“The Gupta Effect” — Should journalist-MDs be center stage in Haiti coverage?
Now Dr. Gupta can be seen ministering to suffering earthquake victims in Haiti, along with the medical correspondents from other American television networks who also employ doctors as journalists. CBS has Jennifer Ashton, NBC Nancy Snyderman, and ABC Richard Besser, all doctors, and all have provided medical assistance while covering the situation in Haiti. The Washington Post dubbed it “The Gupta Effect.”
No one would question the duty for doctors to treat the injured after a humanitarian disaster, and Sanjay didn’t go looking for patients, he just answered the call when the military came “paging Dr. Gupta.”
Dr. Sanjay Gupta
In The Washington Post story, media writer Paul Fahri quotes Stephen J. A. Ward, director of the Center for Journalism Ethics at the University of Wisconsin, as asking “Is this compassion or is it congratulations? It’s almost as if the networks are saying, ‘Look at our correspondent down there.’ It gives me an uncomfortable, queasy feeling.”
It’s one thing for the medical reporters, overwhelmed by the enormity of the tragedy before them, and aware they have unique skills that could help, to be doctors first. The line seems to be crossed when television networks decide to showcase the heroics of their own personnel in a way that smacks of self-promotion. Will we end up with a competition between network correspondents over who can save the most lives? The answer would seem for doctors — who happen to be also reporters — to pick one role or the other. If they perform medical services, they might consider recusing themselves from reporting on that. Or limit the on-air coverage to what would constitute a story if a non-celebrity doctor were involved. It’s a judgment call, but the question is do the doctors just want to help, or are they seeking to create favorable publicity for themselves and their networks.
For a quite while now news organizations in general, and television in particular, have rejected the once generally accepted standard that reporters should not make themselves part of a story. Gary Trudeau skewered this trend brilliantly in a 2005 Doonesbury cartoon in which fictitional TV correspondent Roland Hedley, covering the aftermath of Katrina declares, “It isn’t just about the story, it’s about my relationship to the story.”
Anderson Cooper Rescues Young Boy — Jan 18, 2010
The truth is journalism has changed. It’s much personal and personality-driven than a decade or so ago. It hard to criticize a reporter puts being a decent, caring, empathetic human being ahead of practicing some unattainable goal of “objective” journalism. And Haiti is a story that pulls unceasingly at one’s heartstrings. I’m not there, but I can just imagine the emotions that any decent person would feel bearing witness to all that suffering. The desire to do something, anything, to help would be overwhelming. (Read Katie Couric’s firsthand account in the Huffington Post).
And since cameras are ubiquitous and follow the reporters everywhere, it’s inevitable that they will capture dramatic images of journalists going above and beyond the call of journalism. Viewers understand and expect reporters to be human. But reporters should also be aware, that if they get too caught up in their own adventures, they risk becoming reality show stars, and losing the credibility that so vital when they go back to their other job: journalism.
Should TV Doctors stay out of the limelight?
Total Votes: 165
Tags: ABC, CBS, CNN, Doctors, Haiti, Journalists, NBC
Comments (11)
-1
Sebastian · 177 weeks ago
To: Jamie McIntyre ~ I always watched with great interest each day as
you reported from the Pentagon and on the front lines as a correspondent
for CNN. When viewers saw your live and taped reports, we all knew we
were getting the very best news, reports, and stories from your own
eyes. I read the Washington Post report that you linked here and you
both are so very old school in your views on today's journalist and how
they are reporting the news during a very unique humanitarian situation
that would never have been reported on live TV 20 or 30 years ago the
way it is being done today. There are so many new tools that give the
journalist the ability to report live while seeing a real need to help
if they feel they have the God-given ability to do so. Mr. McIntyre, in
your reporting of Dr. Sanjay Gupta, you sound like an immature and
jealous high school boy with your showering of sarcastic compliments in
your first paragraph with words so grandiose like superstar, telegenic,
dashing, and doctor-in-chief and you were completely disrespectful
to insinuate that the reason he turned down the "honor to serve his
nation" were for a "far more lucrative" reason. Would you have given up a
great job during your time at CNN to "serve" as Pentagon Press
Secretary if you were asked by President Clinton or Bush? Your
"high-profile" biography says No, you would not ~ "Internationally known
for his high-profile role as CNN’s Senior Pentagon and Military
Affairs Correspondent from 1992 to 2008, McIntyre draws on his extensive
firsthand inside knowledge to offer insights on both the military and
the media." This new story is not about Haiti. The country of Haiti can
be reported on from New York and Washington D.C. with a map that you can
put in front of a camera from reporters that are still "old school".
This new story is about individual people living and dying in a country
that needs so much help from other more capable people from other
countries including medical journalists.
