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{{Short description|American reporter, investigative journalist, author, and libertarian columnist}} | |||
{{unbalanced|date=August 2007}} | |||
{{Good article}} | |||
{{Infobox Person | |||
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2012}} | |||
| name = John Stossel | |||
{{Infobox person | |||
| image = J Stossel at NHLF.jpg | |||
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| name = John Stossel | ||
| image = John Stossel by Gage Skidmore 2.jpg | |||
| caption = John Stossel speaking at the ]'s ]. | |||
| caption = Stossel in 2018 | |||
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1947|3|6}} | |||
| birthname = John Frank Stossel | |||
| birth_place = ], ] | |||
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|mf=yes|1947|3|6}} | |||
| death_date = | |||
| birth_place = ], U.S. | |||
| death_place = | |||
| death_date = | |||
| education = B.A. in ], ] (1969) | |||
| death_place = | |||
| occupation = ], ] | |||
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| alias = | ||
| education = ] (]) | |||
| occupation = Libertarian pundit, author, columnist, reporter, TV presenter | |||
| years_active = 1969–present<ref>{{cite web|last=Triggs |first=Charlotte |url=http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20478556,00.html |title=John Stossel: Rising Above Stuttering – John Stossel |work=People |date=April 11, 2011 |access-date=January 24, 2012}}</ref> | |||
| credits = {{ubl|'']''|'']''}} | |||
| title = | |||
| party = ] | |||
| spouse = Ellen Abrams | |||
| children = 2 | |||
| relatives = {{ubl|] (brother) | ] (nephew)}} | |||
| family = | |||
| URL = {{URL|http://www.johnstossel.com/}} | |||
| module = {{Listen |embed= yes |filename= JohnStosselOrigins.ogg |title= Stossel's voice |type= speech |description= How he became a Libertarian }} | |||
}} | }} | ||
{{Libertarianism US|commentators}} | |||
'''John Frank Stossel''' (born March 6, 1947) is an American ] television presenter, author, consumer journalist, political activist, and pundit. He is known for his career as a host on ], ], and ].<ref>{{Cite web |title=John Stossel |url=https://reason.com/people/john-stossel/ |website=]|date=September 20, 2023 }}</ref> | |||
Stossel's style combines reporting and commentary. It reflects a libertarian political philosophy and views on economics which are largely supportive of the ].<ref>Johnson, Carlisle (January 15, 2008). . ] (Guatemala) {{Cite web |url=https://newmedia.ufm.edu/?error_redireccion=1&t= |title=New Media - Universidad Francisco Marroquín |access-date=September 13, 2020 |archive-date=May 31, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200531083833/https://newmedia.ufm.edu/?error_redireccion=1&t= |url-status=bot: unknown }}</ref> He began his journalism career as a researcher for ], was a consumer reporter at ] in New York City, and then joined ABC News as a consumer editor and reporter on '']''. Stossel became an ] ], joining the weekly news magazine program '']'', and later became a ].<ref>{{cite news| url=https://abcnews.go.com/2020/Stossel/story?id=124326&page=1|title=Excerpt: John Stossel's 'Give Me a Break'|publisher=]|date=February 27, 2007|first=John|last=Stossel|access-date=April 13, 2007}}</ref> In October 2009, Stossel left ] to join the ]. He hosted a weekly news show on Fox Business, '']'', from December 2009 to December 2016. In 2019, Stossel launched StosselTV, an online channel distributed on social media. | |||
'''John F. Stossel''' (born ] ]) is a ] ], ] and ] for the ] show '']''.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://abcnews.go.com/2020/Stossel/story?id=124326&page=1 | title=Excerpt: John Stossel's 'Give Me a Break | publisher=] |date=2007 | first= | last= | accessdate =2007-04-13}}</ref> His reports, a blend of commentary and reporting, reflect his ] political philosophy, his views on ] (largely consistent with those of the ]), and his skepticism of ]. | |||
Stossel has received 19 ]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.simonandschuster.com/authors/John-Stossel/81944103|title=John Stossel|website=Simon & Schuster}}</ref> and five awards from the ].<ref name=Heritage/><ref name="google">. ]. Posted July 3, 2006. Retrieved July 21, 2009. {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110611042753/http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1876894381231272307|date=June 11, 2011}}</ref> He has written three books: ''Give Me a Break'' (2004), ''Myths, Lies, and Downright Stupidity'' (2007), and '']'' (2012). | |||
In his decades as a reporter, Stossel has received 19 ] and numerous other honors for his reports, as well as attracted criticism for his political views. | |||
== |
==Early life== | ||
