CNN Admits That On-Air Commentator Has Ties To Insurance Industry, Promises Full Disclosure
Looks like the insurance industry has another PR mess on its hands.
CNN has acknowledged in a statement to me that a high-profile Republican commentator who frequently discusses health care on the air is also the media buyer for one of the ad campaigns bankrolled by America’s Health Insurance Plans, the major industry trade group currently waging war against the White House and Dem reform proposals.
CNN tells me his ties to the industry will be disclosed in the future.
The CNN contributor, well-known GOP consultant Alex Castellanos, is best known for producing the racially-charged “Hands” ad, has repeatedly appeared on the network attacking Dem health care plans and the public option, which is strongly opposed by AHIP.
Castellanos’s consulting firm, National Media, also recently placed over $1 million of TV advertising for AHIP, according to info obtained by Media Matters. AHIP’s most recent $1 million ad buy attacks the health care plan as a threat to Medicare.
This connection, you’d think, should be disclosed whenever Castellanos appears on CNN discussing health care. Asked for comment, CNN spokesperson Edie Emery acknowledged the tie and promised full disclosure in the future. She emailed:
“When Alex Castellano returns from his vacation and next appears on CNN, we will clearly disclose to our viewers relevant information including his firm’s relationship with AHIP.”
CNN doesn’t appear to have known about Castellano’s work, and this is not the first time outside help retained by AHIP in the health care wars has created a PR mess. AHIP took heavy criticism after the firm it retained to release a study faulting the reform proposals publicly undercut its own findings.
In the case of the CNN mess, it may not really have been AHIP’s responsibility to disclose Castellano’s work for the group. But Dems may jump on this to point out that the industry has enlisted some pretty unsavory help in its war against the reform proposals.
***************************************
Update: The Democratic National Committee pounces on the news.
This blog’s homepage is here. RSS feed here. Twitter feed here. Email me here.
All, please let me know your commenting experiences today…we think we fixed the problems. thanks for your patience.
That damn “librul” media, at it again!
@Greg
Welp, that first comment went through without a hitch.
I’m not surprised about Castellano….the guy’s a real snake and a terrible pundit. He made CNN’s debate coverage during the election unbearable.
time for another blogger ethics panel…
So…for some reason FIRING Castellanos is not an option, CNN? He’s shown himself to be completely unethical. There are plenty of people out there happy to give their political opinions — there’s no excuse for accomodating a liar / paid shill. Shameless!
This is a problem which afflicts all the major outlets not just CNN. K.O. and MSNBC had their embarrassment over the Richard Wolfe conflicts.(BTW I noticed he is back on the air did he remove HIS conflict of interest? I saw nothing disclosed>)
Faux News…well they have literally become the joke of the industry and are more appropriately and effectively covered by John Stewart and the Comedy Channel.
My thought however is that ALL the networks could do a far better job in selecting their “expert” commentators. There are highly respected folks at Universities and INDEPENDENT think tanks across the country. Get some folks from outside beltway with all their insider conflicts of interest and prejudices on these shows. A little cross pollination would be a great step in cracking open the “echo chamber” inside the Beltway.
@SchrodingersCat…”the guy’s a real snake and a terrible pundit.”
AMEN!!!
It seems like almost all MSM coverage of Politics is
incestuous in some way. They’re either in bed with
industry, politicians or each other. It’s hard to get unbiased political news. I quit watching most of it a long time ago.
During a real breaking news story, such as the prostests against the Iranian election I’ll watch, but you might as well forget politics.
This guy’s always been slimy and I’m not at all surprised he wears the industry hat or that CNN didn’t disclose that information.
I also read that CNN is taking some heat for breaking away from AF/PAK coverage with the breaking news that Limbaugh had been taken out of the buy for the Rams. Shows where their priorities are.
Bloody well done, Greg.
rukidding
MSNBC simply changed his title from “Political Analyst” to “Senior Strategist at Public Strategies”. I guess we’re all supposed to know that’s a lobbying firm by the name. They all pretty much do the same thing with their consultants.
http://crooksandliars.com/nicole-belle/countdown-welcomes-back-richard-wolff
Great effing job Greg! I hope Jon Stewart gets at CNN again for this one. Castellanos is a scum bag anyway and shouldn’t be allowed on TV regardless.
By the by…a double-reverse vampire moment from Karl Rove in the WSJ today…
“Ironically, the president who never stopped campaigning”
He’s talking about Obama.
