Full Article Text
F R I D A Y , J U L Y 2 9 , 2 0 0 5Kudos To "Paula Zahn Now" For Second"Conversion" Storyby Michael in New York on
7/29/2005 12:37:00 AMOkay, so Thursday night "Paula Zahn Now" did another story onthe snake oil scam of "conversion therapy." (If you'reinterested, the show is rerun at 2 a.m.) Suddenly Zahn wastouting Part Two of their special report -- though I recheckedpart "one" and there's no hint they planned a followup. Eitherthe story generated so much attention they decided to squeezeanother segment out of the footage or -- best case scenario --they were as unhappy with the first one as we were. Certainlythey improved a good deal. It's late and I lambasted them thefirst time around, so forgive this lengthy analysis.Reporters have to be instant experts on every issue they dealwith and the show clearly came up short on night one. Eitherinternally or based on feedback from viewers and the web(which Zahn even referenced), they listened and responded tosome of the factual complaints. Yes, it could have been evenbetter -- but their response was certainly far more admirablethan simply ignoring the criticism or defending the originalpiece. Though of course I assume mainly they did anotherpiece because the first one generated talk.Among the improvements: they made clear that Love in ActionRefuge (yes, as numerous threaders pointed out, this makesthem LIARs) is NOT a registered mental health clinic -- onlyone counselor is licensed. (And I assume that counselor couldbe reprimanded or lose their license for engaging in therapythat the APA has condemned. Perhaps they're only licensed bythe state?) Since it ISN'T a mental health clinic, I still takeissue with CNN describing chat sessions as "group therapy."Shouldn't group therapy be reserved only for sessions led by aprofessional? Is the only licensed therapist always present atevery session? If not, it doesn't deserve this patina ofprofessional respectability -- especially since what they practicehas been condemned by every reputable medical and mentalhealth organization in the country as dangerous, wrong, andpotentially extremely damaging.They still incorrectly describe the leader Rev. Smid [what aname!] as "rejecting homosexuality," a claim these fringegroups know they can no longer pretend to make -- even Rev.Smid doesn't claim he's now straight, just that he won't act onthose desires. Again, it's important to note that just a fewyears ago they lied and said people could choose to be straightand that being gay was merely a choice. Society is so farbeyond such idiocy, today even the far right doesn't trot that lieout anymore. Even the IDs of the people who went through theprogram are poorly thought out: two young men interviewedare labeled "graduate," which again gives this sketchyorganization that is seriously condemned by the entire medicalcommunity an air of seriousness it doesn't deserve. You can'tgraduate from a scam.All the footage used was presumably shot the first time around.But what a difference a day makes. With the new emphasis onfacts and the overwhelming medical opinion about this fraud,they even used a better quote from Dr. Drescher of the APAthan the one they used the first night. "These people [the
EschatonPretty Much - I think this encapsulates nicely ourmodern media environment.1 hour ago
HuffPost PoliticsHuckabee's Huck Pac In Turmoil With StaffTurnover, Mounting Debts - Former Arkansas Gov.Mike Huckabee's political action committee, HuckPac, is undergoing a "restructuring," ExecutiveDirector Sarah Huckabee said Wednesday....2 hours ago
Ben SmithGoing small - My story tonight: President BarackObama came alive about 50 minutes intoWednesday night’s news conference – whensomebo2 hours ago
FiredoglakeLate Late Night FDL: What Eclipse? - A new videofrom Fatoumata Diawara, and and oldie from Bob.2 hours ago
Daily KosOpen Thread and Diary Rescue - *Today, srkp23(pulling a double shift), ybruti, taylormattd,ItsJessMe and vcmvo2 combed through hundredsof diaries to find this powerful list. Today's...3 hours agoJ O H N ' S P H OT O S
Show AllA M E R I C A B L O G T V
Sharon Rivkin, MA, MFTArguing? Husband or Wife Cheated?3 steps to resolution or moving on.sharonrivkin.comCounseling - EmotionalJan Footlik - Professional LicensedOnline Counselorwww.janfootlik.comMental Health CEUsInstant Credit for OnDemand Audio,Video, Podcasts & Webcastsonline.pesi.com
Next 6AMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: Kudos...http://www.americablog.com/2005/07/kudos-to-paula-zahn-now...
