Provide names of other journalists involved.
Bridget Huber, a staff writer at FairWarning, reported the story.
List date(s) this work was published or aired.
August 23, 2012 (FairWarning publication date)
Provide a brief synopsis of the story or stories, including any significant findings.
This story looks at the efforts by the $4.9 billion indoor tanning industry to defend itself against mounting evidence of the harm caused by sunbeds. The story documents the industry’s attempts to discredit doctors and cancer experts, mislead customers, portray tanning indoors as healthful and cultivate a grass-roots network of pro-tanning activists to promote sunbeds and fight attempts at greater regulation. It also exposes the links between the indoor tanning industry and an network of nonprofit Vitamin D advocacy groups that promote the vitamin as a panacea for ailments ranging from breast cancer to autism, though evidence for these claims is inconclusive at best. These groups push sunbeds as a healthy way to get the vitamin, often without disclosing their industry ties.
Explain types of documents, data or Internet resources used. Were FOI or public records act requests required? How did this affect the work?
The indoor tanning industry’s own publications and promotional materials were key. These included trade magazines, Internet message boards, pro-tanning websites and employee training materials. Huber posted on Internet message boards for melanoma patients, as well, which helped me connect with some skin cancer survivors and a former tanning salon worker. She used tax documents to uncover the links between non-profit groups that promote tanning as a source of vitamin D and the indoor tanning industry. She read scientific papers about the tanning industry and skin cancer as well as a report from Democrats on the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Data from the market research firm IBISWorld informed Huber’s understanding of the industry’s scale, growth trajectory and major players. She relied on the Center for Responsive Politics’ information on the industry’s lobbying and campaign contributions and information from the National Conference of State Legislatures on state laws and regulations.
Explain types of human sources used.
Huber interviewed representatives for indoor tanning industry trade groups, a salon owner and a former salon employee. She spoke to melanoma survivors, cancer researchers and dermatologists. She also interviewed experts on tactics used by the tobacco industry as well as an executive from a prominent public relations firm about the steps that industries take to try to counter health concerns.
Results:
The story was widely followed; more than a dozen news outlets including The Atlantic, PBS NewsHour and USA Today blogged about the article or interviewed Huber about her story. A researcher presenting at the 2012 American Public Health Association annual meeting also cited findings from the story. The tanning industry was unhappy with the story, while it pointed out no factual errors, lawyers for a leading trade group succeeded in pressuring the host of FairWarning’s website to shut down the site until excerpts from employee training videos acquired by Huber were removed.
Follow-up (if any). Have you run a correction or clarification on the report or has anyone come forward to challenge its accuracy? If so, please explain.
None.
Advice to other journalists planning a similar story or project.
While reporting this story, Huber steeped herself in what the indoor tanning industry says about itself and its critics. This meant reading trade magazines, pro-tanning websites, watching employee training videos and spending time on Internet message boards frequented by salon owners. In these sorts of forums, industry players seem to feel that they are speaking among themselves, so they are much more candid than they are with reporters. Additionally, if an industry has any affiliated non-profit groups, it may be worthwhile to look at tax documents to see where these groups money is coming from and who is on their boards.