+1
Fredrick · 177 weeks ago
Fredrick: I completely agree with Sebastian. I don't think Dr. Gupta
turned down the US Surgeon Generals post to stay at CNN for the money. I
think he realized how political the US Public Health position is. I
think Dr. Gupta is doing a great job and is not only an asset to CNN but
to America also. His assignments on TV are informative, factual and
most of all when he doesn't know, he says so instead of the spin. But he
also states he will find the answer. One thing of note in the Jamie
McIntyre's article, he completely left out Fox and it's medical team. A
team of 5 nationally renowned physicians covering most areas of medical
speciality. Is this part of the media bias? You make the call!
0
LCDR ED MURNANE · 177 weeks ago
Dr. Gupta and Anderson Cooper should be presented the highest national
honors for not only placing themselves in places of maximum danger and
contageous diseases, but administering to the dying so that lives might
be saved. Dr. Gupta has made it quite clear several times that he is
first and foremost a neuro- surgeon with a collateral position as a
reporter to the American public. He was flownto the aircraft carrier to
remove schrapnel from a young girl's head because there were no
specialists on board and had to improvise medical instuments to perform
the operation. He was attending to over 25 critical survivors in Hati
when the Belgian doctors abandoned the location at night because of
"security concerns" He was left there virtually all alone throughout the
night to treat and keep the survivors alive. equipment that followed.
NO MATTER WHAT OCCUPATION, ONE IS DUTY BOUND IN THE SAVING OF LIVES
WHERMOST IMPORTANTLY, DR. GUPTA AND ANDERSON COOPER ITEMIZED THE FIRST
RESPONDER ABSOLUTELY VITAL ITEMS THAT WERE NOT AVAILABLE AND DESPARTELY
NEEDED ALONG WITH THE COMPLETE LACK OF COMMAND AND ORGANIZATION.
+1
jamie · 177 weeks ago
Jamie responds..
Sebastian you make some good points, and you are right on at least two things:
1. When I was CNN's Senior Pentagon Correspondent, you are right I probably would not have given up my assignment to become Pentagon spokesperson. Being a government spokesman is a difficult job, I and have great respect for those who do it well. The spokesman's job requires you to defend an administrations policies whether you believe in them our not. That can be a difficult transition for a journalist. The fact is I had a much better, and honestly, yes, a much better paying job in my chosen field, journalism not public relations. By the way I think Sanjay made the right choice in turning down the Surgeon General's post. He's better qualified for what he's doing now, and has far more impact. Can you even name the Surgeon General now?
2. I re-read my description of Sanjay, and agree it could come off as sarcastic, and perhaps a bit snarky. That's not how I intended it. Sanjay Gupta is probably THE preeminent TV medical correspondent in the world, and it's certainly not his fault that legions of admirers also see him as a sex symbol. As for me being jealous, any time one reporter (or former reporter) raises questions about how the media do their jobs it runs the risk of looking like professional jealousy. But it would like me being jealous of say, George Clooney. The fact is I don't have the skills Sanjay has ("Journalism," as many have observed "is not brain surgery.") If were jealous of everyone more famous, better paid, and better looking than me, I would be permanently depressed.
That said, I DO disagree with you comparison to my fly-along over Haiti. Reporters often give firsthand accounts. In fact "bearing witness" is one the primary duties of a news reporter. And as I have said, times have changed and it’s a well accepted practice for journalists to report on their experience covering the story, as well as the story itself. I did that myself as a reporter at CNN. It can be overdone, but it can also be done smartly. CNN does it pretty good. But in the Haiti flyover I wasn't flying the plane, or helping to carry out the mission. I was an observer who did nothing to affect the outcome in anyway.
The question for medical correspondents is, when they decide they need to be a doctor and not a journalist, how do they reconcile those two roles? As I said in my piece, we expect reporters to be human beings first and journalists second in times of great tragedy and when lives are at stake. The question is how much coverage should the doctors, or their employers, give to their own heroics, or should let someone else tell their stories.
It was a question for discussion, not an indictment of any of the amazing medical journalists in Haiti. Thanks God there were ther and could make a difference.
And as for leaving off the Fox medical team. That was simply my ignorance. I didn't know about them, because I didn't see any of their coverage. Maybe they are not getting the coverage they deserve, or maybe they are downplaying it, or maybe I just missed it.
Sebastian you make some good points, and you are right on at least two things:
1. When I was CNN's Senior Pentagon Correspondent, you are right I probably would not have given up my assignment to become Pentagon spokesperson. Being a government spokesman is a difficult job, I and have great respect for those who do it well. The spokesman's job requires you to defend an administrations policies whether you believe in them our not. That can be a difficult transition for a journalist. The fact is I had a much better, and honestly, yes, a much better paying job in my chosen field, journalism not public relations. By the way I think Sanjay made the right choice in turning down the Surgeon General's post. He's better qualified for what he's doing now, and has far more impact. Can you even name the Surgeon General now?
2. I re-read my description of Sanjay, and agree it could come off as sarcastic, and perhaps a bit snarky. That's not how I intended it. Sanjay Gupta is probably THE preeminent TV medical correspondent in the world, and it's certainly not his fault that legions of admirers also see him as a sex symbol. As for me being jealous, any time one reporter (or former reporter) raises questions about how the media do their jobs it runs the risk of looking like professional jealousy. But it would like me being jealous of say, George Clooney. The fact is I don't have the skills Sanjay has ("Journalism," as many have observed "is not brain surgery.") If were jealous of everyone more famous, better paid, and better looking than me, I would be permanently depressed.
