If it's in the media, it's wrong. . .

[K Walt]

I've always been a tad skeptical about what I read in the papers. But this whole 'Atkins died obese' thing has knocked my opinion down SEVERAL notches.

Just for the heck of it, I went to news.google.com, under the 'health' category and scanned what has been written worldwide about this thing. It is a hilarious -- but scary -- commentary on how reporters screw up, distort, misunderstand, exaggerate, and bollix up stories.

A few sample headlines. . .

Diet guru Atkins died of obesity
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/490080.cms
(dumb)

Obese diet expert Atkins had long history of heart attacks
http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/front/2004/0211/4111518664HM1OCLERY.html
(this dolt writes Atkins weighed 258 lbs when he fell)

After a life of dieting, Dr Atkins died at 18st 6lb
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-997047,00.html
(misquotes, mis-everything)


Atkins a victim of his own diet
http://us.rediff.com/news/2004/feb/10atkins.htm
(India again.)


Diet guru big fat liar
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/02/11/1076388442721.html


on and on.

[tamarian]

Yes, I stopped counting after 200 or so similar headline.

Wa'il

[FromVA]

I hope they do a poll on the most "mistrusted..." again soon. Used-car salesmen, politicians and realtors will be far behind the "professional news media" when they poll me. As a matter of fact, these "newsmakers" will be at the top of the heap. Probably my first, second and third choice.


Excuse me...the cruel and excessive bashing of Dr. Atkins over the past two days has made me extremely crabby.

[adkpam]

I feel crabby too. Our local news ran the story "he died obese" over file footage of Dr. Atkins shortly before his accident...and he looked well and rather trim for a 72 year old!

[cls923]

Its just another case of B.S. that sells in our country..It made me mad to read it. They (the media) really push the boundries of the law to the full extent!! They think that if they shock the public...everyone will want to listen to what they have to say. Its about money and ratings!!

I'm glad I don't have that kind of job...the one where you have to look into the mirror every day and see what you really all about..

[VALEWIS]

"Its just another case of B.S. that sells in our country.."

Yes, in ours too, including our country's leaders buying the WMD argument..

And the powers that control the sugar, wheat, corn etc. industries/lobbies are probably most happy to see what PETA is doing..and the continual stuff ups in reporting by the media.

Makes one feel like a small pawn doesn't it. All the more reason to stick to our own choices and keep reading the research with an open mind..

Val

[nittany]

I get just as frustrated with the media as anyone, but as a journalism major I feel compelled to point out that every single one of those links was from outside the United States.

Two are from India, where cows are sacred. Two are from the UK who are still recovering from their own mad cow problems and have misguided food issues anyway (they fear "frankenfood" yet eat blood pudding??), and one is from Australia.

I have not been following this story as closely as perhaps I should be, but I would be willing to bet anything that the majority of truly balanced reporting on this subject comes from the US. The media overseas operate much differently than here; building opinion into the editorial content is how the game is played, because doing so will reach targeted audiences in societies far more polarized politically and culturally.

It is disingenuous to lump the US media together with overseas media. They're just not the same.

Journalists, for the most part, do try to cover events objectively. But once the story leaves their hands, there's nothing they can do if an editor is under orders not to piss off some advertiser or other. Journalists also do not generally write their own headlines. If you check that Australian article, for example, you will see that while the story is pretty slanted, it is also nowhere near as hostile as that shameful headline.

I would also point out that if it wasn't for the New York Times, Dr. Atkins might not have gotten any favorable mainstream press coverage at all. Thanks to the US media, I can now buy Atkins products at the grocery store, get bun-free Whoppers at Burger King, purchase Dr. Atkins' book at Wal-Mart for under $5, and choose the low-carb version of some menu items at the diner I frequent.

[VALEWIS]

The article in this morning's Sydney Morning Herald about the whole fiasco was actually quite good...they just omitted to look into who the PETA front doctors were...I wrote to them to let them know this.

Most news of this nature comes out from the US and is a day late by the time it gets in our media here....I did see a report on commercial TV re the Atkins thinglast night and was surprised that it too was pretty accurate (mentioned what Widow Atkins said).

Val

[Angeline]

(they fear "frankenfood" yet eat blood pudding??)

I know this is totally irrelevant, but frankenfood and blood pudding are totally different beasts. One is an artificial creation that is most always harmful on some level or other, while the other is very healthy and much prized in many cultures.

Not that I like blood pudding, I can't stand the sight or smell of it ... but I know it's good fer ya :)

[EvelynS]

Two are from the UK who ...... have misguided food issues anyway (they fear "frankenfood" yet eat blood pudding??),

.

The UK press are also behind in responding to US news. Today, the BBC briefly gave the crux of Veronica Atkins message and a link to her statement on the Atkins website. But the overall gist of it was negative.


Frankenfood is food with genetically modified ingredients. Blood pudding is a nutritious, delicious, environmentally-sound traditional food. Not misguided in my view.

[FromVA]

nittany...I hate to tell you this, but my post really referred to the US media, where I have been following the news. Like...NBC, MSNBC, CNN, Fox News. And, of course, you have your major papers, like the Wall Street Journal and USA Today as well. Can't blame all this on the foreign press and you can't blame it on "headline writers". Most of the really outrageous stuff I heard, I really did "hear"...not read.

[VALEWIS]

And what is referred to as 'frankenfood' does not necessarily only mean genetically modified bits, but is a more general term, referring to products that are artificially created, usually to imitate some sweet or very carby item that we should be trying to
get out of the habit of eating...like protein bars and chips etc. However, many folks here like these and succeed at losing while consuming them...YMMV.

[mmackey]

I wondered about this when I heard it too! How wierd to think lies can be spread so easily about anyone. I am amazed at how many people will say: "oh, you're on the atkin's diet?" Well, you lose weight but you can;t live like that." I say: "why not?" I am eating more vegetables than I was before. I don't substitute with breads and starches. I am drinking more water and between the broccoli and cheese, I am surely getting more calcium. I feel great!

[cls923]

right on, mmackey...I totally agree!!