WTVT anchor, producers subpoenaed
By ERIC DEGGANS
© St. Petersburg Times, published September 11, 1998
TVT-Ch. 13 anchor Kathy Fountain and two producers at the Tampa station were subpoenaed Thursday by former investigative reporters Jane Akre and Steve Wilson, who allege the station canceled an interview scheduled for Fountain's weekday Your Turn talk segment this week over concerns that it might anger chemical manufacturing giant Monsanto.
Fountain and producer Angela Schultz received subpoenas at the station Thursday, for a deposition Sept. 21 as part of an ongoing lawsuit filed by Akre and Wilson against the station in April. Your Turn producer Cynthia Simmons was also subpoenaed. The couple, who are married, say WTVT fired them in December when they wouldn't support attempts to soften a four-part investigative report on concerns about another Monsanto product, the synthetic bovine growth hormone Posilac.
Wilson says WTVT's decision Tuesday to cancel an interview with Mary Nash Stoddard -- a critic of artificial sweeteners that contain the chemical aspartame, including the Monsanto-made NutraSweet -- shows the station's continuing fear of litigation from the company.
"This shows a clear pattern of special treatment," said Wilson, a former reporter for Inside Edition before joining WTVT in November 1996. "If you want to say something construed as negative to Monsanto, you can't get on."
Officials at WTVT denied Wilson's contentions,saying the segment was canceled when producers couldn't find someone to balance Stoddard's position that the use of products containing aspartame can be dangerous.
"We weren't aware of the Monsanto connection (to NutraSweet) until after we decided to cancel the segment," Fountain said. "(Wilson's) account is completely erroneous. We had always told (Stoddard) we weren't comfortable doing it if it wasn't balanced."
Instead, viewers of Your Turn on Tuesday saw Fountain's husband, WTVT anchor Frank Robertson, and Baseball Hall of Famer Al Lopez discuss Mark McGwire's attempt to break Roger Maris' home run record -- which he did. "He (Wilson) is just trying to disrupt the news organization at WTVT," said attorney Pat Anderson, who is representing the station in the lawsuit. Anderson, whose firm also represents the Times on First Amendment issues, says she plans to depose Wilson and Akre for two to three weeks beginning Monday.
"This has happened before to me," said Stoddard, who maintains Schultz told her the segment was canceled after a meeting with the station's attorneys -- a statement Fountain and other executives at WTVT also deny. "We get excuses and run into brick walls because people are afraid."
But Simmons denies all of Wilson and Stoddard's assertions. "We did not have a meeting with any attorneys. I just didn't think it was the right thing to do (put on Stoddard) ... because I didn't have the other side."
Artificial Sweetener [Aspartame, Advantame, Neotame, Canderel, AminoSweet, tm NutraSweet tm Equal], information from the files of Mary Nash Stoddard's Aspartame Consumer Safety Network - based in Dallas TX since 1987. Includes Scientific Research and other documentation showing the reported risk factors associated with use of these toxic aspartame-based sweeteners in humans.
BIO Mary Nash Stoddard on Twitter
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PRESENTING: MARY NASH STODDARD - Co-Founder of the massive international anti-aspartame movement in the mid 1980's, following the brain tumor death of her forty two year old husband, Mike. Ms. Stoddard suffered a life threatening aspartame-related blood disorder in 1985, whereupon, The NutraSweet Co. offered her an all-expense paid vacation for two anywhere in the world, if she would agree to be tested by their doctors. She declined, with the blessing of her doctor, and the rest is history. She has conducted multi-national lecture tours and is a popular visiting professor at colleges, universities and medical schools. "Deadly Deception - Story of Aspartame" is a toxicology sourcebook, edited by Ms. Stoddard, documenting the harmful effects of the world's most toxic artificial sweetener. The companion one hour "Deadly Deception" video is further documentation - taped at a prestigious scientific conference. Stoddard's efforts, over more than two decades, led to the present rejection of the sweetener by many of the food and beverage giants of industry, as they rush to distance themselves from the liabilities associated with use of a neuro-toxic substance in their products. She has testified in court as an Expert Medical Witness and like her counterpart, Erin Brokovitch, helped with a number of lawsuits on behalf of consumers. Her powerful message has reached millions around the world through the airwaves on radio and television, in print and through popular personal appearances.
Honors, Awards, Societies:
• Expert Medical Witness [1992-present]
* Guest Presenter Gulf War Veterans Annual Conference - [Las Vegas 1999]
* Visiting Professor: U. T. Southwestern Medical School [1997]
* Visiting Professor: American University School of Journalism [1999]
* Visiting Professor: University of North Texas at Denton Dept. of Science [1990 and 2005]
• Visiting Professor: University of Houston Bioneers Conference [2006]
* Invited speaker: Hebrew Univ. Jerusalem - [1997]
* Keynote speech: Mexican Government's Annual Conference on Sweeteners [1999]
* Appointed Judge - State of Texas [1977-1984]
* Broadcast Journalist - [1965-present]
* President's Council on Food Safety - [1998-1999]
* International Lecture Tours - [1996-present]
* Testimony Senate Committee Hearing on Safety of Aspartame - Washington [1987]
* Panelist at National News Conference Announcing Dr. John Olney's Brain Tumor/Aspartame Connection - Washington D.C. [1998]
* Inducted Member Texas Radio Hall of Fame [2002-present]
Representative of the Texas Rice Growers Association [Miss Rice]
Board member: Irving Symphony Orchestra
Board Member: Irving Community Theater
Founding Board Member Radio Station KNON [public radio], Dallas
Charter member City of Dallas Citizens Safety Committee
Board Member Dallas Mayor’s Fee Task Force
Vice President Operation Get Involved, [liaison committee of the D.P.D.]
Board member Dallas Homeowners League
President Save Open Space
Texas Steering Committee Presidential Election
Award for Public Service - Mexican Government
State of Texas Board of Adjustment
