[meteorite-list] Fwd: Meteorite hunter takes £10,000 rock to auction - And a part

From: Peter Davidson <P.Davidson_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Mon, 26 Aug 2013 11:37:59 +0000
Message-ID: <576F2B74A34E584AA173B40D1A8914C336B93991_at_NMSMAIL01.nms2k.int>

Dear Anne, Rob and Listees

I have come to know Rob over the last few years (he could almost be described as a neighbour) and I was convinced when I read the newspaper articles about the forthcoming auction that they were misrepresenting what Rob actually said and what he intended to convey in the interview. Having experienced a similar thing recently myself (not meteorite-related) I can fully appreciate his anger and frustration. I attended a course run on behalf of the museum by a former television and newspaper journalist on the pitfalls and dangers associated with press interviews. I have to say I was a very illuminating day. Not just hearing from this very experienced reporter, but seeing actual examples of TV interviews where things went badly wrong and the how the words actually said on screen were creatively edited to achieve maximum embarrassment for the interviewee. What Rob says, or alludes to, about reporters/journalists is true in that they basically have very limited knowledge of the subject they write about, but are stil
l required to file a story that will grab people's attention by distorting the facts and misrepresenting the interviewee. The old journalistic saying about "never letting the facts get in the way of a good story" has more than a hint of the truth about it. Rob is an experienced and knowledgeable meteorite collector/dealer and I know he would have all the necessary paperwork and permissions.

Anne, The Guardian newspaper is one of the few UK newspapers I actually read. It consistently and (usually) accurately reports the news and it is fearless in tacking our increasingly right-wing government and its very obvious shortcomings. I am certain this is just a blip and I would urge all list members (around the World) to read, or refer to The Guardian (and its sister Sunday paper the Observer) when they want to find out anything about the UK political scene that is not tainted by the right-wing bias of most of the UK press.

Kindest Regards

Peter Davidson
Curator of Minerals

National Museums Collection Centre
242 West Granton Road
Edinburgh
EH5 1JA
00 44 131 247 4283
p.davidson at nms.ac.uk


-----Original Message-----
From: meteorite-list-bounces at meteoritecentral.com [mailto:meteorite-list-bounces at meteoritecentral.com] On Behalf Of Anne Black
Sent: 19 August 2013 22:01
To: meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com
Subject: [meteorite-list] Fwd: Meteorite hunter takes ?10,000 rock to auction - And a part

On behalf of Rob Elliott:

And Thank you Rob, it is good to hear from you.


Anne M. Black
www.IMPACTIKA.com
IMPACTIKA at aol.com


-----Original Message-----
From: FERNLEA4 <FERNLEA4 at aol.com>
To: impactika <impactika at aol.com>
Sent: Mon, Aug 19, 2013 2:54 pm
Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Meteorite hunter takes ?10,000 rock to auction - And a part

<< will contact the Guardian, the Auction House and Rob Elliott and explain to them how wrong they are. >>?
?
Hi Anne.
?
Hope all is well with you.
Don't worry, I'm not that naive!! :-)?I may no longer be one of the major meteorite dealers, but I'm still as involved with the meteorite world as I ever was. I haven't posted to the List in perhaps 10 years, yet I still lurk.
?
To explain.......
In my case, press releases are written by a third party, usually with little or no knowledge of meteorites, but with a whole bunch of enthusiasm. Perhaps a little knowledge can be a dangerous thing. I rarely get to read and approve them, sadly.
The press releases are then sent to newspapers, radio, tv, etc. and more often than not, sensationalised before going to press. Depending on the publication, accuracy isn't always a priority.
?
Another publication or a press agency may take part of that printed article, add their own "flavour" to it, possibly call me for a quote (not always), and then print it. And so it goes on.....it can end up being a game of Chinese Whispers, where the finished article bears little resemblence to the original release or quotes given. I don't even remember speaking with The Guardian, so I'm pretty sure the journalist took third, fourth or even fifth-hand information, and did his best.
There have been some excellent articles about my auction, and some poorly written articles with a whole bunch or errors and paragraphs simply made-up.
?
Regarding the "smuggling" rubbish, I was horrified to read that. I remember saying something along the lines of how the Russian Government,?had quickly clamped down on all of those in and around Chelyabinsk, who were selling fake meteorites within hours of the fall, even bits of mud and earth from the town, and claiming some sort of weird meteorite significance, just for a bit of profit.
I received many pieces of Chelyabinsk from Russia, all with the hefty UK import duty and value added tax charges paid in full, and with the paperwork to prove it.
?

I've been collecting meteorites for 20 years and I learned how the media works long ago. It's not something to take on lightly, especially if it goes national or world-wide. Sadly, some journalists don't let the facts get in the way of a good story!!
?
If you could post this to the List on my behalf, I'd be very grateful.
?
Cheers,
Rob.

Rob Elliott
www.meteorites.uk.com
Fernlea Meteorites,
The Wynd,
Off Dickson Lane,
Milton of Balgonie,
Fife. KY7 6PY
United Kingdom
Telephone: 01592-751563
Mobile: 07880-888660
International Tel: +44-1592-751563
Email: fernlea4 at aol.com
Laptop #1


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Received on Mon 26 Aug 2013 07:37:59 AM PDT