John F. Stossel was born on March 6, 1947,<ref name=TVGuide>{{cite news|url=http://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/john-stossel/bio/212342|title=John Stossel: Biography|newspaper=]|access-date=August 12, 2012}}</ref> in ], the younger of two sons,<ref name=GimmeABreak>Stossel, John (2004). ''Give Me a Break: How I Exposed Hucksters, Cheats, and Scam Artists and Became the Scourge of the Liberal Media''. ]. pp. 2–3</ref> to Jewish parents who left Germany before ] rose to power. The family joined a Congregationalist church in the U.S., and Stossel was raised Protestant.<ref name=SunSentinel>Gonczi, Esther (March 4, 2001). {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131213060619/http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2001-03-04/community/0103010687_1_jewish-federation-uja-annual-campaign-boca-raton-resort |date=December 13, 2013 }}. '']''.</ref> He grew up on ]'s affluent ] and graduated from ].<ref>Zwecker, Bill (February 23, 2011). . '']''. {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120318190510/http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/movies/3960248-421/fox-anchor-identifies-with-the-kings-speech.html |date=March 18, 2012 }}</ref> Stossel characterizes his older brother, ], as "the superstar of the family", commenting, "While I partied and played poker, he studied hard, got top grades, and went to Harvard Medical School." Stossel characterizes himself as having been "an indifferent student" while in college, commenting, "I daydreamed through half my classes at Princeton, and applied to grad school only because I was ambitious, and grad school seemed like the right path for a 21-year-old who wanted to get ahead." Although he had been accepted to the ]'s School of Hospital Management, Stossel was "sick of school" and thought taking a job would inspire him to embrace graduate studies with renewed vigor.<ref name=GimmeABreak/> Stossel recalled in an interview that after graduating college, "like a lot of young people I thought ] was ok it brings us some stuff but it's cruel and unfair".<ref name=":4">{{Citation |title=John Stossel {{!}} The Ben Shapiro Show Sunday Special Ep. 27 | date=November 11, 2018 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKHJjmlPTq0 |access-date=2023-06-18 |language=en}}</ref> | |||
==Career== | |||
===Early career=== | ===Early career=== | ||
In school, Stossel aspired to work at ''Seattle Magazine'', but it went out of business by the time he graduated. His contacts there assisted him in getting a job at ] in ], where Stossel began as a newsroom gofer, working his way up to researcher and then writer. After a few years, the news director told Stossel to go on the air and read what he wrote. Despite his ], Stossel says his fear spurred him to improve, examining and imitating broadcasts of ] and ]. Stossel had also ] since childhood. After a few years of on-air reporting, Stossel was hired by ] in New York City, by Ed Joyce, the same news director who hired ], ], ], ] and ]. Stossel was disappointed at CBS, feeling that the more limited amount of time spent there on research lowered the quality of its journalism compared to Portland. Stossel cites union work rules that discouraged the extra work that Stossel felt allowed employees to be creative, which he says represented his "first real introduction to the deals made by special interests". Stossel also "hated" Joyce, who he felt was "cold and critical", though Stossel credits Joyce with allowing him the freedom to pursue his own story ideas, and with recommending the Hollins Communications Research Institute in ], that helped Stossel manage his stutter.<ref name=GimmeBreak3-8>Stossel. 2004. pp. 3–8</ref> | |||
Stossel graduated from ] with a ] in Psychology in ] and was a member of ] while there. He began his journalism career as a researcher for ] in ]. He later became a consumer reporter at ] in ] before joining ] as consumer editor and reporter on '']''. | |||
Stossel grew continuously more frustrated with having to follow the assignment editor's vision of what was news. Perhaps because of his stuttering, he had always avoided covering what others covered, feeling he could not succeed if he were forced to compete with other reporters by shouting out questions at news conferences. However, this led to the unexpected realization for Stossel that more important events were those that occurred slowly, such as the ], the growth of computer technology, and advancements in ], rather than daily events like government pronouncements, elections, fires, or crime. One day, Stossel bypassed the assignment editor to give Ed Joyce a list of story ideas the assignment editor had rejected. Joyce agreed that Stossel's ideas were better, and approved them.<ref name=GimmeBreak3-8/> Stossel has served as a spokesman for the ].<ref>. The Stuttering Foundation. May 1, 2006</ref> | |||
===''20/20''=== | ===''20/20''=== | ||
