Should sage members be stopped from talking to media.

[Againstmachine]

Every week there seems to be a talking head in media from sage who seems to make doom monger predictions this week it's Prof Semple who says we will possibly need winter lockdowns.

I don't think these people are helpful and think sage members ought not to be talking to the press.

One also wonders how much they are getting paid per appearance.

I assume the government use them to leak possibilities to the press and then gauge public reaction.

Why do you think they should be silenced? Just because they're not saying what you want to hear?

We have no idea at the moment how winter will pan out. If we're lucky the vaccinations will hold and we'll be ok, but it's sensible to plan for restrictions.

I’m actually leaning to it might be more effective if certain people didn’t have access to the media….

Yes I agree OP. Too many talking heads ramping up the fear. I don’t mind so much if they are virologists or clinicians but a lot of them are behaviour scientists. I think maybe we need to hear from some economists too for balance.

I want experts and scientists to have a voice in our society. I do not want to live under an authoritarian government.

Yes, the government preventing certain groups of people from speaking to the media can only end well.

@clopper

Yes I agree OP. Too many talking heads ramping up the fear. I don’t mind so much if they are virologists or clinicians but a lot of them are behaviour scientists. I think maybe we need to hear from some economists too for balance.

Behaviour scientists are vital for a proper analysis of how disease might spread in a population...

No they shouldn’t be prevented but get a cross section

They don’t get paid at all, and nobody pays talking heads for appearances. They get their salaries from their normal jobs but Sage don’t pay, baby.
So I guess we have to assume that they’re trying to do the right thing, given how the actual government won’t.

They don’t get paid at all, and nobody pays talking heads for appearances. They get their salaries from their normal jobs but Sage don’t pay, baby.

I imagine they do get paid for being on media.

And yes scientists who work for the government should not be talking to the media.

Pillocks like Susan Michie are being a platform by virtue of being part of sage.

The media love it though.

The thing about SAGE scientists is that they have a single agenda. Stop Covid. They don't have to worry about people's jobs, or mental health, or their kids' education, or the economy.

And yes, if the sole aim is to stop people going Covid, then keeping us all locked up ad infinitum is the most effective way of doing that. They are speaking from their very narrow field of expertise only.

Meanwhile, back in the real world, the politicians and decision makers are balancing a whole host of factors to decide what to do.

Absolutely 100% not. As long as when being interviewed it is clear that they are members of SAGE.

If their advice had been followed there would have been at least six weeks less of home schooling, and at least 10,000 fewer deaths.

Its funny if I talked to press like these I would have been sacked.

@Againstmachine

Its funny if I talked to press like these I would have been sacked.

Really? On what grounds?

You have clearly never worked in a normal job if you are asking that.

@whatswithtodaytoday

Why do you think they should be silenced? Just because they're not saying what you want to hear?

We have no idea at the moment how winter will pan out. If we're lucky the vaccinations will hold and we'll be ok, but it's sensible to plan for restrictions.

Because it causes unnecessary stress and anxiety. As you said, we have no idea, so why assume the worst?

We have no idea at the moment how winter will pan out. If we're lucky the vaccinations will hold and we'll be ok, but it's sensible to plan for restrictions

Modellers with computers can't predict the weather, I find people making predictions months in advance dangerous.

Op why do you assume they don't have the government's permission?

I did a lot of radio & TV in 2020 to talk about covid control & spread. Out of maybe 30 appearances I got paid once. Bit their hand off No idea why. Was surprised at the offer (arrived after interview). I think ? it was £25 for 4 minutes of radio. Is that what you expected, OP? Plus popular articles, podcast interviews, presentations... Nobody pays us for any of it normally. Presentations at conferences we are the ones who pay to attend. Getting scientific articles published -- someone has to pay a publication fee most typically. Newspapers & print magazines will usually pay writers, I believe, though. You should presume any newspaper article you read the writer is paid, but radio/tv/news interviews etc are almost never paid.

I don't agree with some of Michie's conclusions but the limited interactions I've had with her make me think she's principled, sincere & thoughtful. The SAGE members I know well don't do any interviews because they just don't have time to maintain a media profile.

I know a lot of public health people working honorary contracts -- for free since 2020. Hats off to county council public health peeps who have worked their socks off since 2020 for no extra pay: I wince seeing their emails sent at 1am.

I imagine they do get paid for being on media.

Why do you imagine that?

It’s not the way news outlets work. I am obviously not going to make categorical statements about all scientists in all media through the pandemic, but it would be extraordinarily unusual practice - to the point that someone would have blown the whistle or leaked the info to an anti-lockdown tab by now.

I’m pretty uncomfortable about scientists only being allowed to talk if politicians give them permission. I prefer greater independence of scientists, including those working in relation to public policy, even if I don’t like or disagree with the conclusions they draw. Sunlight is a good disinfectant.

@MedSchoolRat I am INTRIGUED to know what outlet paid you! Was it classified as a disturbance fee or travel expenses or similar?

I did a lot of radio & TV in 2020 to talk about covid control & spread.

Good work! If only radio 4 I probably listened to you at some point

I don't think they should be prevented from speaking. I feel strongly they should be able to. However, it pisses me off that some of them use it as a platform to further their own agendas and profiles and by doing so are not necessarily acting in the public interest, sometimes quite the opposite.

On not only