The ABC's PM gears up for Earth Hour

I had just been to see the brilliant 'Micmacs', a witty and amusing film pointedly critical of the vermin who profit from the global arms trade, and was feeling a little less despondent about the state of the world, and a little more hopeful about the power of humanity and creativity.

Then I tuned in to PM.

How deflating.

What's this doing on one of Australia's more serious and reputable current affairs shows?:

The latest debate on climate science to emerge centres on a paper which suggests humans played no role in the recent warming trend. Instead, it says El Nino activity is to blame.

A group of climate scientists say that's false, misleading and that the data's been manipulated by climate deniers. They've now had their rebuttal published.

But the authors of the initial report say they wanted to respond, but their attempt was rejected. ...

And this?:

... EMILY BOURKE: Unlike the federal health debate earlier this week, the worm didn't make an appearance.

TORY MAGUIRE: I was on the Daily Telegraph live blog during the debate and we ran a poll at the end and it was wildly in favour of Mr O'Farrell.

EMILY BOURKE: Tory Maguire is the deputy editor of the opinion website, The Punch. She says Kristina Keneally took the curious step of defending her government without conceding to any mistakes.

TORY MAGUIRE: I think she looked like a bit of a Pollyanna, to be honest. She was actually asked by one of the journalists on the panel if she had anything to apologize for, for the Labor Government, for, you know, the last 15 year and she said, no, absolutely not.

EMILY BOURKE: Imre Salusinszky is the New South Wales political reporter for the Australian newspaper.

IMRE SALUSINSZKY: Neither of them was prepared to commit even to such obviously urgent projects as the M5 duplication or the completion of the M4 east. What that tells us is either that they don't think they're going to be able to afford it during the, the four years between 2011 and 2015. Or more likely, that in terms of big ticket promises like that, they will keep their powder dry until we are considerably closer to the election than we are now. ...

Thanks Mark!

If you find it unacceptable that your ABC continues to give air time to climate change sceptics and News Ltd.'s propagandists, then write to the ABC and let them know. Sure, they might ignore you, give you the brush off, or an unsatisfactory response.

But if there's anyone in the ABC who is arguing against the Murdoch/neoconservative/fossil fuel industry agenda, they need all the ammunition, they can get.

Also, 2010 is a federal election year.

Let your candidates know how you feel.