In 1981 ] offered Stossel a job at ], as a ] for '']'' and consumer reporter for '']''.<ref>Stossel. 2004. pp. 10–11</ref> His "Give Me a Break" segments for the former featured a ] look at subjects from ]s and ] to censorship and unfounded fear. The series was ] into a series of one-hour specials with budgets of half a million dollars<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QXGergmtf4 | archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211116/_QXGergmtf4| archive-date=2021-11-16 | url-status=live|title=John Stossel: The Reason.tv interview (Part 1 of 2)|publisher=]|date=February 3, 2009 |access-date=April 28, 2012}}{{cbignore}}</ref> that began in 1994. During the course of his work on ''20/20'', Stossel wrote, he discovered '']'' magazine, whose ] ideas appealed to him.<ref>Stossel, 2004. p. 60</ref> Stossel later said in an interview that the regulations he urged governments to pass did not work.<ref name=":4" /> After coming out as a libertarian, Stossel said, he angered members of the political left, his news colleagues and others.<ref name=":4" /> Stossel was named co-] of ''20/20'' in May 2003, while he was writing his first book, ''Give Me a Break: How I Exposed Hucksters, Cheats, and Scam Artists and Became the Scourge of the Liberal Media'', which was published in 2004.<ref>Stossel, 2004. p. 273</ref> In it, he details his start in journalism and consumer reporting, and how he evolved to harbor libertarian beliefs.<ref name=GimmeBreak3-8/><ref>Stossel, 2004. p. 181</ref> | |||
Stossel later became an ABC News ], joining the weekly news magazine program '']'' in ]. He became its co-anchor in ]. | |||
===Fox News Channel and Fox Business Network=== | |||
In ''20/20'''s "Give Me a Break" segments, Stossel takes a ] look at subjects ranging from ]s and ] to ] and unfounded ]. "Give Me a Break" was so popular that in ] it was ] into a series of one-hour specials. Topics of these specials include: | |||
] | |||
* "Stupid in America" | |||
In September 2009, it was announced that Stossel was leaving ]'s ABC News and joining ]'s ] and ]. In addition to appearing on '']'' every Tuesday night, he also hosted a one-hour weekly program for Fox Business Network and a series of one-hour specials for Fox News Channel, as well as making regular guest appearances on Fox News programs. | |||
* "Are We Scaring Ourselves to Death?" | |||
* "Junk Science: What You Know That May Not Be So" | |||
* "Boys and Girls Are Different" | |||
* "Freeloaders" | |||
* "Greed" | |||
* "Is America #1?" | |||
* "You Can't Say That!" | |||
* "Stossel Goes to Washington" | |||
* "]" | |||
The program, '']'', debuted December 10, 2009, on Fox Business Network.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://m.foxbusiness.com/quickPage.html?page=26798 |title=John Stossel |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131212064123/http://m.foxbusiness.com/quickPage.html?page=26798 |archive-date=December 12, 2013 |publisher=Fox Business Network |access-date=May 31, 2013 |url-status=dead |df=mdy }}</ref> The program examined issues related to individual freedom, free market capitalism and small government, such as ], the business of health care, and ]. The final episode premiered on December 16, 2016. At the end of that episode, a retrospective that spotlighted moments from seven years of the program, Stossel explained that due to his age, he wanted to help develop a younger generation of journalists with his views, and would continue to appear as a guest on Fox programs, and also help produce content for ].<ref>Welch, Matt (December 16, 2016). . ].</ref> His blog, "Stossel's Take", is published on both FoxBusiness.com and FoxNews.com.<ref> {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110502181921/http://stossel.blogs.foxbusiness.com/ |date=May 2, 2011 }}. Fox Business. Retrieved August 12, 2012.</ref><ref name="Ariens">Ariens, Chris (September 10, 2009) . Mediabistro.com. Retrieved September 10, 2009. {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100908024554/http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/fnc/john_stossel_leaving_abc_for_fox_130603.asp |date=September 8, 2010 }}</ref> | |||
===Schults interview=== | |||
In ], while filming a segment on professional ], Stossel told wrestler ] that he thought wrestling was fake. Yelling "You think this is fake?", Schults assaulted Stossel, slapping him and knocking him to the ground twice. Stossel sued, claiming long-term hearing loss, and won a settlement. Schults maintains that he attacked Stossel because ], the head of the ], wanted him to.<ref>http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/2006/10/08/1978747.html</ref> | |||
=== |
=== Stossel TV === | ||
In 2019, Stossel launched Stossel TV, an online channel which distributes weekly videos via social media platforms. | |||
