Editing Committee for Skeptical Inquiry (section)

===Candle Awards===

Founded at the 1996 World Skeptics Congress in Buffalo, New York, the Council for Media Integrity gives these awards that were named in inspiration by Carl Sagan's book, ''[[The Demon-Haunted World|The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark]]''. The council is made up of scientists, media and academics, all concerned with the "balanced portrayal of science".<ref name="Nisbet 1999"/> The ''Candle in the Dark Award'' is presented to those who show "outstanding contributions to the public's understanding of science and scientific principles"<ref name="Candle awards 1997"/> and to "reward sound science television programming".<ref name="Nisbet 1999">{{cite journal|last1=Nisbet|first1=Matt|title=Candle in the Dark and Snuffed Candle Awards|journal=Skeptical Inquirer|date=1999|volume=23|issue=2|page=6}}</ref> The ''Snuffed Candle Award'' is awarded to those "for encouraging credulity, presenting pseudoscience as genuine, and contributing to the public's lack of understanding of the methods of scientific inquiry."<ref name="Candle awards 1997"/> The council urges TV "producers to label documentary-type shows depicting the paranormal as either entertainment or fiction". The council also provides the media with contact information of experts who would be willing and able to answer questions and be interviewed for paranormal topics.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Frazier|first1=Kendrick|author-link=Kendrick Frazier|title=Science Indicators 2000: Belief in the Paranormal or Pseudoscience|journal=Skeptical Inquirer|date=2001|volume=25|issue=1|page=14}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Year
! Person
! Media
|-
|rowspan=1|1997
|[[Bill Nye]] and [[Dan Aykroyd]]
|Nye received the ''Candle in the Dark Award'' for his "lively, creative... endeavor". Aykroyd "was presented in absentia the ''Snuffed Candle Award'' for hosting [[Psi Factor]] and being a "long-time promoter ... of paranormal claims" Following the awards, [[Joe Nickell]] wrote to Aykroyd asking for the research behind the "cases" presented on Psi Factor. Particularly a claim that NASA scientists were "killed while investigating a meteor crash and giant eggs were found and incubated, yielding a flea the size of a hog".<ref name="Candle awards 1997">{{cite journal|title=Nye, Aykroyd Receive Council's First Awards|journal=Skeptical Inquirer|date=1997|volume=21|issue=3|page=12}}</ref>
|-
|rowspan=1|1998
|''[[Scientific American Frontiers]]'' and [[Art Bell]]
|Hosted by [[Alan Alda]], ''SAF''<nowiki/>'s episode "Beyond Science"<ref>{{Scientific American Frontiers|8|2|Beyond Science?}}</ref> was singled out by the Council for Media Integrity for its examination of the paranormal. Art Bell was recognized by the council for "perpetuating conspiracy myths... and mystery mongering". When Bell learned of the award he replied "A mind should not be so open that the brains fall out, however it should not be so closed that whatever gray matter which does reside may not be reached. On behalf of those with the smallest remaining open aperture, I accept with honor."<ref name="Nisbet 1999"/> 
|-
|rowspan=1|2003
|Edgar Sanchez reporter for the ''[[Sacramento Bee]]'' and [[Larry King]]
|Awarded at the Albuquerque, New Mexico Conference. Sanchez received the Candle in the Dark award for his column "Scam Alert" where he has written about [[Advance-fee scam|Nigerian scams]], car-mileage fraud and phony police detectives. King received the Snuffed Candle award for "encouraging credulity, presenting pseudoscience as genuine".<ref name="Albuquerque 2003"/>
|}