“The Clock Was Ticking:” How CNN’s Anderson Cooper Landed Exclusive With Autism “Fraud” Doctor

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by Mark Joyella | 5:03 pm, January 6th, 2011

» 15 comments

It was the big breaking news of the night, and only CNN’s Anderson Cooper had the key interview–the man at the center of the story: Dr. Andrew Wakefield, whose infamous study linking childhood vaccines to autism had just been declared an intentional “fraud” by a British medical journal.

At the top of AC360, Cooper had the story–and the “get.” What followed was an at times bruising interview via Skype–exactly the kind of newsy, tough “Keeping Them Honest” segment that CNN boss Ken Jautz said he wanted to see when he was named to the CNN post last year.

So how did Cooper end up with the exclusive? He says it was simply good old fashioned hustle on the part of AC360 staffers, who relentlessly worked contacts and leads Wednesday evening, trying to track down the doctor to convince him to do an interview.

“Our team tracked down Dr. Wakefield’s family, who told us he was in Jamaica and would try to reach him regarding our request for an interview,” Cooper told Mediaite. Not long after, a phone call came in from Dr. Wakefield’s wife, saying the embattled doctor indeed was willing to talk–but he could only spare thirty minutes to do so.

“The clock was ticking,” said Cooper, who’s team scrambled trying to find a way to get the doctor in front of a camera for the exclusive. Producers in New York quickly realized it wasn’t going to happen. “There were no satellite uplinks available that quickly, so we convinced him to talk to us over Skype from his laptop.”

The result–an interview that was great television and broke news on the main story of the night, forcing competitors to mention the doctor’s comments as coming from “an interview with CNN.” It’s worth watching.

Watch it here, from CNN:

anderson cooper, autism study, CNN, doctor, Dr. Andrew Wakefield, exclusive interview, Ken Jautz, Skype

Atticus Draco

The result–an interview that was great television and broke news on the main story of the night, forcing competitors to mention the doctor’s comments as coming from “an interview with CNN.” It’s worth watching.

Apparently is was worth 2 stories here on MEDIAite today
http://www.facebook.com/people/Ed-Lascar/100000889579338 Ed Lascar

Cooper is good tv almost all the time.
Kudos!
libra blue

Time and energy well spent. Great idea to have Dr. Sanjay Gupta on as well. Let’s hope AC360 learned something from this. Unfortunately, they also have been wasting a lot of time on Michael Jackson’s death which should be left to HLN.

I hope they follow up on this and not just let it fade out of the headlines.
Just4thefax

Atticus Draco said:
Apparently is was worth 2 stories here on MEDIAite today

Fact: This is the encore Mediaite story sice the first one had so much applause!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpFyotNZorQ&NR=1
tatboy

Let’s not forget that children have DIED due to this nonsence. Larry King had Jenny McCarthy on with the head of WHO and a leading pediatric MD some time ago… I was shocked and ashamed. Maybe this redeams CNN a little, put they have a lot of damage to undo. One couple actually won a lawsuit against a vaccine maker. Everyone connected to spreading this misinformation and junk science has blood on their hands.
FearMonger

That asshole has blood on his hands. How many kids went without immunizations because of this dirtbags bought and paid for misinformation? How many of them got sick and died from a PREVENTABLE illness?
tatboy

If you don’t believe me about Larry King… YouTube it… seriously.
FearMonger

tatboy said:
Let’s not forget that children have DIED due to this nonsence. Larry King had Jenny McCarthy on with the head of WHO and a leading pediatric MD some time ago… I was shocked and ashamed. Maybe this redeams CNN a little, put they have a lot of damage to undo. One couple actually won a lawsuit against a vaccine maker. Everyone connected to spreading this misinformation and junk science has blood on their hands.

great minds bro….
Grammie

This was over 40 years ago but I still remember it vividly.

My kids’ first pediatrician was an immigrant from Honduras. She had married an American and after coming here qualified to practice medicine.

As a new mother I questioned her about the benefits vs the risks (yes it was already starting back then).

She was totally passionate any risk is miniscule compared to the diseases the vaccines protect against. As she put it “if you American mothers had seen the suffering from these diseases and the dead children we wouldn’t even think of putting our children at such risk”.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Ed-Lascar/100000889579338 Ed Lascar

That’s a very sensitive issue for parents of kids with autism…or even for others mental diseases they have to deal.

I saw parents, grasping for anything, for any idea that put the blame away from his genes..or wrong behavior that they have made. When someone could be responsible , or a vaccine, for the damage they are eager to accept that. It’s an inconscient trick.

This studies of Dr. Wakefield is milking the cow of parents’ fears.
tatboy

Color Me Badd said:
I know you aren’t lying I watched it last night. All of them should be ashamed of themselves, you know what I mean Tat?

Yes, I do. I deal with the repercusions of this disaster everyday. CNN and others have no idea the damage they have done.
ChiliPeppersFan

i am so glad to read that people, no matter what they feel politically, can come together and agree on such terrible blight committed by this despicable doctor.
as i said in the first story, if it is shown that his motivation for doing this was money or some kind of professional recognition, he should be set off on a deserted island somewhere and injected with every virus that he put children at risk of getting.

i’m a big fan of don imus, i listen to him every morning and i know he was an advocate for autistic children. i’m not positive, but i believe he might have come off his belief in the link between vaccines and autism…at least he hasn’t been as vocal as his wife has been and she needs to come on his show to tell how wrong she has been.
Fused

Good job Coop.
http://www.squidoo.com/lauriebethsgrotto Laurie Beth

Well done, 360 team. Awesome work.
nessarata

How was this good work by Cooper? He didn’t even let the man talk! I don’t understand how reporters ask to have someone on their show when they don’t even let them answer their questions. Cooper didn’t do his homework bottom line and the work found by Brian Deer was fraudulent. They really need to do their research. Mainstream media needs to take a look at their practices and really make a change. It’s really a shame.