That's what the Center for Media and Democracy calls the news of an aggressive new PR plan of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA). The plan calls for former Congressman Billy Tauzin to be "an evangelist for the pharmaceutical industry." Included in the plan is a radio series, comparable to audio news releases, that can be played in small markets without health reporters.
It's one more example of drug industry public relations and marketing folks looking for "fake news" opportunities within media. Let's hope that radio stations see the ruse for what it is and deny the free airtime to PhRMA's PR efforts. Or, if anything, charge Big Pharma for trying to get its message on the air. Then perhaps radio stations could begin to use the revenue to hire their own health reporters so that they wouldn't be so inclined to take the Pharma freebie "news."
Posted by schwitz at June 2, 2005 08:37 AM | TrackBack