SUBJECT: JFORUM UFO POLL ON COMPUSERVE FILE: UFO2357
Its time once again for my annual JFORUM UFO Poll.
1: Do you, as a journalism professional, feel that the subject of UFOs is one
that should be taken seriously by the media? Or do you think it has already
gotten too much press?
2: What seems to be the policy on UFO stories at your house? Does your editor
avoid the "in-depth" UFO article, favoring instead the human interest angle
("See the Funny Guy who Wants to Build a UFO Landing Pad")? Do you avoid the
subject entirely? Or do you go with whatever stories come across?
3: How do you view the current crop of UFO Abduction tales, such as
"Communion" and "Intruders"? How about the Government Documents/Cover-up Angle
(last year's MJ-12 debacle, for instance)? The latest sighting flaps,
involving a large boomerang-shaped object over several areas of the country
(Hudson Valley; Wytheville, VA; Pittsburgh; Texarkana)?
4: How can Ufologists upgrade their credibility with reporters? How can we
increase the "palatability" of the subject, if at all?
5: What would it take to convince your house to run an in-depth,
Watergate-style, "XYZ News has learned..." story on the UFO problem? What sort
of solid leads would you require?
I appreciate your consideration of these issues, and I promise not to bother
you for another year.
Jim Speiser
* Reply: 37047
#: 37047 S5/Commentary
26-Feb-88 16:11:25
Sb: #37040-#UFO Poll
Fm: David Cohen 76657,103
To: Jim Speiser 72135,424 (X)
Jim:
Without responding to your survey question by question, I think we do UFO stoi
stories (that is) in batches, like when there are a large number of sightings
or something that makes a new sighting something different from previous ones.
I do feel that the credibility of UFO experts would be greater if just once we
found one real, up close and personal and it could be shown that it wasn't an
aberration.
While not trying to sound like I'm off kilter, I believe deep down somewhere
that out there are other beings wwith the intellect and abilities as we have.
David
* Reply: 37055
#: 37055 S5/Commentary
26-Feb-88 19:45:15
Sb: #37047-#UFO Poll
Fm: Jim Speiser 72135,424
To: David Cohen 76657,103 (X)
David:
Thanks for you considered reply (and I recall your reply last year was also
valuable).
As to finding one up close and personal, that sure would be the end of the
line, wouldn't it? The story would write itself, your job would be done, and
so would mine, and we could all prepare for the fallout. But obviously it
isn't that easy. My question is, does the fact that its not that easy preclude
any possibility of it being true, or even worthy of investigation? Did
Wood/Stein have the Watergate Tapes in their possession when they started
following up on the burglary?
My point is this: We DON'T have what you're looking for -- the ultimate UFO
photo (unless this Pensacola case turns out to be genuine, which I doubt)
complete with windows and waving aliens. We DO have some genuine evidence that
rather strongly argues for our contention that SOMETHING quite bizarre is
going on. At what point do you fellows say, "Wait a minute, it may not look
like an alien spacecraft, but then again it doesn't look like anything of ours
either"?
"While not trying to sound off kilter"...now what force in our society made
you feel obligated to preface with that disclaimer? Could that same, rather
subliminal force be at work in the minds of journalists faced with the
prospect of covering another UFO story?
Jim
* Reply: 37068
#: 37068 S5/Commentary
27-Feb-88 06:39:58
Sb: #37055-#UFO Poll
Fm: David Cohen 76657,103
To: Jim Speiser 72135,424 (X)
Jim:
Sure I'm looking for the easy way out. But geneal acceptance of UFO phenonema
will be harder than Watergate without something of substance.
David
* Reply: 37094
#: 37094 S5/Commentary
28-Feb-88 00:28:45
Sb: #37068-#UFO Poll
Fm: Jim Speiser 72135,424
To: David Cohen 76657,103 (X)
<Sigh> I hear ya, David, and I guess I can't really blame you, especially
since you took the trouble to respond. I think the fact that you were the only
one to reply in public is also symptomatic of the media's generally sneering
attitude towards the subject.
Jim
* Reply: 37166
#: 37166 S5/Commentary
29-Feb-88 07:13:42
Sb: #37094-#UFO Poll
Fm: David Cohen 76657,103
To: Jim Speiser 72135,424 (X)
Jim:
I think there's a burnout problem. Without something of substance, we've heard
it all before, and its just rumor, speculation, or illusion.
David
* Reply: 37209
#: 37209 S5/Commentary
01-Mar-88 01:24:40
Sb: #37166-#UFO Poll
Fm: Jim Speiser 72135,424
To: David Cohen 76657,103 (X)
I understand completely, David, and I wouldn't expect journalists to keep
covering the same tired wolf-cries for forty years. But I believe there are
some things happening in the field right now which HAVEN'T happened before,
and I'm not speaking of this abduction hysteria, either. Its these boomerang
things. Right now, we are experiencing a wave of sightings in which people
report LARGE, we're talking LARGE, V- or boomerang-shaped craft in the night
skies. So what's different, besides the size and shape? Plenty. For one thing,
where in the olden days you would have maybe two or three witnesses to a
sighting, now there are dozens and sometimes hundreds at a time. For another,
the witness demographics are trending away from the rubes and more towards the
sophisticated professionals -- lawyers, teachers, accountants, electronics
company vice-presidents, and yes, radio and newspaper reporters and editors.
And, in the case of the Hudson Valley Object, we have definite, clear proof of
its existence, in the form of a videotape. Now, before Dave Browde jumps all
over me, I should tell you that the tape has recently been examined by JPL
Director Lew Allen who confirms that it is a solid object and not a flight of
planes, as was thought by some critics. (Allen's letter to this effect is on
file here at ParaNet). Before I bore you further, please tell me, are we
getting close to what you would call "substantive?"
Jim
* Reply: 37212
#: 37212 S5/Commentary
01-Mar-88 05:05:39
Sb: #37209-UFO Poll
Fm: David Cohen 76657,103
To: Jim Speiser 72135,424
Jim:
Its getting closer. But lets compare it to a family driving from Boston to Los
Angeles. The car is now passing thru Hartford. Yes, you're closer, but you
still have a long drive ahead.
David
Function:
#: 391510 S0/Outbox File
2-Mar-88 13:10:00
Sb: UFO Poll
Fm: JFORUM RE37212
To: David Cohen 76657,103
Hmmmm...OK, thank you. Do the rest of you agree with that assessment?
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