smoke in the eyeWhy did CBS and ABC back off from exposes on the tobacco industry?
a talk with lowell bergman

He worked on the cancelled "60 Minutes" report and is portrayed by Al Pacino in the movie "The Insider"
anatomy of a decision

A detailed chronology of events leading up to, and following, the CBS decision not to air the Wigand interview
interviews

Media analysts discuss networks' corporate interests vs. the integrity of their news divisions
trail of b&w tobacco documents

Which media outlets got the secret tobacco industry letters and memos?
webumentary

A "Docu-Drama in Three Acts," on three decades of internal tobacco industry documents
readings

Including "60 Minutes'" originally-shelved report and ABC's apology to Philip Morris
talk
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talk with lowell bergman | anatomy of a decision | interviews | trail of the b&w documents | webumentary | readings | join the discussion
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Smoke in the Eye

FRONTLINE investigates the war between network news and the tobacco industry in the wake of the $10 billion libel suit against ABC and the controversial decision by CBS not to allow 60 MINUTES to air an explosive interview with a tobacco company whistle-blower. As media companies increasingly come under the control of large corporations, will their newsrooms continue to aggressively report on corporate America?

published april 1996


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