Balanced?

A lengthy article in Stuff on obesity resembles propaganda more than balanced journalism.

95% of the article just repeats assertions by public health activists who want a sugar tax, and no one with a different view is interviewed. A tiny section at the end quotes an alternative view, but in such a way it is totally disparaging.

No mention of the fact that sugary non-alcoholic drinks are only 1.6% of average calories and how a 10% reduction in such drinks would on average be just three fewer calories a day out of the recommended 2,000.

Why bother giving readers both sides of an argument? Far easier to just interview those who all agree with each other.

@secondzeit thanks Philip. You did us proud. Robyn

— Dr Robyn Toomath (@rtoomath) August 27, 2016

And the activists quoted pat the author on the head and say “You did us proud”.

Again journalists wonder why people have lost trust in the media.