1 of 57/23/09 3:56 AM
Visit our AMERICAblog TV site.see all 322 videos >I collect with
vodpod
In honor of SenatorDeMint
For the GOPers, healthcare is politics. They just
Traditional media has todebunk the birthers
One small step...
The right-wing media, thevoices of the GOP, inAMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: Kudos...http://www.americablog.com/2005/07/kudos-to-paula-zahn-now...
2 of 57/23/09 3:56 AM
The TreatmentObama Has a Grown-UpTalk With America(Gulp)3 hours agoEzra KleinTab Dump8 hours agoWonk RoomSen. Byron Dorgan:The ‘Trade’ InCap-And-Trade ‘MakesNo Sense To Me’9 hours agoHealth BeatTruth Squad: WallStreet Journal HealthCare Editorial Wrong onthe Facts . . .10 hours agoDaily DoseProviders Endorse 'Payfor Value' ProposalsG AY P O L I T I C S
Visit our new gay politicssection, AMERICAblog Gay.F E E D S
Blog RSS
AMERICAblog TV RSS
Twitter RSSTwitter Feed
Get the blog by email:
Subscribe me!
Top AdAdvertise in this spot.H E A LT H C A R ER E F O R MAMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: Kudos...http://www.americablog.com/2005/07/kudos-to-paula-zahn-now...
3 of 57/23/09 3:56 AM
S E A R C H
AMERICAblog
Web
SearchS E N D U S T I P S &C O M M E N T Samericablog@starpower.netB L O G A R C H I V E
Blog ArchiveS I T E S W E L I K EAir America RadioAlan Colmes' blogAri Melber (The Nation)Ben SmithBicycleMark's blog &podcastBilericoBradBlogBring It OnCarrie FisherCrooks and LiarsDailyKosDan Savage's "Slog"Daou ReportDemocratic UndergroundEschatonEzra KleinFire Dog LakeFiveThirtyEight.comFreeway BloggerThe Gavel (SpeakerPelosi's blog)Good As YouGlenn GreenwaldHoly Bullies and HeadlessMonstersHuffington PostHullabaloo (Digby)Jack and Jill PoliticsJed ReportJesus' GeneralKenneth in the 212Margaret and HelenMatthew GrossMedia MattersMike Signorile's "The Gist"MudflatsMyDDOpen LeftPlum LinePolitical Punch (JakeTapper)Political WirePolitics 1Pop SurfingProgressive Blog DigestQueers UnitedRawStoryRex WocknerRude PunditSmirking ChimpTalk LeftTappedTaylor MarshThink ProgressTowleRoadVetVoice.comWashington NoteWayneBesen.comWonketteWorth Repeating
N E W S L I N K SUSWashington PostNYTAP PoliticsReuters PoliticsRasmussen PollsTimeNewsweekRoll CallThe HillABCNews
P L E A S E S U P P O RTA M E R I C A B L O GOne-time donation$
Recurring monthlydonation$
Donations are nottax-deductible.L A B E L S
Select a labelL A S T 1 0 0 V I S I T O R SRecent Visitors
A B O U TA M E R I C A B L O GWhy AMERICAblog?Because a great nationdeserves the truth.What issues do youcover?US politics overall with aparticular focus on theObama Administration, theradical right, and civilrights.Who are you?John AravosisEditorWashington, DCJoe SudbayDeputy EditorWashington, DCChris RyanAssociate EditorParis, FranceRobert ArenaContributing EditorBaltimore, MarylandJacki SchechnerContributing EditorWashington, DCAMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: Kudos...http://www.americablog.com/2005/07/kudos-to-paula-zahn-now...
4 of 57/23/09 3:56 AM
© 2009 - John Aravosis | Design maintenance by Jason RosenbaumSend me your tips: americablog@starpower.netAMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: Kudos...http://www.americablog.com/2005/07/kudos-to-paula-zahn-now...