What no mention of the latest GOP scare tactic that kicks the crazy level up a notch?
Ties that bind. National Review this morning has 5 writers out defending Rush Limbaugh. Could they avoid the temptation of the cliched heading of “Rush to Judgement”? Of course not. A steady diet of sloganeering doesn’t encourage good writing.
But more importantly, this defensive crouch by NR underlines the tight relationship between two of the main propaganda organs of the modern Republican party.
“My thought however is that ALL the networks could do a far better job in selecting their “expert” commentators. There are highly respected folks at Universities and INDEPENDENT think tanks across the country. Get some folks from outside beltway with all their insider conflicts of interest and prejudices on these shows. A little cross pollination would be a great step in cracking open the “echo chamber” inside the Beltway.”
I completely agree. Everything is politicized. Political strategists are the networks’ go-to guests. I’ve seen strategists discussing economics, healthcare, foreign policy, energy policies, etc. And to make matters worse, they frequently only invite one political strategists — usually a Republican for some reason (are counterpoints a victim of this economy, too?) — to “discuss” an issue. Ultimately, the segment is usually nothing more than an opportunity for strategists to disseminate their talking points.
Certainly, there are political angles to most issues, but the political angle is not the totality of any issue; many in the media (especially cable news) have seemingly forgotten that. These issues could be more fittingly fleshed out, and the public could actually glean some knowledge from segments that were lighter on the political strategists and heavier on independent experts who actually know something about a topic and could actually explain these issues to people.
The entertainment emphasis is way too high and the information quotient is way too low. The system’s out of whack.
@rukidding:
In defense of Keith Olbermann, he unfailingly mentions potential conflicts of interest that may be perceived in comments voiced on his show, whether by him or by a guest. In further defense of his approach, he is rarely blindsided by things like this because he and his staff regularly fact-check what goes on their air. If only CNN (Alex Castellanos, Lou Dobbs, etc.) were so diligent.
While the entire msm industry is corporate owned and hence objectivity in news reporting is a joke, what is one more corporate shill moonlighting as an frigging ‘expert commentator’ ? When they let murdoch through the back doors, the entire press pool was poisoned.
Here’s one political strategist I have trouble disagreeing with, Robert Creamer. I’ll disclose that info. up front.
“Over the last several decades, the financial sector has grown relentlessly. It has doubled in size over the last 14 years. During the period 1973 to 1985 the financial sector never earned more than 16% of domestic profits. This decade, it has averaged 41% of all the profits earned by businesses in the U.S. In 1947 the financial sector represented only 2.5% of our gross domestic product. In 2006 it had risen to 8%. In other words, of every 12.5 dollars earned in the United States, one goes to the financial sector, much of which, let us recall, produces nothing.”
Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-creamer/the-dominance-of-the-fina_b_317310.html
And then there’s this while we’re on “Fair and Balanced” reporting. New York Times admits shutting out single-payer.
“FAIR noted that the article, titled “Medicare for All? ‘Crazy,’ ‘Socialized’ and Unlikely”, laid out a list of arguments against single-payer while failing to include any balancing responses from the option’s supporters. In explaining the slant, article author Katharine Seelye said she was trying to explain why Medicare-for-all was “not going anywhere.”
http://www.prwatch.org/node/8612
Thanks Greg. Just shows that CNN is yet another place where conflicts of interest do not ruffle any feathers.
This after the Begala, Carville, Zimmerman mess last year? Kind of hard to be the “most trusted name in news” when you practice this kind of unethical journalism.
Sorry, here’s one more re: NY Times, then I’ll shut up for awhile.
“The New York Times continues its misuse of news articles to signal its disapproval of the public option, first by characterizing it as the “Next Hurdle in Health Debate,” and then describing it as the “greater obstacle” that is the cause of “deep divisions” in the Democratic Party.”
“This is sheer fact-free editorial nonsense. Only a small handful of Congressional Democrats (who in another era, would have been Republicans) oppose a public plan. This near consensus reflects that 65 percent of Americans and overwhelming majorities of Democratic voters support the idea, as shown in the most recent New York Times/CBS poll.”
“The story’s only “news” is that for the umpteenth time, cowardly, anonymous White House officials are telling reporters who have no basis for granting anonymity that they think (Rahm Emanuel’s) Olympia Snowe’s public option-only-with-a-trigger is a swell idea.”
http://firedoglake.com/
They’re going to have to leave it there…must move on to the Situation Room where Wolf is waiting with some inane blather.
