Who Runs the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette? Whose Feet Are the Editors Kissing?

I comment pretty regularly at a blog run by a "public health" doctor who is thinking through his position on workplace smoking bans. He's for them. But he's beginning to worry that the Tobacco Control movement is losing its integrity as it gains influence. But who cares? Far more interesting is a response that one of my comments generated. 

It came from Bill Godshall, a longtime proponent of workplace smoking bans and executive director of SmokeFree Pennsylvania.

I did some complaining about a specific editorial in the Erie Times-News. And I said the Post-Gazette had a habit of running editorials that were even worse. Well, here's part of Godshall's response (emphasis added):

Per Sam's comment about PA newspaper editorials criticizing the PA Senate for exempting casinos, some bars and nonprofit groups from the smokefree workplace legislation, and for preempting more protective local ordinances, I helped generate those editorials and much of the news coverage.

REALLY. That's odd. I wonder how the Post-Gazette would react if, say, The Marlboro Man were influencing the Tribune-Review's editorial meetings. Or generating the paper's NEWS COVERAGE of related events.

And I wonder how the Post-Gazette would respond if it learned that tobacco-friendly activists and lobbyists were making calls to legislators regarding the smoking ban. Oh, wait. We don't have to wonder at all. The paper would develop some disparaging remarks about "kissing the feet" of Big Tobacco, claim that the legislators in question were in the lobbyists' hip pocket, and otherwise claim that anyone opposed to the PG agenda was a sleazy backroom dealer.

Weird. Because now we learn that the other side's lobbyists, some of whom have their own deep-pocketed friends in Big Philanthropy, Big Pharma, etc., have been, you know, calling people too. People at the Post-Gazette and Erie Times-News.

And in this case, the activist in question is helping to "generate" not only editorial positions. But NEWS COVERAGE too.

Look. Maybe Godshall means something completely innocent when he says that he "helped generate" the editorials. Maybe he just made a call and gave a heads up about developments. Offered his take. And let the editors make up their own minds.

But if legislators can't do that without being labeled dishonest goons by the Post-Gazette, why can the editors? Why do they get to talk to lobbyist and activists and make up their own minds?

So I guess until they prove otherwise, we can assume that the editors of the Post-Gazette are on the take, kissing the feet and licking the boots of SmokeFree Pennsylvania's Bill Godshall.

Or wouldn't that be fair? If not, I think the Post-Gazette has some apologizing to do. To some legislators.

Last: Exactly how much influence did this guy actually have? To what extent is he driving news coverage and editorial positions? He brought it up. I'm just asking.

In the meantime, here is the blog post in question. I have a few comments, but the interesting one is way down. Like number 60 or 65. Godshall responds shortly thereafter. In fact, he might have responded again by the time you see this. So maybe he explained the situation aready.

Comments

[zak822]

I don't smoke. I oppose the smoking ban as it would apply to bars. I can understand it in offices and to a limited degree in resturants because smoke affects the taste of food.

I agree with much of what you've written about the anti-smoking movement in general and in Pa in particular.

Last, the questions you've raised about Godshall's involvement in editorial writing deserves clear answers from the PG and the Erie Times-News. Emphasis on the "clear".

[Jonathan Potts]

If there is any basis for a smoking ban, it would be to protect the health of workers--which isn't to say that I necessarily favor a ban. But I certainly don't believe that how smoke affects the taste of food is any basis for banning smoking from restaurants. No one has the right to a good-tasting meal.

[Nemo31]

"Kissing the Feet" Just take a look at all the money spent on adds from local hospitals, health care and Big Pharma. The local and national media are the ones with millions of reason to be "Kissing the Feet" of their pimps.