Nightly News Turns to Bishops About Contraception More Often Than Docs

[cbayer]

http://religiondispatches.org/nightly-news-turns-to-bishops-about-contraception-more-often-than-docs/

BY PATRICIA MILLER MAY 8, 2015

The big nightly network news shows are more likely to turn to the Catholic hierarchy as a source for stories about contraception controversies than doctors, according to a new study.

Dr. Jen Gunter reports on her blog about the study, National Network Television News Coverage of Contraception in the Era of the Affordable Care Act, which was presented recently at the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists meeting.

Dr. Elizabeth Patton and colleagues from the University of Michigan looked at the nightly news broadcasts of the three major networks for any mention of contraception in stories between January 2010 and July 2014. There were 113 segments on contraception during that period. Not surprisingly, the two most featured topics were contraceptive coverage and access, as the period covered the debate about including no-cost contraception in the Affordable Care Act.

Government officials or political figures were the most common sources of information for stories, used 40% of the time, followed by members the general public, who were used 26% of the time. Catholic Church leaders were used as a source 18% of the time, while any type of medical professionals were used 12% of the time and OB/GYNs specifically only 3% of the time.

more at link

[3catwoman3]

1. Whyever would one want to get...

...information about contraception from OB/GYNs? When we have a plumbing problem, we call our tax guy. Works great.

[cbayer]

3. Right. Calling the clergy for medical advice has been shown to

be a pretty bad idea in the long run.

[skepticscott]

12. Yes, except that you and others

praise the notion of routinely including clergy and theologians on any sort of panel involving right-to-die or medical ethics, despite their religious bent giving them not the slightest qualification for it, and in fact giving them a strong bias right up front.

[TreasonousBastard]

2. From my dealings with newspeople, they seem to be...

harried most of the time and tend to speed dial people they know, or at least have talked to already. And don't have much time to talk.

So, finding an articulate ob/gyn and going through the introductions takes a lot more time than getting the local archdiocese' press guy on the phone for some pithy quotes from the archbishop.

Kinda curious what the raw numbers are, but when looking for quotes with "authority", you can't beat the Catholic Church even if you don't agree with them. Curiously, it's tougher to get some anonymous doctor to make a good case, since most are better at medicine than debating.

[cbayer]

4. They also want something sexy and headline grabbing,

and talking to actual medical people is usually not going to get you there.

Plus, as you imply, the medical people don't have a political agenda here so may be harder to reach. The archdiocese's press guy most certainly does have an agenda.

[Leontius]

15. "the medical people don't have a political agenda here"

Followed by laughter by people nationwide.

[Lordquinton]

19. Horse Hockey

They could go to an organization that is all over the country and has a whole public outreach program in terms of all things in women's health: Planned Parenthood.

No, they go to the church to keep the line going that abortion is bad, and women should be shamed (and abused) for it.

The mere fact that anyone thinks the church should be contacted in women's health matters shows how alive and well religious privilege is.

[Dawson Leery]

5. Lazy journalists turning the worst authorities on the matter.

[cbayer]

6. It's what sells.

[Fumesucker]

7. But the *real* problem that's driving us apart in the USA is arrogant atheists..

[cbayer]

8. Really? Says who?

[Fumesucker]

9. A fair proportion of the articles you and rug post...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1218197077

[cbayer]

10. Exaggeration doesn't suit you.

That's one article and not in any way a "fair proportion".

What did you think of it? I think it makes some really good points and doesn't in any way state that "the *real* problem that's driving us apart in the USA is arrogant atheists".

Nice caricature of me, though.

[cbayer]

11. Out of over 60 OP's posted by me in the past month, 5 have been about atheism

and two of those were entirely positive, one was on changing demographics and two (including this one) were critical of "new atheists".

But, as I said, nice caricature.

[Fumesucker]

14. Post a caricature and get a caricature back..

Your post I linked to certainly looked like a caricature to me and it was put up the very same day I posted.

Forgive me but I had just finished reading that OP when I clicked on this thread, you might say it was fresh in my mind.

[cbayer]

16. So you base your caricature of me on a single OP that you didn't like

because you just read it?

Nice. I hope people cut you more slack that you cut me.

[Fumesucker]

17. I've been reading your OPs for years, I've seen quite a few I consider caricatures of atheists

A lifetime in the closet has sensitized me to things like that, rather like some Jews are sensitized to perceive antisemitism in things where other people might not see it that way.

If a Jew told you they thought you were being antisemitic would you take their opinion seriously or just dismiss it as being biased and want them to "cut you some slack"?

My original comment was half in jest, your reaction to it strikes me as being very defensive. If you want people to consider your feelings perhaps you should consider the feelings of others more as well. You are stirring around in a subject fraught with emotional baggage for some of us, it's kind of odd that you apparently can see that for Muslims but not for atheists.

[cbayer]

18. Sorry you have missed all the ones that support atheists.

Selective reading through the lens of your personal experience, I guess.

If a jew told me I was being anti-semitic, I would talk to them about it, since I know I am not.

Yep, I am defensive. Can't imagine why. Maybe I am more sensitive to muslims because no muslims have overtly and repeatedly attacked me here.

[beam me up scottie]

13. +1,000,000

DOWN WITH GNU ATHEEiSTZ!!!

[AtheistCrusader]

20. I'm sure it's not to worry that the RCC has bought or acquired joint operating status with all but

One regional Seattle hospital.

I'm just being mean when I point out these fucks don't know anything at all about the universe and our place in it. I'm just being disrespectful of their "rights of everyone else to belief whatever the fuck they want" {sic}, because they present no clear and growing danger whatsoever to society as a whole, catholic or not.

Just another voice in the cacophony of the public discourse, no weight or mass to the message. Just deeply held personal beliefs, with no impact beyond the individual holding the belief.