SETI "RIO SCALE" to be introduced to eliminate sensationalism in the media re: sloppy reporting of Alien signal detection.

(Karl G.  Jansky Very Large Array, Socorro County, US.  Image from the public domain)  

As discussed in Overzealous Astronomers, rushed press releases: ET signals and Overzealous Astronomers, rushed press releases: ET signals. (update 1), the rushed and in most cases over confidence of what might be an Extraterrestrial signal discovery, which when analyzed carefully soon thereafter, in a most cases checked against already obvious hallmarks - turns out to be natural phenomena.  Is not only the current faulting aspect of physics and science, in a quest for a quick acknowledgment of either a new research paper and/or a rushed article for news networks. As this will eventually reduce the empirical, in replace of speculation for the sake of a hurried paper or sloppy news article.

Thankfully, SETI, who have a vast knowledge within their own process in discerning as far as eliminating the natural from the unnatural in the search (or awaiting) for Extraterrestrial Intelligence  signals.  Have devised a process to rate a possible 'contact' from advanced alien life forms in a form of a scale: 

From Scientific American:

The new study builds on a similar effort, called the Rio Scale, which was developed in 2000 and was presented at the 51st International Astronautical Congress held in Rio de Janeiro the next year. But since the original scale was developed, SETI scientists have decided that the evaluation needed some updating, particularly given the breakneck pace of online media.

The new version of the scale creates the same output: a score ranging from 0 to 10 meant to convey the importance of a signal detection, with 0 representing a detection of no importance and 10 indicating one of extraordinary importance...

and

"...The co-authors of the new research, who include some of the same people behind the 2001 scale, hope that reviving the scale will help the public and the media evaluate the importance of a signal—sort of like the alien equivalent of the Richter scale, co-author Jill Tarter, a SETI researcher based at the SETI In: stitute, said in the statement.

“The SETI community is attempting to create a scale that can accompany reports of any claims of the detection of extraterrestrial intelligence and be refined over time as more data become available,” Tarter said. “This scale should convey both the significance and credibility of the claimed detection.”