Is the NYT really an objective source for alternative health information

Last weekend, I happened to pick up a copy of the New York Times. I don’t get to read the Times regularly any more, now that I live and work in Baltimore. But occasionally I get my hands on a copy, and I always enjoy it – it’s the paper I grew up with, the paper I remember my father reading every day over his morning coffee.

But on this day, I saw something in the Times that gave me pause. There, right in the Metro section, was an ad for a new book: “The New York Times Guide to Alternative Health.” The subtitle read “A Consumer Reference.” And the description went on to describe how this “timely and authoritative report” would inform us about “the most controversial” form of medical care in America with “balanced, objective reports.”
Writer’s history reveals her bias against alternative health

Hmmmalready I was doubtful. Their claim of balance and objectivity had me wondering. Maybe it was the line in the ad that said, “Learn about the scams, the claims, the cures.” Or maybe it was when they proudly proclaimed that their Personal Health Columnist, Jane E. Brody, wrote the introduction and helped edit the book.

This is the same Jane E. Brody who continually attacked Dr. Robert Atkins, one of the leading names in complementary and alternative medicine, throughout the late 1990s. The same Jane Brody who wrote such a slanted review of Dr. Atkins “New Diet Revolution” that Dr. Atkins himself felt compelled to write a rebuttal to the Times. The same Jane Brody who has only used the term “alternative medicine” ONCE in her column in the past six years.

It’s true – I tested my theory on the New York Times website. Search all of Jane Brody’s columns in the Health section as far back as the web archives go – back to January of 1996. There’s only one match. And if you poke around a little more, her headlines will reveal her point of view. “Americans Gamble on Herbs as Medicine,” reads one. “Dietary Supplements May Test Consumer’s Health,” states another.

I don’t know about you, but I don’t find those headlines indicative of balanced, objective reporting.
No such thing as objectivity in any paper – not even the Times

I know I shouldn’t expect much more from the mainstream media. But I used to think we could expect more from a paper of the Times’ stature. And unfortunately, that wasn’t the only example of bias I saw in the paper that day.

In his coverage of the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, a Times reporter wrote about the men’s slalom event, in which Jean-Pierre Vidal overcame serious knee injuries to become the first Frenchman to win an Olympic slalom gold in over 30 years. The headline? “Miller Goes for Gold and Wipes Out, So Vidal Takes It” referring to the American skier who was favored to win the event. You call that balanced and objective?

What does Olympic skiing have to do with alternative health? Not much, I suppose. But I do see a common thread running between this headline and the examples of Brody’s headlines that I pointed out earlier. All come from a cynical view point, where any positive outcome is overshadowed by the suggestion of something negative or sinister.

The prototypic newspaper reporter is supposed to be that way: eternally suspicious, always skeptical. And I suppose that’s healthy for reporting news. But writing reference books is another matter. I think when you write a book that claims to be “A Consumer Guide” and a “timely and authoritative report,” you should actually know something about the subject matter. And I’m not convinced that Jane Brody, or any of the other Times reporters that contributed to this book, really know the first thing about alternative health.

To be fair, I don’t yet know what this book says about alternative medicine. But I can’t wait to find out. I ordered a copy – and once I receive it and read it, I’ll be sure to share my thoughts with you. But in the meantime, if any of you have already read “The New York Times Guide to Alternative Health,” I’d be very interested in your impressions. For my part, I’ll try to keep my personal bias against the mainstream media in check as I read – just as I expect them to do when they’re writing about alternative medicine.

Copyright 1997-2002 by Institute of Health Sciences, L.L.C.