The world according to Monsanto : pollution, corruption, and

the bovine growth hormone affair, part two 119smile, “and this refusal surprised me, so convinced was I that the agencymust have had good reasons for approving a drug that seemed very dangerous,so much so that Steve and I decided to give only organic milk to ourdaughter Alix.”In the meantime, New World Communications of Tampa, and along withit Channel 13, had been bought by Fox News, owned by Rupert Murdoch,the Australian American press baron noted for his very commercial and conservativeconception of journalism.When the editing was completed, the couple showed the report to DanielWebster, the news director, who was enthusiastic. He decided to broadcast itin four parts and to promote it with an expensive radio advertising campaign.The first broadcast was set for Monday, February 24, 1997, in prime time.“The Friday before the broadcast we were called into Daniel Webster’s office,and he handed us a letter that had been faxed,” Akre said. “It was signedby John Walsh, a partner in the prominent New York law firm CadwaladerWickersham & Taft, and addressed to Roger Ailes, the CEO of Fox News”:“I write to bring to your attention a situation of great concern to Monsantoinvolving your recently acquired, owned and operated station in Tampa,Florida,” the letter began, even though Walsh had never seen the report.“Serious questions arise about [the] objectivity [of your reporters] and[their] capacity for reporting on this highly complex scientific subject. . . .The fact is that every scientific, medical, or regulatory body in the worldwhich has reviewed and approved this product has come to the same conclusion:milk from rBST treated cows poses no risk to human health. . . .There is a lot at stake in what is going on in Florida, not only for Monsanto,but also for Fox News and its owner, as well as for the American people anda world population that can benefit significantly from the use of rBST andother products of agricultural biotechnology.” Then, aware of the recipient’ssore points, Monsanto’s lawyer pointed out that the conduct of the twoTampa journalists was all the more regrettable because it was occurring“shortly after the verdict in the Food Lion case.” The subtext: Be careful, becausethe same thing could happen to you.**In 1992, the program Prime Time on ABC News had broadcast a report showing employees of theFood Lion chain, filmed on hidden camera, mixing ground beef past its expiration date with freshmeat. Following the broadcast, the price of Food Lion shares had collapsed, and almost one hundredstores had been forced to close. The company sued ABC News and at trial won $5.5 million in damages.The verdict had caused serious worries in the country’s newsrooms (the damages were reducedon appeal to $2).