacteria and fungi consume the vegetable matter. This process results in the production of methane, nitrous oxide and other gasses. The movie suggests moving to the consumption of less livestock and more vegetables, but fails to provide numbers or sources of information of how this increased plant production affects the environment.

The Environmental Protection Agency states electricity production as the source of 30% of greenhouse gas emissions, transportation accounts for 26% and industry accounts for 21%, and commercial and residential account for 11%.

If one adds these percentages together, there is not enough of a percentage left to account for the claims the movie, and therefore the author of the article “Climate Change: It’s Time to Take it Seriously” make.

What makes one more reliable than the other?

The numbers “Before the Flood” provides come with no source for the information, how it was compiled and which data studies were performed to arrive at these results. The EPA on the other hand provides references, information sources and a bibliography citing how the EPA arrived at its numbers.

Remember that statistics can be manipulated to serve one’s goals,” Math Tools for Journalists explains. “Be aware of such manipulations, and report them (statistics) so the readers can make their own decisions.”