The new ASSO media award!

[Vympel]

From MediaWatch- delightful little 30 minute Australian show that exposes media errors, conflicts of interests, plain bad journalism, kowtowing to the official line, etc.

Anxious to earn a little credit for themselves, journalists are always on the hunt for awards to win - like the new ASSO Media Award.


The Australasian Society for the Study of Obesity (ASSO) is inviting Australian journalists to submit stories to their inaugural award for excellence in obesity journalism.
- ASSO Media Release, 26 June 2003


The prize - a trip to Prague, the home town of sour cream and pork knuckle - can't be won by any old yarn about fat.


The award recognises Australian journalists who have reported on obesity issues in a way that… clearly presents obesity as a disease…
- ASSO Media Release, 26 June 2003


And why this riding instruction?


The Australasian Society for the Study of Obesity Journalism Prize 2003 is proudly sponsored by Abbott Australasia...
- ASSO Media Release, 26 June 2003


So the ASSO is yet another award for medical reporting being funded by a drug company. As Abbott spokesman Glenn Manewell told Media Watch -


The reason we are sponsoring the award is we are in the industry with our product, Reductil. Nowhere though is this product mentioned in regard to the award…we have nothing to do with the judging whatsoever.
- Manewell statement to Media Watch


ASSO executive officer Dr Tim Gill admits there'll be a dividend for Abbott...


There’s no doubt pharmaceutical companies have a vested interest in obesity as a primary area of health care investment, but this is our award…[Abbott] will get some kudos from it and when they get their chance they’ll be flogging their products.
- Dr Tim Gill statement to Media Watch


ASSO president Professor Gary Wittert also has his interests, and he's a dab hand at getting high level media attention for a fat pill he's researching.


Reporter: Australian researchers are about to test something people have dreamt of for ages: a fat busting drug that’s showing amazing results. Volunteers are needed for the international trial that aims to break the obesity epidemic.
Professor Wittert: Obesity is an enormous problem. It’s recognised by the World Health Organisation to be an epidemic.
Reporter: But that could soon change thanks to a drug that’s been 20 years in the making. It's called AOD 694*. In preliminary trials it’s been shown to speed up fat metabolism.
- Channel 7 News, 11 July 2003
- Take a look at the video »


You can understand why a man in Wittert's position and an outfit like Abbott are backing a prize to encourage journalists to report fat as disease.

But encouragement is the last thing we need. A plague of fat stories is sweeping current affairs televison.

* Channel 7 got the drug wrong, the drug is AOD 9604.