5 of 57/23/09 3:56 AM
7/29/2005 12:37:00 AMOkay, so Thursday night "Paula Zahn Now" did another story onthe snake oil scam of "conversion therapy." (If you'reinterested, the show is rerun at 2 a.m.) Suddenly Zahn wastouting Part Two of their special report -- though I recheckedpart "one" and there's no hint they planned a followup. Eitherthe story generated so much attention they decided to squeezeanother segment out of the footage or -- best case scenario --they were as unhappy with the first one as we were. Certainlythey improved a good deal. It's late and I lambasted them thefirst time around, so forgive this lengthy analysis.Reporters have to be instant experts on every issue they dealwith and the show clearly came up short on night one. Eitherinternally or based on feedback from viewers and the web(which Zahn even referenced), they listened and responded tosome of the factual complaints. Yes, it could have been evenbetter -- but their response was certainly far more admirablethan simply ignoring the criticism or defending the originalpiece. Though of course I assume mainly they did anotherpiece because the first one generated talk.Among the improvements: they made clear that Love in ActionRefuge (yes, as numerous threaders pointed out, this makesthem LIARs) is NOT a registered mental health clinic -- onlyone counselor is licensed. (And I assume that counselor couldbe reprimanded or lose their license for engaging in therapythat the APA has condemned. Perhaps they're only licensed bythe state?) Since it ISN'T a mental health clinic, I still takeissue with CNN describing chat sessions as "group therapy."Shouldn't group therapy be reserved only for sessions led by aprofessional? Is the only licensed therapist always present atevery session? If not, it doesn't deserve this patina ofprofessional respectability -- especially since what they practicehas been condemned by every reputable medical and mentalhealth organization in the country as dangerous, wrong, andpotentially extremely damaging.They still incorrectly describe the leader Rev. Smid [what aname!] as "rejecting homosexuality," a claim these fringegroups know they can no longer pretend to make -- even Rev.Smid doesn't claim he's now straight, just that he won't act onthose desires. Again, it's important to note that just a fewyears ago they lied and said people could choose to be straightand that being gay was merely a choice. Society is so farbeyond such idiocy, today even the far right doesn't trot that lieout anymore. Even the IDs of the people who went through theprogram are poorly thought out: two young men interviewedare labeled "graduate," which again gives this sketchyorganization that is seriously condemned by the entire medicalcommunity an air of seriousness it doesn't deserve. You can'tgraduate from a scam.All the footage used was presumably shot the first time around.But what a difference a day makes. With the new emphasis onfacts and the overwhelming medical opinion about this fraud,they even used a better quote from Dr. Drescher of the APAthan the one they used the first night. "These people [the
EschatonPretty Much - I think this encapsulates nicely ourmodern media environment.1 hour ago
HuffPost PoliticsHuckabee's Huck Pac In Turmoil With StaffTurnover, Mounting Debts - Former Arkansas Gov.Mike Huckabee's political action committee, HuckPac, is undergoing a "restructuring," ExecutiveDirector Sarah Huckabee said Wednesday....2 hours ago
Ben SmithGoing small - My story tonight: President BarackObama came alive about 50 minutes intoWednesday night’s news conference – whensomebo2 hours ago
FiredoglakeLate Late Night FDL: What Eclipse? - A new videofrom Fatoumata Diawara, and and oldie from Bob.2 hours ago
Daily KosOpen Thread and Diary Rescue - *Today, srkp23(pulling a double shift), ybruti, taylormattd,ItsJessMe and vcmvo2 combed through hundredsof diaries to find this powerful list. Today's...3 hours agoJ O H N ' S P H OT O S
Show AllA M E R I C A B L O G T V
Sharon Rivkin, MA, MFTArguing? Husband or Wife Cheated?3 steps to resolution or moving on.sharonrivkin.comCounseling - EmotionalJan Footlik - Professional LicensedOnline Counselorwww.janfootlik.comMental Health CEUsInstant Credit for OnDemand Audio,Video, Podcasts & Webcastsonline.pesi.com
Next 6AMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: Kudos...http://www.americablog.com/2005/07/kudos-to-paula-zahn-now...
