Page "Kyra Phillips" Paragraph 11

On a CNN segment aired on April 21, 2005, one of her guests claimed that research showed that it was " a proven fact " that " children in same-sex couple homes are 11 times more likely to be abused sexually.

" In an article explaining how dubious and misleading statistics enter the national discourse with little notice, the Wall Street Journal columnist, Carl Bialik, later determined the figure to have been derived from research published in Psychological Reports by Dr. Paul Cameron.

Cameron's research has been criticized by other scientists for statistical flaws as well as for being both a researcher and an advocate for anti-gay agendas.

Phillips called it a " bold statement " and gave the other guest with an opposing view an immediate opportunity to respond to the assertion.

Kelly McBride, ethics group leader at the Poynter Institute, criticized Phillips for failing to challenge the statement, and said it is the responsibility of the anchor to ask pointed questions when such numbers are stated as fact.

" This is one of the faults of live TV ," McBride said.

" It is the anchor ’ s job to push back.

You have to have the skills to question.

The idea is not to say ' yes, this is right ,' or ' no, this is wrong ,' but to give the audience some kind of context of where the research comes from.