Frightened at false fire: nuclear energy, the news media and the public.

Abstract

The nuclear industry's principal concern with the news media must be to ensure that media representatives have ready and timely access to information sources. Candour, accuracy and timeliness will establish and maintain credibility and, importantly, result in better informed journalists. Response to stories/broadcasts should be limited to correction of gross errors or misrepresentations. The stylistic conventions of traditional scholarly discourse cannot be applied to the mass media. All other things being equal, general public acceptance of nuclear energy rests more on continuing safe and economic performance than anything else. Of more significance is the future--post-Darlington, in the case of Ontario. Those with input to energy policy formulation need better access to accurate information on the technical, environmental and economic advantages and limitations of nuclear energy systems. Without such information there is the danger that decisions will be made on inappropriate bases, with potentially serious long-term economic and environmental consequences.