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ABC will air its take on the possibility of a mutation of
the H5N1 virus that is transmittable from human to human
in its made-for-TV movie Fatal Contact: Bird Flu in America
tonight at 8 p.m./ 7 p.m. CST.
According to a press release issued by ABC, the film was
"meticulously researched" and John M. Barry, a visiting
scholar at Tulane University and author of the book "The
Great Influenza: The Story of the Deadliest Pandemic in
History," which includes an afterword on avian flu, served
as a consultant on the project.
The press release also included a disclaimer, noting, "This
film is a fictional examination of the question: What if?"
California Poultry Federation president Bill Mattos asked
ABC to refrain from broadcasting the movie, writing in a
letter to the company, "Frankly, we wish that you would
pull thus irresponsible movie out of your programming altogether."
ABC declined the request.
National Chicken Council spokesman Richard L. Lobb asked
ABC to air disclaimers at the beginning and end of the film.
ABC will be airing the disclaimers, but ABC told The Associated
Press that the move was of its own accord. "It's being done
because we're responsible broadcasters," ABC Vice President
of Corporate Initiatives Brad Jamison said.
But even the Hollywood paper of record, Daily Variety ,
lacked faith in the flu film. In a review on Monday, writer
Brian Lowry noted that "ABC News recently aired a series
of reports seeking to separate fact from fiction regarding
the threat of an avian flu pandemic, but the entertainment
division adopts the 'Let's scare the hell out of everyone
strategy.'"
Editor's Note: A commentary written by
POULTRY Executive Editor Yvonne Vizzier Thaxton in response
to the movie will be available on Meatingplace.com
on Wednesday. |