Stossel has written two books, the first being '']'' (ISBN 0-06-052914-8). This autobiography outlines Stossel's career, documenting his philosophical transition from a liberal political stance toward ]ism. It summarizes his opinions concerning the disasters of excessive regulation and government control, and his strong belief in the power of the free market and private enterprise. In its conclusion he calls for a ], decreased regulation, and shifting social services away from the government and encouraging private charity. | |||
===Publications=== | |||
His second book, published by ] in May 2006, is entitled '']'' (ISBN 1-4013-0254-8). In this book, Stossel questions the validity of various ]s, including the myth that he is a conservative. | |||
{{See also|No, They Can't}} | |||
Stossel has written three books. ''Give Me a Break: How I Exposed Hucksters, Cheats, and Scam Artists and Became the Scourge of the Liberal Media'' is a 2005 autobiography from Harper Perennial documenting his career and philosophical transition from ] to ]. It describes his opposition to government regulation, his belief in ] and private enterprise, support for ], and advocacy for shifting social services from the government to private charities. It was a ] for 11 weeks.<ref name=TownhallBio>{{cite web | url=http://www.townhall.com/Columnists/JohnStossel/ | title=Columns by John Stossel | publisher=Townhall.com | access-date=September 24, 2007 | archive-date=September 15, 2007 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070915035759/http://www.townhall.com/Columnists/JohnStossel/ | url-status=dead }}</ref> ''Myths, Lies, and Downright Stupidity: Get Out the Shovel – Why Everything You Know Is Wrong'', which was published in 2007 by Hyperion, questions the validity of various ]s, and argues that the belief he is ] is untrue. On April 10, 2012, Threshold Editions, an imprint of ], published Stossel's third book ''No, They Can't: Why Government Fails – But Individuals Succeed''. It argues that government policies meant to solve problems instead produce new ones, and that free individuals and the private sector perform tasks more efficiently than the government does.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.heritage.org/events/2012/04/no-they-cant | title=No They Can't: Why Government Fails – But Individuals Succeed | publisher=] | date=April 11, 2012 | access-date=April 17, 2012 | author=Gonzalez, Mike | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120412092355/http://www.heritage.org/events/2012/04/no-they-cant | archive-date=April 12, 2012 | df=mdy-all }}</ref> | |||
With financial support from the libertarian ], Stossel and ABC News launched a series of educational materials for public schools in 1999 |
With financial support from the libertarian ], Stossel and ABC News launched a series of educational materials for public schools in 1999 entitled "Stossel in the Classroom".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://stosselintheclassroom.org/ |title=Stossel in the Classroom |access-date=April 28, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.mediatransparency.org/reprints/brill_stossel.htm | title=Laissez-Faire TV | publisher=Media Transparency | last=Rose | first=Ted | access-date=September 24, 2007 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070926223859/http://www.mediatransparency.org/reprints/brill_stossel.htm | archive-date=September 26, 2007 | df=mdy-all }}</ref> It was taken over in 2006 by the Center for Independent Thought and releases a new DVD of teaching materials annually. In 2006, Stossel and ABC released ''Teaching Tools for Economics'', a video series based on the National Council of Economics Education standards.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://abcnews.go.com/2020/Stossel/story?id=1936941 | title=Teaching Tools for Economics from John Stossel | publisher=ABC News| date=April 29, 2007 | access-date=September 24, 2007}}</ref> | ||
Since February 2011, Stossel has written a weekly newspaper column for ].<ref name=AboutJohnStossel>. ]. Retrieved August 2, 2012.</ref><ref>. Creators Syndicate. Retrieved August 2, 2012.</ref> His articles appear in such online publications as ], ], and ].<ref>{{cite web|last=Stossel|first=John|title=John Stossel : Contributors|url=http://reason.com/people/john-stossel/all|publisher=Reason|access-date=4 December 2013}}</ref> | |||
In September 2006, ABC News and John Stossel released a DVD series titled "Teaching Tools for Economics" based on the ] standards.<ref>http://abcnews.go.com/2020/Stossel/story?id=1936941</ref> | |||
==Political positions== | |||