I agree with Will Danz’s earlier comment. The only meaningful result of the Castellanos issue would be to fire him and send a clear message that undisclosed ties are unacceptable. If this kind of thing affected their bottom line, they would, but I suppose they have found that the numbers don’t change so they’re happy to keep doing this kind of thing over and over.
Greg
Comments seem to be working better today, so far. Thanks.
I’m finding that my comments are not being duplicated with all the wit and verve that was intended.
I appreciate the investigative journalism, this IS a big story for CNN… But let’s face it, 100% of the members of the Republican Party are on the insurance industry payroll.
@Imsinca…thanks for the info on Wolfe
@leftcoastblue…you don’t have to defend K.O. for me he is one of my faves…my point wasn’t so much to challenge his credibility but to say what Travis did in his post.
As far as news coverage/opinion I don’t believe it’s that far of a stretch anymore to say that John Stewart is doing the best job of all of them. He truly offers a platform to all…even the most despicable like Betsy McCaughey (sp?). He oft times like last night uses pundits own words on tape to hang them…showing Hannity whining about how the MSM could avoid covering a demonstration of the Faux News/Beck 9/12ers of 75,000(of course an absolute like on Hannity’s part…to along with Beck’s lie that the crowd was in the millions) and then showing Faux News coverage of the Gay march of approximately the same number, 75,000 this past weekend. Faux News did not even send a reporter or cameraman…yet Faux News sent their satellite truck and reporter for a shot of the empty yard in front of the school with the FN reporters saying…”This is where they stood in protest….a shot of a freaking empty yard of grass and sidewalk. Then Stewart asking which is more important…shot of 75,000 gay marchers…or this…empty yard. Fox is truly pathetic and admittedly as a former broadcast journalist their lying and distortions used to really drive me up the wall. Stewart has provided the antidote! Now I realize Fox is truly simply a huge tasteless joke. Watch Stewart though and at least Fox provides some great laughs.
I’m feeling as great today as Tena did yesterday…there is Stewart…Alan Grayson..Dylan Ratigan…I do believe it’s getting better.
Somebody PLEASE buy this woman a clue:
Yesterday, MSNBC host host Tamron Hall confronted Landrieu over her opposition to the public option in light of its enormous popularity across the country. Landrieu responded to Hall’s questioning by saying that the reason most people want a public option is because “everybody wants free health care”:
HALL: Do you believe in the polling that says the American people want a public option? Do you believe in that desire from the folks that you and all of the others represent who say that they would like a public option to help offset these costs?
LANDRIEU: I think when people hear “public option” they hear “free health care.” Everybody wants free health care. Everybody wants health care they don’t have to pay for. The problem is, is that we in governments and business have to pick up the tab and as individuals. So I’m not at all surprised that the public option’s been sold as free health care. But there is no free lunch.
Of course, the public option hasn’t been crafted as “free health care.” As the President explained during his health care speech last month, the public option as it is being constructed in Congress will “have to be self-sufficient and rely on the premiums it collects.”
As the organization Change Congress notes, Landrieu has received more than $1.6 million from health and insurance interests in recent years. While she continues to claim that Americans want a public option only because they’re misinformed, her constituents would benefit tremendously from the choice of a public plan. As of 2008, nearly one in five Louisianans were uninsured.
http://thinkprogress.org/2009/10/15/landrieu-public-option/
Sorry in my haste I neglected to mention the empty schoolyard Faux news considered worthy of coverage…the one in front of the school where a couple dozen kids had sung an Obama song.
Here is Keith Olbermann’s statement on Richard Wolffe, posted over at DKos:
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/10/1/174744/333
I think the insurance industry has done us a huge favor by making this into open warfare with congress and reform.
As far as Jon Stewart goes, I agree that his show does a better job of covering issues, but the problem with that is that it just emphasizes the idea of news as entertainment, which is kind of how we got in this mess.
I don’t disagree at all Tena. It is how we got into this mess and it saddens me that a comedian is more trustworthy than actual journalists. Perhaps I view him as the lesser or should I say least of all the “news as entertainment” vehicles. Many..if not all…still masquerade as journalists instead of corporations out for the highest ratings. At least Stewart is honest about his agenda and doesn’t take himself too seriously.
If CNN were a serious news organization, their investigative reporters would have discovered this. But, alas… the newsman of our times (masquerading as a comedian) does it again.
