Cereal Murders Not Enough for ABC, CBS
Silly rabbit, Trix really aren’t for kids anymore.
Even more beloved characters are going to be pulled from the airwaves, but that’s not satisfying the food fascists.
“Today’s changes are getting a lot of attention, but as American children face an epidemic of obesity, will these changes really make a difference?” wondered “World News with Charles Gibson” anchor Elizabeth Vargas on July 18.
More companies have succumbed to pressure from radical organizations to limit advertising to children as Kellogg’s did last month.
Eleven companies announced on July 18 they will adopt new rules to limit advertising to children under the age of 12 as an effort to “help curb the child obesity problem.” The list included Coca-Cola (NYSE:KO), Hershey (NYSE:HSY), Kraft (NYSE:KFT), Campbell’s (NYSE:CPB), General Mills (NYSE:GIS) and Pepsi (NYSE:PEP).
Still, “World News” and CBS “Evening News” found critics of the self-regulating companies.
“Children’s health advocates say, in order to make a real dent in the childhood obesity epidemic, the food companies have to do much more, like start making healthier food, and stop, truly stop using pitchmen like Shrek, who, after all, seems a little overweight,” said ABC correspondent Dan Harris.
One such “children’s health advocate” quoted by both networks was Elaine Kolish of the New York Better Business Bureau. But Kolish a $1,000 donor to Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign has earned a reputation as “the new cop on the childhood obesity beat,” by Brandweek, a trade magazine about the
Harris even lamented “loopholes” such as advertising during primetime television and the placement of characters on bags of candy. Because the agreement doesn’t affect packaging, Harris wasn’t satisfied saying: “packaging is powerful.”
The July 18 CBS “Evening News” broadcasted the same message. CBS correspondent Kelly Wallace trotted out one of the media’s favorite food policewomen and documented MoveOn.org contributor, Marion Nestle, who supplied distrust for food manufacturers.
“Oh the loopholes are enormous. The companies have made these kinds of promises before,” said Nestle.
In the past, Nestle has fought to ban trans fat, police how products are merchandized in stores, mandate stricter more expensive food labeling standards and condemned the consumption of fast food.
“Evening News” also included in its report “nanny state” stalwart, Margo Wootan of the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI). Wootan went on the attack by singling out some cartoon characters.
“We know that having the Disney Princesses or Sponge Bob right on the package, really gets kids’ attention and gets them to want to eat those products,” Wootan said.
CSPI constantly campaigns against all kinds of food and its hype gets eaten up by the mainstream media.