Stossel purports to debunk myths in his journalism.<ref name="Heritage" /> His ''Myths and Lies'' series of '']'' specials challenges a range of ] beliefs.<ref name="Heritage">{{cite web|last1=Hagelin|first1=Rebecca|title=John Stossel: Myth Buster Extraordinaire|url=https://www.heritage.org/commentary/john-stossel-myth-buster-extraordinaire|publisher=Heritage Foundation|access-date=23 April 2018}}</ref> He also hosted '']'' (October 6, 1998), an ABC News Special that focused on assertions of the paranormal and people's desire to believe. Another report put forward the argument that opposition to ] is misplaced and that the ban on DDT has resulted in the deaths of millions of children,<ref name="DDTban">{{cite web | url=http://www.acsh.org/healthissues/newsID.442/healthissue_detail.asp | title=The DDT Ban Turns 30 – Millions Dead of Malaria Because of Ban, More Deaths Likely | publisher=American Council on Science and Health | date=June 1, 2002 | access-date=November 17, 2007 | last=Seavey | first=Todd | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071009192241/http://www.acsh.org/healthissues/newsID.442/healthissue_detail.asp | archive-date=October 9, 2007 | df=mdy-all }}</ref> mostly in poor nations.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2006/10/hooray_for_ddts_lifesaving_com.html | title=Hooray for DDT's Life-Saving Comeback | publisher=Real Clear Politics | date=October 4, 2006 | last=Stossel | first=John | access-date=September 24, 2007}}</ref> | |||
==Philosophical influences== | |||
===Libertarianism=== | ===Libertarianism=== | ||
]]] | |||
John Stossel is one of the few ]. As a ], Stossel believes in both ] and the ]. He frequently uses his television airtime to advance these views, and boldly challenges viewers' distrust of ] and ]. | |||
As a ]<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|last1=Rutenberg|first1=Jim|last2=Barringer|first2=Felicity|date=2000-08-14|title=MEDIA; Apology Highlights ABC Reporter's Contrarian Image|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2000/08/14/business/media-apology-highlights-abc-reporter-s-contrarian-image.html|access-date=2021-05-06|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> who has said he usually votes for the ],<ref name=":4" /> Stossel says that he believes in both ]<ref>" {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200531083834/http://www.newmedia.ufm.edu/stossel |date=May 31, 2020 }}" at Francisco Marroquin University. Guatemala, January 2008</ref> and the ]. He frequently uses television airtime to advance these views and challenge viewers' distrust of ] and ]. He received an Honoris Causa Doctorate from ], a libertarian university in ], in 2008. | |||
Stossel argues that individual self-interest, or "greed", creates an incentive to work harder and to innovate.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.townhall.com/columnists/JohnStossel/2006/04/26/greed_is_good |title=Greed is good | last=Stossel | first=John | publisher=Townhall.com | date=April 26, 2006 | access-date=September 24, 2007}}</ref> He argues that this innovation makes the poor richer and the only way people "can get rich is to offer us something that we believe is better than we had before."<ref>{{cite web |last=Stossel |first=John |title=The Poor Get Richer |url=https://stoppingsocialism.com/2021/06/john-stossel-the-poor-get-richer/ |access-date=2 May 2022 |website=Stoppingsocialism.com|date=June 16, 2021 }}</ref> He promoted ] as a way to improve American public schools akin to the Belgian voucher system.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://abcnews.go.com/2020/Stossel/story?id=1500338 |title=Opinion: John Stossel's 'Stupid in America' | last=Stossel | first=John | publisher=ABC News | date=January 13, 2016 | access-date=May 9, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.oecd.org/education/School-choice-and-school-vouchers-an-OECD-perspective.pdf |title=School choice and school vouchers: An OECD perspective | publisher=] | date=2017 | access-date=May 9, 2021}}</ref> | |||
Stossel's views have often been controversial. He has argued that ] is good, because it provides people with an incentive to work and to innovate.<ref></ref> He has promoted ] as a way to improve American schools, because he believes that when people are given a choice they will choose the better schools for their children.<ref></ref> This, he feels, will force the worst schools to improve or shut down. Referring to international tests, which consistently show American students doing poorly compared to those in other countries, he says: | |||
