The current issue of Newsweek magazine includes a less-than-flattering cover photo of Oprah Winfrey with the headline: Crazy Talk: Oprah, Wacky Cures & You.
This well-written piece zeros in on the controversial advice offered on Oprah's show in the past, including by
Suzanne Somers (hormone replacement), and Jenny McCarthy (autism).
Oprah does many things well, which the Newsweek piece also highlights. But this week's article represents bold coverage that some believe was long overdue. I believe that when it comes to special needs coverage in the media, including on Oprah, the coverage could and should be more balanced, more thorough and more inclusive of many disabilities, and presented by an array of experienced, knowledgeable voices and activists, not just Hollywood celebrities.
I hope the resulting discussion from this article results in broader, increasingly well-balanced coverage about important topics in the future, and not only on Oprah. In our celebrity obsessed, quick-fix-society, it's a valuable lesson for the general media as well.
You can read the article here.
'Cemetery Blooms' Judy Winter 2009
2 comments:
Most of all, the coverage should be based on SOUND SCIENCE, so people don't get duped. "Activists" are usually not known for sticking to scientific principles all too often... present company possibly excluded.
And sound science sometimes forgets to include or incorporate the human voice, so there is room for both important and valuable perspectives to be included so we get the full picture of coverage on a topic. Too rarely done.
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