Has the U of Minnesota Canceled Documentary ‘Troubled Waters’ That Is Critical of Big Ag?

[marmar]

from AlterNet:



Posted by Tara Lohan at 10:51 am
September 24, 2010

Has the U of Minnesota Canceled Documentary ‘Trouble Waters’ That Is Critical of Big Ag?
Posted by Tara Lohan on @ 10:51 am


Who knew a documentary about the Mississippi River could be so controversial? Last week, Molly Priesmeyer of the Twin Cities Daily Planet reported:

Troubled Waters: A Mississippi River Story has been nearly four years in the making. A team of researchers, filmmakers, and scientists have been up and down the Mississippi River, knee deep in swamps and icy waters, and elbow deep in footage and research. The film, by the U of M’s Bell Museum of Natural History, focuses on agriculture, pollution, and sustainable solutions. Now, suddenly, its premiere has been canceled, and no one can say exactly why.

The documentary was scheduled to premiere at the Bell Museum on October 3. U of M president Robert Bruininks, who has been an adamant supporter of the conservation-focused project, was set to speak at the event. The film was also scheduled to broadcast on TPT on October 5.

But on September 7th, just as invitations to the premiere were sliding into mailboxes, the U of M pulled the plug on the event and the TPT airing. According to Barbara Coffin, coordinator of public programs at the Bell and executive producer of Troubled Waters, the film was pulled from TPT by University Relations.

The producers at the U’s Bell Museum were informed that morning in a letter sent from University Relations: The film would not air on TPT and the party and premiere were shuttered. Later that week the Facebook invite for the premiere was updated to say the release was postponed “to allow time for a review of the film’s scientific content.”

Of course the only problem with this scenario for pulling the film is that the scientific content has already been reviewed, including by McKnight Foundation, Mississippi River Fund and the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources. The real problem may have to due with a conflict of interest.

The Star Tribune reports that the person responsible for canceling the broadcast, U of M’s vice president Karen Himle, is married to “John Himle, CEO of Himle Horner Inc., a public relations firm that represents the Minnesota Agri-Growth Council, a trade association that lobbies for agribusiness.” ...........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://blogs.alternet.org/speakeasy/2010/09/24/has-the-u-of-minnesota-canceled-documentary-trouble-waters-that-is-critical-of-big-ag/

[SoCalDem]

1. Troubled Waters, indeed!

Can't have truthiness escaping into academe, now can we?

[glinda]

2. I thought it was being reviewed again. I hope the Strib is all over this!