Stossel has criticized government programs for being inefficient, wasteful, and harmful.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.townhall.com/columnists/JohnStossel/2006/08/16/does_government_stupidity_know_any_bounds|title=Does Government Stupidity Know Any Bounds|publisher=Townhall.com|last=Stossel|first=John|date=August 16, 2006|access-date=September 24, 2007|archive-date=March 18, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080318181147/http://www.townhall.com/Columnists/JohnStossel/2006/08/16/does_government_stupidity_know_any_bounds|url-status=dead}}</ref> He has also criticized the American legal system, opining that it provides lawyers and vexatious litigators the incentive to file frivolous lawsuits indiscriminately.<ref>Stossel, 2004. "The Trouble with Lawyers". pp. 177–179</ref> Although Stossel concedes that some lawsuits are necessary in order to provide justice to people genuinely injured by others with greater economic power,<ref>Martel, Frances.. July 7, 2010</ref> he advocates the adoption in the U.S. of the ] as one method to reduce the more abusive or frivolous lawsuits.<ref>Stossel; 2004; p. 283</ref> | |||
::''The people who run the international tests told us, "the biggest predictor of student success is choice." Nations that "attach the money to the kids" and thereby allow parents to choose between different public and private schools have higher test scores. This should be no surprise; competition makes us better.''<ref></ref> | |||
Stossel opposes the ],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cjr.org/the_audit/stossels_poor_logic_on_minimum.php|title=John Stossel's poor logic on minimum wages and jobs|website=Columbia Journalism Review|language=en|access-date=2019-05-14}}</ref> ] and ] more broadly, ]s,<ref name=":4" /><ref>John Stossel and Andrew Kirell. , ABC News, March 13, 2009</ref> ], ] and the ].<ref name="google"/><ref name=":4" /> He also opposes legal prohibitions against ], ], ], ], ], ], ],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgxyOn6RXDg | archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211116/DgxyOn6RXDg| archive-date=2021-11-16 | url-status=live|title=John Stossel & Don Imus Discuss Gay Marriage & The Coming Bankruptcy of Medicare & Social Security |publisher=]|date=April 5, 2013 |access-date=April 11, 2014}}{{cbignore}}</ref> and ],<ref>, '']'', May 26, 1998</ref> and believes most ]s should be legal.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://abcnews.go.com/sections/2020/GiveMeABreak/John_Stossel_QA_040126.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040816023307/https://abcnews.go.com/sections/2020/GiveMeABreak/John_Stossel_QA_040126.html|archive-date=August 16, 2004 |title=John Stossel Q & A – Your Questions Answered|publisher=ABCNews.com|last=Stossel|first=John|access-date=March 18, 2010}}</ref> He has said he supports the ],<ref name=":4" /> ],<ref>{{Citation |title=The Right To BEAR Arms | date=June 29, 2021 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrMgqr6SmYo |access-date=2023-03-12 |language=en}}</ref> ],<ref name=":4" /> and lower and simpler taxes.<ref>Stossel, John (April 2010). . JFS Productions, Inc. Creators.com. {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131213004835/http://www.creators.com/opinion/john-stossel/lower-and-simplify-taxes.html |date=December 13, 2013 }}</ref> He has endorsed or explored various ideas in his specials and on his TV series for changing the tax system, including switching to a ],<ref>Stossel, John (1999). ''Is America #1?'', ].</ref> and replacing the ] with the ].<ref name="boortzfairtax">{{cite web | url=http://www.boortz.com/weblogs/nealz-nuze/2006/may/25/2006-05-25/ | title=Today's Nuze: May 25, 2006 | publisher=] | date=May 25, 2006 | access-date=April 9, 2012 | author=Boortz, Neal | author-link=Neal Boortz | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120504021248/http://www.boortz.com/weblogs/nealz-nuze/2006/may/25/2006-05-25/ | archive-date=May 4, 2012 | df=mdy-all }}</ref> | |||
Over the years he has also criticized many government programs as inefficient, wasteful, and sometimes harmful.<ref></ref> | |||
Stossel argues that a country needs to have police and a ] as laid out by the ].<ref name=":4" /> Stossel acknowledges that ]n countries have large ]s, but says that they can only afford them "because they have a homogeneous culture and they have a fairly free private market to pay for it" while also noting that they have no government-mandated minimum wage.<ref name=":4" />{{Third-party inline|date=June 2023}} | |||
===Skepticism=== | |||
Many of John Stossel's news reports and writings come from his skepticism of conventional wisdom. His ''Myths and Lies'' series of '']'' specials challenges a wide range of deeply-held beliefs. He also hosted '']'' (October 6, 1998) an ABC News Special which focused on paranormal claims and people's desire to believe. | |||
When the ] reissued federal guidelines in April 2010 governing the employment of unpaid interns under the ] based on a 1947 Supreme Court decision,<ref> ]; April 2010</ref> Stossel criticized the guidelines, appearing in a police uniform during an appearance on the Fox News program '']'', commenting, "I've built my career on unpaid interns, and the interns told me it was great – I learned more from you than I did in college." Asked why he did not pay them if they were so valuable, he said he could not afford to.<ref>Stout, Hilary. , ''The New York Times'', July 2, 2010</ref> | |||
