MAKING OF THE COLOR OF OIL: A CONTEMPORARY PATTERN FOR UNLEASHING THE POTENTIAL OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY JOURNALISM A Thesis by RONALD EUGENE OLIGNEY Submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies of Texas A&M University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE December 2005 Major Subject: Science and Technology Journalism MAKING OF THE COLOR OF OIL: A CONTEMPORARY PATTERN FOR UNLEASHING THE POTENTIAL OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY JOURNALISM A Thesis by RONALD EUGENE OLIGNEY Submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies of Texas A&M University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE Approved by: Chair of Committee, Douglas Perret Starr Committee Members, Ed Walraven Peter Valkó Head of Department, Julia Kirk Blackwelder December 2005 Major Subject: Science and Technology Journalism iii ABSTRACT Making of The Color of Oil: A Contemporary Pattern for Unleashing the Potential of Science and Technology Journalism. (December 2005) Ronald Eugene Oligney, B.S., University of Alaska—Fairbanks Chair of Advisory Committee: Dr. Douglas Perret Starr Ideologies, intellectually and religiously driven, color both politics and economics. The relationship between government and the governed, human rights and the rule of law all are affected by such ideologies. However, unless humans are willing to change dramatically lifestyles honed in hundreds of years of historic developments, energy and energy abundance are arguably the most critical needs of modern society. In many ways energy has transcended ideology although there are still unrepentant ideologues advocating otherwise. It was this realization, augmented by a few events, that brought about the writing of The Color of Oil. The authors felt a need to combat popular errors being promulgated by the media in an area of such great importance to the entire human enterprise: Energy. A nonsensical 1999 cover story by the usually reliable Economist magazine provided the last straw. Someone had to set the record straight. But the dour-to-hostile climate that surrounded oil and energy at the turn of the century presented certain challenges to getting the work published. As it turned out, the unique qualifications of a science and technology journalist, the author of this thesis, played a key role in making the publication a reality, and then a phenomenon of sorts. In some ways, The Color of Oil suggests a meaningful new role for science and technology iv journalism and journalists in a media environment driven by movie stars and media profits. The book was produced on a short timeline and with limited resources. The book’s message has played a role in key political decisions in the United States and around the world; as a direct result of the book, the authors were invited and participated extensively in development of energy policy in Texas and at the national level. It has effected billions of dollars of commercial enterprise, providing as it did the blueprint for development of Cheniere Energy, Inc., a $2 billion Houston company that today is one of North America’s premier LNG receiving companies. And testimonies from readers of The Color of Oil suggest that the book has produced meaningful personal wealth for many of its 30,000-plus readers. v DEDICATION To my children, Kjersten, Brittany, Brooke, Kourtney, Caitlyn and Caleb, who inspire me every day, and to my beautiful bride Cheryl vi ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Right off, I’d like to acknowledge the contributions to this work and my life made by Dr. Douglas Perret Starr, my committee chair and the man that taught me to “always write for money.” Then there is my long-time professor, friend, colleague and co-author in writing The Color of Oil, Dr. Michael Economides. Somehow together these two gentlemen successfully coaxed me into the post-graduate adventure that I’m trying to wrap up now; importantly and rightfully, their main contribution was in encouraging me to write, to write well, to write often, and to write with a bit of color. I thank Dr. Peter Valkó, a member of my committee, for his friendship and the fond memories of coffee and “fat burgers” that we have shared over the past seven years. I would also thank Peter for his valiant effort to teach me some advanced math—long after most thought I had finished learning anything useful. I gratefully acknowledge the contributions made by Dr. Ed Walraven, who joined my committee very late in the process, but at a key moment when the Department of Journalism at Texas A&M was breaking up. Walraven’s contributions were nothing short of constructive and encouraging. As is usual, my wife Cheryl gets the final but not-taken-for-granted acknowledgment that goes with any major endeavor that I undertake. Without her tenderness, faithfulness and help, my life would lack a great part of the vitality and joy that I know. vii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT..................................................................................................................... iii DEDICATION .................................................................................................................. v ACKNOWLEDGMENTS................................................................................................ vi TABLE OF CONTENTS.................................................................................................vii LIST OF FIGURES.......................................................................................................... ix LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................................... x CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION: INSPIRATION .............................................................. 1 II PLACING SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY JOURNALISM IN THE BROAD HISTORICAL-PHILOSOPHICAL CONTEXT .................... 5 Enlightenment .......................................................................................... 5 Enlightenment View of Journalism.......................................................... 6 Founding Fathers Adopt Enlightenment View of Journalism.................. 8 Modernist Distortion of Journalism .........................................................10 Enter Science and Technology Journalism ..............................................14 III THE COLOR OF OIL AND ITS SUCCESS PORTEND A FRESH ROLE FOR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY JOURNALISTS..................18 Science and Technology Journalism in the Mid-1990s ...........................18 Ten Years Later........................................................................................19 Tracking the Popularity of U.S. Science and Technology Journalism.....20 A New Prescription for the Sci-Tech Journalist.......................................24 IV A LIMITED CONTENT ANALYSIS SUGGESTS THAT THE POPULIST (MODERNIST) MEDIA CAN BE SWAYED ..........................26 Introduction..............................................................................................26 Method.....................................................................................................28 viii CHAPTER Page Results and Analysis................................................................................32 Conclusion................................................................................................41 V THE POWER OF THE “COLORED” PEN TO INFLUENCE WORLD COMMERCE AND DECISION-MAKERS..................................43 VI MOTIVATION AND CONTENT FOR THE COLOR OF OIL....................51 VII HOW TO WRITE A TECHNICAL BOOK WITH WIDESPREAD POPULAR APPEAL...........................................................57 VIII WHAT TO DO WHEN THE BIG PUBLISHERS TURN YOU DOWN: BEYOND SELF-PUBLISHING............................................64 IX THE AGGRESSIVE MARKETING-MAKING OF A NONFICTION BESTSELLER......................................................................75 X CONCLUSION: “ALWAYS WRITE FOR MONEY” .................................85 REFERENCES.................................................................................................................89 APPENDIX A ENDNOTES..........................................................................................93 APPENDIX B UNIVERSITIES NOT RESPONDING TO REQUEST FOR ENROLLMENT FIGURES ..................................................................95 APPENDIX C FIND IT FAST......................................................................................96 APPENDIX D OP-ED RECORD................................................................................104 APPENDIX E REPRESENTATIVE BUSINESS PUBLICATIONS AND INVITED PRESENTATIONS................................................. 107 APPENDIX F CATALOG OF GRAPHIC AND RELATED ELEMENTS FROM THE COLOR OF OIL .............................................................109 VITA ..............................................................................................................................119 ix LIST OF FIGURES FIGURE Page 1 LexisNexis citations in major European newspapers for talking point No. 1.......................................................................................33 2 LexisNexis citations in major U.S. newspapers for talking point No. 1.......................................................................................34 3 LexisNexis citations in major European newspapers for talking point No. 2.......................................................................................35 4 LexisNexis citations in major U.S. newspapers for talking point No.