Newsgroups: talk.politics.guns From: [j g d] at [dixie.com] (John De Armond) Subject: Colt, _60 Minutes_ and the Great Fraud Date: Mon, 25 Oct 93 03:02:01 GMT A week or so ago there was a thread here on Colt Mfr's treatment by _60 Minutes_ which included the following: >>|> Unfortunately, the >>|>news show used 20 seconds of a 65 minute interview - AND SPLICED IT TO >>|>SUPPORT THEIR OPINION, NOT COLT'S. > >>Let's raise a toast to the non-biased media, shall we? I said: > >60 Minutes has done this practically from day one. IF you want to see them >in action, contact Illinois Power and ask them about their "60 minutes" >tape. They'll give you a free copy if you'll send them a cassette. >Over 10 years ago, when the media's whipping boy was nuclear power, >60 Minutes got IP to allow them to film a segment at one of their >nuclear plants. IP complied but was smart enough to send their own film >crew to film over the shoulders of the 60 Minutes crew. > >60 Minutes did the same thing then. They spliced together words from >the IP president to make him say the opposite of what he actually said. >After the segment aired, IP made up this video tape showing first what >60 Minutes reported and then the unedited tape of the same thing. >All three of the networks refused to run the tape and refused to sell IP >commercial time to run it so IP distributed the tape to anyone who would >take it and watch. > >I highly recommend getting the tape. It shows Big Media at its worst. > In response to several queries about this I dug out another post I made last spring in which I provided the details. Here it is: John ------ Subject: Oil/Nuclear not w/out merit Message-ID: <[j 8 lv 1 ch] at [dixie.com]> Date: Tue, 20 Apr 93 15:39:30 GMT [t b rent] at [bank.ecn.purdue.edu] (Timothy J Brent) writes: >I am >pro-nuclear, and I agree that people should become more knowledgeable in the >sciences, but remember that they have seen nuclear power poorly managed. >This is the basis of their fear, and what we have to work to change. With a tiny number of exceptions (that most people will not be able to list), people have NOT seen nuclear power poorly managed. They just think they have because of the media tripe and a generally poor foundation in science and economics that would enable them to say "bullshit" to the talking heads. If you want to see a remarkable, stark and stunning example of how the media does this, obtain at no cost the Illinois Power/Clinton Nuclear Plant/60 minutes tape. Briefly, in 1979 "60 minutes" came to town to do a report on nuclear power and chose the Clinton site as a target. IP granted them pretty much free access to the facility and to corporate officials. Remarkably they had the forethought to send along a film crew of their own to film over the shoulders of the "60 minutes" crew. On the air "60 minutes" roasted the company. They cited gross cost overruns, safety problems, morale problems with the workers, poor workmanship, etc. In other words, the usual media tripe. They cited "experts" who among them was an electrical supervisor who was fired after a couple of weeks for nonperformance and an "engineer" who claimed to be an expert on cost overruns at the site who in reality had worked there only a few months before being fired for nonperformance. This individual's "qualifications" included claiming a PhD when in fact he had no formal education. He admitted this under oath at a public utility commission hearing. After the program aired IP put together a 45 minute program of rebuttal. They showed what was actually said in the interviews and what "60 minutes" edited it to say. They took "60 minutes" claims of gross cost overruns and presented hard figures to rebut the claims and to show that the Clinton site was running about average (boring, boring, boring but that's the way it is with actual as opposed to manufactured facts.) When none of the major media would sell them time to air the tape (before widespread alternative cable channels), they sent a copy of this tape to all the stockholders and started the distribution program. Anyone who wants a copy of the tape can have it for the asking. They even pay return postage. In order to obtain a copy of this tape, send a blank VHS or 3/4" tape and a cover letter to: Barbara Barnett Illinois Power Corp 500 South 27th St Decatur, IL 62525 (Thanks to [d--ba--e] at [att.com] for digging out Barbara's address.) If you ask for it in your cover letter, she will also send you transcripts and other supporting documentation. For the cost of a stamp and a tape you can see the big media in action while fabricating a story. As you watch this tape, apply the lessons leared to other things you hear about nuclear power in the news. Or any other "controversal" media event for that matter. This fraud to me is as big as NBC's GM Truck piece. It simply happened about 15 years too early. John (Please don't write me asking me to copy the tape. IP asserts their copyright on the tape and printed materials and specifically prohibits copying either without their permission. Get it directly from the source.) -- John De Armond, WD4OQC | For a free sample magazine, send Performance Engineering Magazine(TM) | a digest-size 52 cent SASE Marietta, Ga "Hotrods'n'computers" | (Domestic) to PO Box 669728 [j g d] at [dixie.com] "What could be better?" | Marietta, GA 30066 Email to me may be published at my sole discretion.