1 of 57/23/09 3:56 AM
Visit our AMERICAblog TV site.see all 322 videos >I collect with
vodpod
In honor of SenatorDeMint
For the GOPers, healthcare is politics. They just
Traditional media has todebunk the birthers
One small step...
The right-wing media, thevoices of the GOP, inAMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: Kudos...http://www.americablog.com/2005/07/kudos-to-paula-zahn-now...
2 of 57/23/09 3:56 AM
The TreatmentObama Has a Grown-UpTalk With America(Gulp)3 hours agoEzra KleinTab Dump8 hours agoWonk RoomSen. Byron Dorgan:The ‘Trade’ InCap-And-Trade ‘MakesNo Sense To Me’9 hours agoHealth BeatTruth Squad: WallStreet Journal HealthCare Editorial Wrong onthe Facts . . .10 hours agoDaily DoseProviders Endorse 'Payfor Value' ProposalsG AY P O L I T I C S
Visit our new gay politicssection, AMERICAblog Gay.F E E D S
Blog RSS
AMERICAblog TV RSS
Twitter RSSTwitter Feed
Get the blog by email:
Subscribe me!
Top AdAdvertise in this spot.H E A LT H C A R ER E F O R MAMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: Kudos...http://www.americablog.com/2005/07/kudos-to-paula-zahn-now...
3 of 57/23/09 3:56 AM
S E A R C H
AMERICAblog
Web
SearchS E N D U S T I P S &C O M M E N T Samericablog@starpower.netB L O G A R C H I V E
Blog ArchiveS I T E S W E L I K EAir America RadioAlan Colmes' blogAri Melber (The Nation)Ben SmithBicycleMark's blog &podcastBilericoBradBlogBring It OnCarrie FisherCrooks and LiarsDailyKosDan Savage's "Slog"Daou ReportDemocratic UndergroundEschatonEzra KleinFire Dog LakeFiveThirtyEight.comFreeway BloggerThe Gavel (SpeakerPelosi's blog)Good As YouGlenn GreenwaldHoly Bullies and HeadlessMonstersHuffington PostHullabaloo (Digby)Jack and Jill PoliticsJed ReportJesus' GeneralKenneth in the 212Margaret and HelenMatthew GrossMedia MattersMike Signorile's "The Gist"MudflatsMyDDOpen LeftPlum LinePolitical Punch (JakeTapper)Political WirePolitics 1Pop SurfingProgressive Blog DigestQueers UnitedRawStoryRex WocknerRude PunditSmirking ChimpTalk LeftTappedTaylor MarshThink ProgressTowleRoadVetVoice.comWashington NoteWayneBesen.comWonketteWorth Repeating
N E W S L I N K SUSWashington PostNYTAP PoliticsReuters PoliticsRasmussen PollsTimeNewsweekRoll CallThe HillABCNews
P L E A S E S U P P O RTA M E R I C A B L O GOne-time donation$
Recurring monthlydonation$
Donations are nottax-deductible.L A B E L S
Select a labelL A S T 1 0 0 V I S I T O R SRecent Visitors
A B O U TA M E R I C A B L O GWhy AMERICAblog?Because a great nationdeserves the truth.What issues do youcover?US politics overall with aparticular focus on theObama Administration, theradical right, and civilrights.Who are you?John AravosisEditorWashington, DCJoe SudbayDeputy EditorWashington, DCChris RyanAssociate EditorParis, FranceRobert ArenaContributing EditorBaltimore, MarylandJacki SchechnerContributing EditorWashington, DCAMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: Kudos...http://www.americablog.com/2005/07/kudos-to-paula-zahn-now...
4 of 57/23/09 3:56 AM
© 2009 - John Aravosis | Design maintenance by Jason RosenbaumSend me your tips: americablog@starpower.netAMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: Kudos...http://www.americablog.com/2005/07/kudos-to-paula-zahn-now...
5 of 57/23/09 3:56 AM