Luckily no one watches CNN:
http://www.mediaite.com/tv/cnns-finishes-4th-in-prime-time-demo-for-7th-consecutive-weeknight/
Most, if not all of MSM coverage is heavily influenced by corporate interests. They have to sell ads, and the bottom line is the most important. There’s a corporate problem in America, just like there was an Oligarch problem in Russia
Good catch with the Landrieu quote, Ethan.
Perhaps Greg can call her office for a clarification. Does she really think the public option is going to be free? Surely someone responsible for representing the interests of millions of people can’t be that clueless.
believe it was CNN that was first to bring us the comedy stylings of Armstrong Williams
CNN (and all media) suffer from the same thing as Congress. Lack of interest in learning the facts. The news bureaus have been pared back to nothing more than wire transcribers. They have no internal investigative capabilities and in fact don;t want it. They hire the “experts” from the same pool as the lobbies and play referee. It’s a joke…who needs a free press when it’s really just free advertising for the lobbies.
CNN says it will disclose in the future. CNN has an obligation to disclose it NOW, as a news story. Not to wait. But then, they probably take their ethical guidance from Howie Kurtz, so . . .
Thank you, Will Danz! I’m gratified that the very first commenter has his head on straight. There is no earthly reason for CNN’s viewers to have to put up with the Castellanos brand of political viewpoint.
“In defense of Keith Olbermann, he unfailingly mentions potential conflicts of interest that may be perceived in comments voiced on his show, whether by him or by a guest”
That’s a joke. Practically every time he opens his mouth to attack a critic of Obama–or to praise someone in the administration–he has a conflict of interest that he is not divulging. GE stands to make billions and billions of dollars from cap-and-trade and education contracts with the Obama administration. GE might be able to make more money than any corporation has ever made from government contracts. Yet the media shows virtually no interest in that story, or the fact that GE curries favor with the administration with fawning coverage via MSNBC. Now that is a story truly worth investigating and writing about.
I have quit watching CNN. The only newscaster I trust? Jon Stewart.
It is quite unreasonable to hold CNN accountable for being able to gather information that is not publicly disclosed about its commentators. It is not like they are a news organization or anything. And, besides, fact checking Saturday Night Live skits takes precedence over silly facts of this sort. And, for everybody who is attacking the public option, the fact is that private health insurance is not for free either. If private health insurance took care of everybody, more efficiently and effectiely than the government, we wouldn’t need Health Care Reform. The fact is, however, that the care provided through private health insurance costs more and has inferior results to Medicare, a public option for those 65 and older, and the VA, which is an actual UK style government paid for and run health care system. In the end, we are going to pay for health care. The public option will provide some much needed competition to private insurance,and might actually cause them to get their act together. I know Republican dead-emders would rather pay more for something that as worse, as long as it is private instead of public, but the majority that live in the real world are more practical than that. As for the fawning coverage via MSNBC, how do you explain that racist Pat Buchanon. The problem conservaties have with MSNBC is that it is non-stop attacks on Obama. The conservative idea of diversity is having one guest who hates ****, another who hates blacks, and a third who hates muslimns.
Great story! But what they still don’t disclose is which pundits they pay, and which ones they don’t. (the presumption is that regular ones like Castellanos DO get paid). That to me is just as troubling. I think you’ll see in my upcoming book “I Am Martin Eisenstadt: One Man’s (wildly inappropriate) Adventures with the Last Republicans” almost this exact story, but told about Donna Brazile – who also appears on Blitzer’s show in the same “Strategy Sessions” segment. Yes, we knew she was on the DNC rules committee. But what they didn’t disclose was how much CNN was paying her. Either way, it’s a conflict of interest. The Eisenstadt book is essentially fiction, but it’s a satire of the punditocracy and the uneasy reliance on dubious pundits with conflicting loyalties. Look, I think the world of Ms. Brazile (and even grudgingly respect Castellanos), but cable news needs talking heads.
Just today I was a pundit for Canadian TV to give my “expert” advice on balloon boy. What’s my expertise? I have experience as a media “hoaxster” and therefore could spot whether balloon boy was a hoax or not. What was my media hoax? Inventing a fake pundit. Hello, irony? You’re wanted on line two.
These organisms can cause symptoms such as nausea, cramps, diarrhea, and associated headaches. ,
A letter or phone call to the family is recommended so that teachers and families can agree on a mutually convenient time. ,
CNN is as disgusting as other cable news stations. Constellanos is a snake. If I knew he was affiliated with “AHIP”, why didnt CNN? I find this hard to fathom