That said, I DO disagree with you comparison to my fly-along over Haiti. Reporters often give firsthand accounts. In fact "bearing witness" is one the primary duties of a news reporter. And as I have said, times have changed and it’s a well accepted practice for journalists to report on their experience covering the story, as well as the story itself. I did that myself as a reporter at CNN. It can be overdone, but it can also be done smartly. CNN does it pretty good. But in the Haiti flyover I wasn't flying the plane, or helping to carry out the mission. I was an observer who did nothing to affect the outcome in anyway.
The question for medical correspondents is, when they decide they need to be a doctor and not a journalist, how do they reconcile those two roles? As I said in my piece, we expect reporters to be human beings first and journalists second in times of great tragedy and when lives are at stake. The question is how much coverage should the doctors, or their employers, give to their own heroics, or should let someone else tell their stories.
It was a question for discussion, not an indictment of any of the amazing medical journalists in Haiti. Thanks God there were ther and could make a difference.
And as for leaving off the Fox medical team. That was simply my ignorance. I didn't know about them, because I didn't see any of their coverage. Maybe they are not getting the coverage they deserve, or maybe they are downplaying it, or maybe I just missed it.
+1
Jamie, Great to meet you at lunch in Orlando.
re: MDs & TV: If memory serves, Bob Arnot was a physician and medical reporter at NBC. He then moved to general assignment at Nightly News, as he was tired of the purely medical beat.
During the Isaq invasion, he was embedded with some US troops. Have seen the video when he was taping a standup during combat operations, after the invasion began but before it was concluded.
As he was doing his script straight to camera, he was distracted by something off to his left. At the same time, the audio picked up a helicopter, but it didn't sound right.
You then heard a strange sound, (it was a crumpled crash,) soon followed by a medic yelling, "Doctor Bob, Doctor Bob! It crashed! Please come help!"
Arnot dropped the mike and ran off camera.
Later it became known that all aboard had died in the crash.
Not all ends well.
re: MDs & TV: If memory serves, Bob Arnot was a physician and medical reporter at NBC. He then moved to general assignment at Nightly News, as he was tired of the purely medical beat.
During the Isaq invasion, he was embedded with some US troops. Have seen the video when he was taping a standup during combat operations, after the invasion began but before it was concluded.
As he was doing his script straight to camera, he was distracted by something off to his left. At the same time, the audio picked up a helicopter, but it didn't sound right.
You then heard a strange sound, (it was a crumpled crash,) soon followed by a medic yelling, "Doctor Bob, Doctor Bob! It crashed! Please come help!"
Arnot dropped the mike and ran off camera.
Later it became known that all aboard had died in the crash.
Not all ends well.
0
CKavo · 177 weeks ago
Well, they're still journalists. I'd say it's great they're helping but
lay down the cameras completely and I'll be more impressed this isn't
all about them and the damned ratings.
0
helmetfoot · 177 weeks ago
Does everything haave to be questioned? Why can't we all just mind our
own business. It doesn't matter one wit if Gupta is or isn't a tv star.
What matters is his skill and his desire to help. He helps on both
counts.
Let's myob for a while and stickto the event being reported not the reporter
Let's myob for a while and stickto the event being reported not the reporter
0
Shawmut · 177 weeks ago
Nothing is more alienating than doctors doing ego-trips on media. The
country grew-up and dumbed down for three generations of Gneral
Hospital, already.
As an answer to who is more important God or a doctor, someone said, "God would not want to be a doctor." Maybe they're just jealous of such great humanitarians as Paris Hilton or PeeWee Herman.
As an answer to who is more important God or a doctor, someone said, "God would not want to be a doctor." Maybe they're just jealous of such great humanitarians as Paris Hilton or PeeWee Herman.
+1
It is encouraging that we ask these questions!! Journalists should
report what happens, and if they are involved in it (often not by their
own preferences) it seems reasonable to report that. Embedded reporters
tell us what they have seen and experienced. Hopefully the reporter
would stop before giving some evaluation - they should not say that they
did a great job (or a bad one!). But they should say "the folks here
are hot!" since they experience it as well.
0
Vicsr · 176 weeks ago
I applaud the Journalist / Reporters for their great work in Haiti! I
could care less if they report on their efforts as doctors as part of
the journalism because I don't think any of them is even thinking about
ratings - they are thinking about saving lives in a situation where
their unique skills were required. I have mainly watched Sanjay Gupta
& the cameras showing him being a doctor brought home the immense
problems in dealing with one of the greatest tragedies in human history.
Each & every one of the doctor / journalists deserves the highest
praise being doctors first & for giving us a first-hand, close-up
look at the results of the quake as journalists - a far better insight
than could have been gained by a mere interview of a doctor on scene.
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