Stossel agrees with ] that "43 years of eco-hysteria over DDT" has cost the lives of millions,<ref></ref> and as a ] he has gained many opponents. Although he agrees that global warming exists,<ref>http://www.abcnews.go.com/2020/story?id=3061015</ref> he says that the science is not yet settled regarding whether the warming is caused by humans. He argues that the ], ], ], the ], the ] and former U.S. Vice President ] have done a disservice by engaging in environmental scaremongering.<ref></ref> | |||
Stossel is a faculty member of the ].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cjr.org/watchdog/charles-koch-institute-fellowship-journalism.php|title=Charles Koch Institute fellowship funds journalists|website=Columbia Journalism Review|language=en|access-date=2019-05-14}}</ref> | |||
Stossel has advocated in favor of abolishing the ] (FDA).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Edwards |first=Jim |date=2010-03-01 |title=John Stossel's Plan to Abolish the FDA Should Be Laughed Out of Town |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/john-stossels-plan-to-abolish-the-fda-should-be-laughed-out-of-town/ |access-date=2021-09-26 |website=] |language=en-US}}</ref> | |||
On April 1, 2016, Stossel moderated the first-ever nationally televised Libertarian presidential debate.<ref>{{cite web |author=Nicholas Sarwark |date=March 3, 2016 |title=Libertarian presidential debate to air on Stossel Show in April |url=https://www.lp.org/news/press-releases/libertarian-presidential-debate-to-air-on-stossel-show-in-april |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160511063734/https://www.lp.org/news/press-releases/libertarian-presidential-debate-to-air-on-stossel-show-in-april |archive-date=May 11, 2016 |publisher=Libertarian Party}}</ref> The second part of the debate aired on April 8.<ref>{{cite web |date=March 31, 2016 |title=FBN's John Stossel Hosts Libertarian Presidential Forum Featuring Johnson, McAfee & Petersen |url=http://www.foxbusiness.com/features/2016/03/31/fbn-s-john-stossel-hosts-libertarian-presidential-forum-featuring-johnson-mcafee-petersen.html |publisher=Fox Business}}</ref> On May 21, 2020, he moderated the Libertarian Party National Convention Presidential Debate between ], ], ], ], and ].<ref>{{cite web |title=LP official presidential debates tonight; lineups announced |url=https://independentpoliticalreport.com/2020/05/lp-official-presidential-debates-tonight-lineups-announced/ |website=Independent Political Report |date=May 21, 2020 |publisher=SpinJ Corporation |access-date=2020-07-03}}</ref> | |||
=== Science === | |||
In 2001, the ] media watchdog organization ] criticized Stossel's reportage of global warming in his documentary, ''Tampering with Nature,'' accusing it of using "highly selective...information" that placed undue emphasis on three dissenters from among the 2,000 members of the ]'s ], which had recently released a report stating that global temperatures were rising almost twice as fast as previously thought.<ref name="FAIR">{{cite web |date=July 17, 2001 |title=FAIR Action Alert: Stossel Tampers with the Facts |url=https://fair.org/take-action/action-alerts/stossel-tampers-with-the-facts/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120609022304/http://www.fair.org/activism/stossel-tampering.html |archive-date=June 9, 2012 |access-date=August 3, 2020 |publisher=]}}</ref> | |||
In December 2014, Stossel stated that "There is no good data showing ] kills people." The fact-checker website ] rated this statement "False", citing considerable levels of scientific research showing that secondhand smoke has caused deaths.<ref name="politifact">{{Cite web|author=Sanders, Katie|url=https://www.politifact.com/punditfact/statements/2014/dec/11/john-stossel/fox-business-pundit-no-good-data-deaths-secondhand/|title=Fox Business pundit: 'No good data' for deaths from secondhand smoke|publisher=]|language=en|access-date=July 14, 2020|archive-date=May 14, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190514173605/https://www.politifact.com/punditfact/statements/2014/dec/11/john-stossel/fox-business-pundit-no-good-data-deaths-secondhand/}}</ref> | |||
==Praise and criticism== | ==Praise and criticism== | ||
===Awards=== | ===Awards=== | ||
