Sophisticated Misinformation

The very wealthy who shoot birds and animals for sport have access to an astonishingly sophisticated public relations backup to manipulate public opinion. In the aftermath of the recent publicity around trophy hunting with big game in Africa and in anticipation of the beginning of the grouse shooting season in Britain next week, special efforts have been made to spread misinformation and muddy the waters of any discussion. Extremely dodgy press releases have been sent to newspapers and other media and some have printed them with little critical examination.

This is documented in the linked article in The Guardian reporting articles in the Telegraph.

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/aug/05/is-rspb-blame-loss-englands-rare-hen-harriers

There has also today been an article in The Times (paywall).

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/environment/wildlife/article4517634.ece

All is designed to put the RSPB on the defensive, trying to get the shooters' message out first. There's no doubt these people are conducting what they see as propaganda warfare and they are well armed with the finance to do so.

I have reservations about some aspects of the RSPB but there's no doubt the cowardly and unprincipled behaviour of the shooting industry puts its members beyond the pale. Driven grouse shooting cannot be called a sport.

The Guardian article should be read in full including the comments below.

And we must remind ourselves constantly that everything can be bought and sold these days including public opinion.