CAB - Communication Agents Blog

Lessons In Manipulating The Media: The Who Scandal

Thanks to Communication Agent Ivan Ingrilli I am republishing here a very short report document from Forces Nederland who details with many hard facts and supportinf documents how news media and propaganda is being heavily adopted by international organizations like WHO to boost and promote their selected agenda.

The WHO Scandal
WHO's Tobacco Free Initiative

Lessons in manipulating the Media:

The global response to World No-Tobacco Day 1999 was 'overwhelming' said WHO.
How overwhelming was it?

1) The WHO used several tricks to raise the number of submissions. An analysis. PDF

2) A brochure (Leave the pack behind) was compiled for that day. This brochure contains misleading statements and acts as a PR paper for Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT). This brochure was also analysed. PDF.

3) What the tobacco industry is not allowed to do: WHO's Tobacco Free Initiative program is sponsored for over 70% by the pharmaceutical industries that supply NRT products. According to their budget overview external funding for this part of WHO was $7,000,000 out of $9,951,400 is 70%. According to their Annual Report this funding comes from:
Glaxo Wellcome, Pharmacia & Upjohn and SmithKline Beecham, through IFPMA/WSMI supported the WNTD 1999; a WHO/Mayo clinic workshop on smoking cessation was supported by Glaxo Wellcome and Pharmacia & Upjohn. Merck & Co. has one staff secondment to TFI. Minnesota Blue Cross/Blue Shield pledged support for the analysis of industry documents and regulation. IDRC of Canada has supported the youth and tobacco project.

4) WHO's predictions on the number of smoking related deaths in the world show a strange behaviour when analysed. They even predict ages for people in the third world that never reach these ages (according to their very own mortality/morbidity data). PDF

Background article on WHO
WHO cares? An article from Reason Magazine.
Article in Deutches Ärzteblatt (German), June 22 - German/English CD-ROM available now!

[via Grillo Parlante]

The information is above is a result of the co-operation of Forces International and W+D Wissenschaft + Documentation GmbH.

The CA Learning Hub

Hi, I have been very busy preparing the road and the first steps for the first group of Communication Agents that are going to dive into our project in the coming hours.

At this very time I am finishing the setup of the Communication Agents Learning Hub, a password-protected Web site reserved only for the CAs and where they can find:

a) Specific instructions and guidance on how to move their first steps as Communication Agents.

b) A private forum in which we can meet, discuss and post both strategic and technical issues that we want to address. The forum allows us also to receive technical support and to partner up with other CAs in addressing specific issues.

c) A community conferencing room where we are going to meet, socialize and talk live to each other while presenting to others our materials and ideas.

d) Links to resources and downloadable tools that will facilitate the tasks at hand during the coming learning steps.

e) Profile pages for all CAs, in order to facilitate the exchange and better appreciation of each one's individuality and talents.

By tomorrow night I will provide direct access to the Learning Hub to all the Communication Agents and will officially initiate the Step one of this one year long exciting and unique journey.

I look forward to report closely on each new development.

The sky is with us.