Media Bias

[Zen Curmudgeon]

In his April 3 column, Richard Halleck opined, "...in the turmoil facts will be hard for us of the public to ascertain given the biases of media reporting."

At last, a comment I can agree with. A characteristic of the Schiavo case I didn't see addressed was the overwhelming pro-Schindler bias in reports and analyses. Mr. Schiavo's name was usually associated with unsubstantiated charges of abuse, neglect, greed or disloyalty. The pro-life bias of the media apparently blinded reporters to their obligation to qualify their sources.

For example, two neurologists in the Schindler camp disputed the PVS diagnosis. This was reported without mention of facts relevant to their credibility.

One of those neurologists had been fined tens of thousands of dollars by medical regulators in Florida for defrauding patients. His Nobel prize "nomination" turned out to be a letter written by a Florida state legislator, not a member of the authorized nominations group.

As for the "Mayo Clinic" physician, the Clinic itself posted a message on its Web site flatly stating that Dr. Cheshire's behavior regarding Mrs. Schiavo's situation violated standards of medical care.

Mr. Schiavo was accused of coveting funds from a malpractice settlement at the same time the Schindlers were negotiating the sale of their list of donors and offering video tapes of their brain-damaged daughter in return for $100 "donations".

Much ink and air time was spent decrying a "cruel", "painful" death, but little was spent on the available evidence to the contrary, including statements from conscious patients who chose to remove their own feeding tubes and actually experienced the same death process as Mrs. Schiavo.

When extreme positions are put forward, by Christians such as Randle Terry and Tom DeLay, demanding unlimited commitment to life at any cost, I expect responsible media to ask about those costs, particularly in light of the current move in Washington to slice $20 billion from Medicaid funds.

When the President, a man whose resume includes authorizing more executions than any other living American, criticizes a lawful private decision, I'd like to hear questions about the meaning of "culture of life".

And when right-to-life proponents get so far down the road that threats of assassination against government officials seem to be a good idea, I wonder at a media that ignores domestic terrorism.

Halleck is correct - media bias does obscure facts.

Take Care -

ZC

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Schiavo is a sparkling example of media run wild . . the Schindlers fed it, out of greed, and really stupidity . . I firmly believe, after reading the court records, and Terri's whole history, that the Schindlers fed this whole opera to the Public, via the Right Leaning Media, Fox News in particular, and are counting on a windfall somewhere down the road . . Dunno how, but my take on the whole mess, is that Terri was more of a pawn than a disabled child. In one case Mr. Schindler stated that they'd keep Terri alive even if they had to amputate all her limbs (Newsweek Magazine) . . Why?

And even most of the media credit the Schindlers with almost all of the information put out to the public.

But how many times have you seen or heard the fact that as a Junior in High School Terri weighed 255 pounds, and when she graduated, she weighed 110 pounds . . she was Bulemic before Michael ever met her . . . The Schindlers knew . . but they aren't talking are they?

And when Terri was trying to concieve, did she tell her Doctors? Nope! In spite of all the Abuse rumors, Terri Schiavo brought her collapse and heart Failure upon herself, by failing to get help! And that is why there was a settlement rather than a court award . . Had Michael pressed for a court decision, he could have easily lost . . More Newsweek . . . . . . But nowhere could the whole story be found in an objective form.

I quote Newsweek, because, this was printed this week, and there has to be fact to back up the printing . . the Schindlers are just waiting to sue some one. After all, they've spent more time in court than most of the Supremes in the last 16 years! They're almost at home there!

But, back to the main topic, as Willie Brown said, the main Ingredient of the Schiavo case was the media and the politicians!