Like you and most everyone I've seen the clips of both of Michael Moore's recent appearances on CNN. First there was the original one, where he explained why Sanjay Gupta's report on his movie, Sicko, was inaccurate and had himself lively debate with Wolf Blitzer on the subject of Sicko and also the general state of the news we get from CNN and similar media. Then, of course, there was the one on one with Gupta on Larry King.
In the Blitzer segment, Moore said, of Gutpa's piece on Sicko,
"That report was so biased, I can't imagine what pharmaceutical company's ads are coming up right after our break here," Moore immediately declared. "Why don't you tell the truth to the American people? I wish that CNN and the other mainstream media would just for once tell the truth about what's going on in this country."He also went on to mention a couple of regular health features on CNN which carry heavy pharmaceutical advertising.
This is a huge issue to me. I care as much about universal health care as I do about our catastrophic foreign policy, so it was still on my mind this morning. It was still on my mind when I went to see my doctor, which I did because I'm not feeling well and being insured by my employer, I can. I hadn't been there in a few months and there, in the waiting room, was a new flat screen TV. It, as well as the material broadcast on it, was provided compliments of AccentHealth, a product of CNN/Time Warner. It's one of those private networks that target captive audiences. It was pretty good really. Quick, informative, although not earthshaking, segments on health, just long enough to catch one or two before being called into see the doctor. And there was Sanjay Gupta, hosting along with pretty lady, Robin Meade.
Doctors don't have to pay for any of this. Long, frequent commercials for various drugs provide the profit. It's not inherently evil. The pieces I saw didn't promote the advertised products. In fact, the two I was there for advised on how to try to address certain medical issues without using drugs at all. There'd be nothing wrong with this in a capitalist system if not for the fact that CNN is producing this product which seems to depend entirely on the pharmaceutical industry to be profitable. CNN also puports to bring us news about the contentious and currently controversial topic of reform of our health care system. A disclaimer should be required before any reporting on the topic of health care by CNN or any other entity with a vested interest in the health care industry.
A big thanks to Michael Moore for saying a lot of what needed to be said about today's news media and for saying right to one of the biggest names in cable news. We need more of the same from more people.
3 comments:
Gupta's a tool. But I'm more intrigued by your mentioning that you went to the doctor because you weren't feeling well. Did you mean...on the same day? You can do that?
Out here in Babylon by the Bay, a same day appointment is like winning the lottery. In other words, it doesn't happen to real people. Nurses and administrators screen everyone who calls to determine if what your complaint is life threatening. If not, you get an appointment one to five days in the future which guarantees that either 1) you'll be over it or 2) you're dead. Either way, they don't have to treat you.
The only way out here to get care is to game the system. Go without an appointment and sit in the lobby until they see you. Coughing a lot and making a general ruckus usually speeds things along.
Usually we get in the same day if we want to. Always if we really, really need to. That's one reason we've been going to this guy since he entered private practice. When we first met him he was a new junior guy in an extablished practice. He had an Adam's apple as prominent as Ann Coulter's I don't think his voice had fully changed. Years later we followed when he went out on his own. With all the stuff that's gone wrong in the last few years, he's become like a member of the family. He saved Mr.Yenta's life a couple of times, called in wonderful specialists as needed. Then, when we finally decided that working fulltime was no longer an option for him, Dr. B submitted a report with such detail and care that Social Security just said, in effect, "Sure, no problem. We'll start sending checks ASAP." That just doesn't happen.
I dread the day he retires. It's not about being here on Long Island. It's about this particular doctor. Although I have to say there are so many doctors per square mile that even the wait for specialists isn't all that long.
Has anyone noticed that CNN has become a gigantic Pharmaslut ?
Hypocritical as well, as they demand the persecution, demonization and continued criminalization of Cannabis (which is 100% non-lethal and virtually non-addictive), while toxic, lethal and addictive pharmaceutical poisons get promoted 24/7.
1000's of Americans are killed every year by pharmaceutical pills.... and Zoloft, Paxil & Prozac TRIPLE the risk of suicide among young people.
But the Commercial News Network LIKES it becuase they are raking in the bucks from BigPharma.
Post a Comment