Ethics

His Own Best Student

by Sheldon Rampton — February 1, 2003 - 12:00am

For three years, John R. Lott Jr., the controversial American Enterprise Institute scholar and author of "More Guns, Less Crime," has used the pseudonym of "Mary Rosh" to post defenses of himself on the Internet. "Rosh" described Lott as a meticulous, non-ideological researcher, and even claimed to be one of his former students. "I have to say that he was the best professor I ever had," Rosh gushed in one Internet posting.

Main Source: 
Washington Post, February 1, 2003

Trust Us, We're Corporations

by Sheldon Rampton — January 28, 2003 - 12:00am

Integrity and good behavior based on "principles" are more important than rules of corporate governance, according to Peter Brabeck-Letmathe, the chief executive of Swiss-based foods giant Nestle (which recently demonstrated its commitment to "principles" by attempting to sue the famine-stricken nation of Ethiopia).

Main Source: 
International Herald Tribune, January 28, 2003

Nice Work if You Can Get It

by Sheldon Rampton — January 27, 2003 - 12:00am

The Holmes Report, a PR industry trade newsletter, has published the results of its survey on the "best PR firms to work for." Winners included:

Some Folks Might Say That's an Insult

by Sheldon Rampton — January 19, 2003 - 12:00am

Howard Kurtz reports that the New York Times has spiked a "My Job" column by Jeff Barge, a Manhattan public relations executive who described planting stories in major newspapers and blasted the PR industry as "a deceptive business" in which newspapers are fed "quotes that are just plain fabricated by the PR people." According to Times editor Judith Dobrzynski, Barge's piece was "too self-promotional." (The mention of Barge appears in the bottom half of Kurtz's column, under the subhead, "Unfit to Print.")

Main Source: 
Washington Post, January 19, 2003

Astroturf Ethics

by Sheldon Rampton — January 18, 2003 - 12:00am

After a recent article in the British Medical Journal detailed drug company sponsorship of medical meetings on "female sexual dysfunction," a PR firm with clients in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry has launched a global campaign to "counter" the BMJ report. Michelle Lerner of the HCC De Facto PR firm said it would "violate ethical guidelines" to disclose the identity of her client.

Main Source: 
British Medical Journal, January 18, 2003

Spin Doctors Prescribe the Wrong Medicine

by Sheldon Rampton — January 18, 2003 - 12:00am

"It's no easy job to save market share for expensive antihypertensive drugs when headlines read 'When Cheaper Is Also Better,'" writes Jeanne Lenzer. A major new study shows that the expensive drugs used to treat hypertension "were no better than a diuretic.

Main Source: 
British Medical Journal, January 18, 2003

Push Polling for Nuclear Power

by Sheldon Rampton — January 17, 2003 - 12:00am

Entergy Nuclear Vermont Yankee (ENVY), which owns a nuclear power plant near Brattleboro, VT, has been conducting an opinion poll using leading questions designed to influence public opinion, not measure it. "They were trying to sneak in some propaganda disguised as an objective poll," said one local resident after being called. "They claimed they didn't know who was paying for the poll." ENVY has been fighting to keep the plant open as town meetings convene to discuss its fate.

Main Source: 
Brattleboro Reformer, January 17, 2003

TV's Yellow Journalism: Hyping War to Boost Ratings

by John Stauber — January 15, 2003 - 12:00am

"As the military buildup continues in the Persian Gulf,
another conflict is brewing at home, among MSNBC, CNN and
the Fox News Channel. ... Recalling how CNN made its name during the gulf war, each channel is trying to distinguish itself and outdo its rivals. ... As a result, the reports are taking on a hypercharged tone as the cable networks try to persuade viewers ahead of time that they are the ones to watch should war break out. ... The networks now generally use a 'whooshing' sound to precede an on-screen headline.

Main Source: 
New York Times, January 15, 2003

The CIA and the New York Times

by Sheldon Rampton — January 14, 2003 - 12:00am

"What would Americans think if they knew that their best newspaper, The New York Times, had allowed one of its national-security reporters to negotiate a book deal that needed the approval of the CIA?" writes Allan Wolper. "What would they say if they knew the CIA was editing the book while the country is days or weeks away from a war with Iraq and is counting on the Times to monitor the intelligence agency?"

Main Source: 
Editor and Publisher, January 14, 2003

"Detroit Project" Won't Play in Detroit

by Sheldon Rampton — January 10, 2003 - 12:00am

Detroit TV stations are refusing to broadcast the Detroit Project's TV ads linking terrorism to gas-guzzing SUVs, and industry-funded think tanks like the Competitive Enterprise Institute have jumped in to attack the ads.

Main Source: 
Detroit Free Press, January 10, 2003
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