You've heard of junk science--a term coined by corporations to describe research they don’t like--but the real danger to public health might be called "checkbook science": research intended not to expand knowledge or to benefit humanity, but instead to sell products. Every day it seems there’s a story touting a "promising" new medical product or treatment. Unfortunately, many of those news stories are based on public relations spin machines going into overdrive on behalf of the company that sells the product--whether it’s a pharmaceutical company, a chain of diet clinics or a plastic surgery practice selling a new technique. Do [...]
Search Results for: Diana Zuckerman
Dec
01
1997
Announcing the P.U.-litzer Prizes for 1997
The P.U.-litzer Prizes recognize some of America's smelliest media achievements. Although journalists do not covet these annual awards, the competition remains fierce. Each year, I sift through hundreds of entries with my colleague Jeff Cohen, who heads the media watch group FAIR. In 1997, many news professionals were deserving, but only an elite few walked off with a P.U.-litzer: VULGAR EXCESS PRIZE -- Columnist Frank J. Prial In his "Wine Talk" column published by The New York Times, Prial declared: "The $100-a-bottle wine, once an example of vulgar excess, is now an everyday occurrence." Everyday occurrence for whom? Three days [...]
Nov
01
1997
Visible and Invisible Caregivers
Why Princess Diana was
Reporters who covered the funeral of Britain's Princess Diana were mystified by the mourners (e.g., New York Times, 9/7/97). "Why are you here?" one journalist after another asked the people adding bouquets to the mountainous flower pile outside the palace gates. Sikhs and Rastafarians, Londoners and tourists, women and men, gay and straight, responded in a similar way. The mantra became familiar: "We're here because Diana was the only one we ever saw who cared." Now perhaps that wasn't the only reason why the mourners massed in Kensington. Plenty has been said about the princess' sex and class appeal. Fed [...]
