A WASHINGTON DC television station did a story showing women how to perform breast cancer self-exams. And they did so by videotaping a woman performing an exam - with her shirt open, breasts exposed.They claimed they were potentially saving lives by showing women how to examine themselves properly.
They also sent out a press release prior to the news that evening, hyping the "unique television event."
By the way, the package ran on day one of the sweeps ratings period, when the eyeballs watching programs are counted.
Was it good, public service journalism? Or was the full-frontal treatment a ratings stunt?
8 comments:
HA HA HA! Gotcha, you perv.
- George
(the teacher who suggests the pervs out there click on the first embedded link).
I think not doing this report during the rating sweeps would have garnered it a little more legitimacy and a little less controversy. Still, an important and necessary public service.
The station in question is WJLA. They put out a good newscast and don't typically sensationalize stories like you would expect some Fox stations and Rick Sanchez to do. That piece aired at 5, when a lot of women are watching, and it was tastefully done. They warned viewers before the story. I see nothing wrong with it.
Well they obviously wanted the ratings, but that's not to say that they weren't legitimately doing it as a public service.
I think if a media outlet has an opportunity to do something good AND make money at the same time you can't fault them for taking the opportunities.
On my blog I like to try to run articles that I personally like and want people to see directly after articles I know will get a lot of hits so that they possibly read those articles I want them to see. So I can somewhat relate to trying to time the release of this piece.
Where's the instructional video for checking for testicular cancer???
I definitely think there could have been a much better way of going about this story without showing the full frontal nudity. If they were going to show this they should not have showed it on their 5:00 broadcast when there could have easily been kids watching. Even if they did give a warning that does not mean everyone saw the warning or understood what it meant.
It was a ratings stunt! Why would they show that! I already know that plenty of kids watched it because it's not like the government knows for sure that all children would be asleep by 11:00pm. The fact that they were promoting it by saying that it's the "Unique television event." tells me that they were basically advertising it. I think that they can educate women in a different way then this. They can send out e-mails to all females only. They can also hold teach ins in community settings just for women.
FELICIA TOPSALE SAYS............ i think it was ratings stunt. why not air it late at night when most underage children are in bed or in the morning when women are watching the news and getting ready for work?
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