Tobacco and Poorer Nations
smartertimes.com

The Times takes its inequality campaign to the campaign for increased regulation of tobacco. From a front-page news article that runs under the headline "Tobacco Firms' Tactics Limit Poorer Nations' Smoking Laws": "tobacco opponents say the strategy is intimidating low- and middle-income countries from tackling one of the gravest health threats facing them: smoking."

What "poorer nations" is the Times talking about?

From the article:

Dr. Margaret Chan, director general of the W.H.O., said in a speech last year that legal actions against Uruguay, Norway and Australia were "deliberately designed to instill fear" in countries trying to reduce smoking.

Norway and Australia aren't exactly low-income or poor countries. The Times summons up a few others — Namibia, Gabon, Togo, and Uganda. It reports:

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Reporters Gagged
smartertimes.com

From a front-page New York Times news article about regulation of electronic cigarettes:

F.D.A. officials gave journalists an outline of the new rules on Wednesday, but required that they not talk to industry or public health groups until after Thursday's formal release of the document.

The "required" is an odd formulation. Who gave the FDA the authority to stop journalists from asking questions? Why would any journalist agree to abide by such a requirement? Did the Times agree to it, and if it did agree to it, did it abide by the agreement? What is the FDA's rationale for such restrictions? Some more explanation would be useful, and one shouldn't have to pay extra for "Times Premier" to get it.

Read More...

Reporters Gagged
smartertimes.com

From a front-page New York Times news article about regulation of electronic cigarettes:

F.D.A. officials gave journalists an outline of the new rules on Wednesday, but required that they not talk to industry or public health groups until after Thursday's formal release of the document.

The "required" is an odd formulation. Who gave the FDA the authority to stop journalists from asking questions? Why would any journalist agree to abide by such a requirement? Did the Times agree to it, and if it did agree to it, did it abide by the agreement? What is the FDA's rationale for such restrictions? Some more explanation would be useful, and one shouldn't have to pay extra for "Times Premier" to get it.

Read More...

Tobacco and Poorer Nations
smartertimes.com

The Times takes its inequality campaign to the campaign for increased regulation of tobacco. From a front-page news article that runs under the headline "Tobacco Firms' Tactics Limit Poorer Nations' Smoking Laws": "tobacco opponents say the strategy is intimidating low- and middle-income countries from tackling one of the gravest health threats facing them: smoking."

What "poorer nations" is the Times talking about?

From the article:

Dr. Margaret Chan, director general of the W.H.O., said in a speech last year that legal actions against Uruguay, Norway and Australia were "deliberately designed to instill fear" in countries trying to reduce smoking.

Norway and Australia aren't exactly low-income or poor countries. The Times summons up a few others — Namibia, Gabon, Togo, and Uganda. It reports:

Read More...