As of 2001, Stossel had won 19 ]s.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.masslive.com/news/2018/10/fox_news_john_stossel_to_speak.html|title=Fox News' John Stossel to speak at STCC|last=Kelly|first=Ray|date=2018-10-15|website=masslive.com|language=en-US|access-date=2019-05-14}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://imprimis.hillsdale.edu/the-real-cost-of-regulation/|title=The Real Cost of Regulation|last=Stossel|first=John|date=2001-05-01|website=Imprimis|language=en-US|access-date=2019-05-14}}</ref> He was honored five times for excellence in consumer reporting by the ], has received a ] and a ].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/2020/story?id=126119&page=1|title=John Stossel|website=ABC News}}</ref> On April 23, 2012, Stossel was awarded the ] Presidential Medal, by the current president, James Doti, and chancellor, Danielle Struppa. The award has been presented to only a handful of people over the past 150 years.<ref name="Thomas">{{cite news|title=Stossel plugs Libertarian ideas, book at event|last=Thomas|first=Michelle|publisher=The Panther|date=April 30, 2012}}</ref>{{unreliable source?|date=April 2022}} Stossel received an honorary doctorate from ].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.newmedia.ufm.edu/gsm/index.php?title=Doctorado_Honor%C3%ADfico_a_John_Stossel |title=Doctorado Honorífico a John Stossel |language=es |publisher=New Media UFM |access-date=May 29, 2011 |archive-date=May 4, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110504044543/http://newmedia.ufm.edu/gsm/index.php?title=Doctorado_Honor%C3%ADfico_a_John_Stossel |url-status=dead }}</ref> | |||
Stossel has won many awards, including 19 ]s. In one year, according to Stossel in his book ''Give Me A Break'', "I got so many Emmys, another winner thanked me in his acceptance speech 'for not having an entry in this category'." Stossel has been honored five times for excellence in consumer reporting by the ], and has received the ] and the ]. However, since his economic views have swung towards libertarianism, the stream of awards has dried up. All of his Emmy wins antedate his groundbreaking special, ''Are We Scaring Ourselves to Death?''<ref>http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2006/6/2/91815.shtml?s=lh</ref> | |||
===Praise=== | ===Praise=== | ||
In promotional copy for one of Stossel's books, the Nobel Prize–winning ] ] economist ] wrote: "Stossel is that rare creature, a TV commentator who understands economics, in all its subtlety."<ref name="media maverick">{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.org/events/detail.asp?eventID=92|title=Confessions of a Media Maverick: Exposing Hucksters, Cheats and Scam Artists|publisher=The Independent Institute Conference Center|date=January 30, 2004|access-date=September 24, 2007}}</ref> ], the editor of '']'' magazine, described Stossel as "one of America's ablest and most courageous journalists."<ref name="media maverick" /> The author ] said, "He seeks the truths that destroy truisms, wields reason against all that's unreasonable, and uses and upholds the ideals that puncture sanctimonious idealism".<ref name="media maverick" /> | |||
An article published by the libertarian group Advocates for Self Government notes praise for Stossel.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theadvocates.org/celebrities/john-stossel.html|title=John Stossel – Libertarian|publisher=Advocates for Self-Government|access-date=July 10, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070702172434/http://www.theadvocates.org/celebrities/john-stossel.html|archive-date=July 2, 2007}}</ref> Independent Institute Research Analyst Anthony Gregory, writing on the libertarian blog ], described Stossel as a "heroic rogue... a media maverick and proponent of freedom in an otherwise ], conformist mass media."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://archive.lewrockwell.com/gregory/gregory55.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140313201234/http://archive.lewrockwell.com/gregory/gregory55.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 13, 2014|title=Real TV News|publisher=LewRockwell.com|last=Gregory|first=Anthony|date=January 11, 2005|access-date=September 24, 2007}}</ref> Libertarian investment analyst ] said Stossel is "a true libertarian hero".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.markskousen.com/article.php?id=1141|title=A Year at FEE|publisher=Forecasts & Strategies|last=Skousen|first=Mark|date=February 1, 2003|access-date=September 24, 2007|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928065042/http://www.markskousen.com/article.php?id=1141|archive-date=September 28, 2007|df=mdy-all}}</ref> | |||
===Criticism=== | |||
] organizations ] (FAIR) and ] have criticized Stossel and several of his reports for a variety of reasons. Some criticism centers on political disagreement, while others involve allegations that Stossel has distorted facts, omitted pertinent information, or selected interview subjects designed to support his point of view despite conflicts of interest.<ref>http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=19&media_outlet_id=19</ref><ref>http://www.mediatransparency.org/personprofile.php?personID=92</ref><ref>http://mediamatters.org/issues_topics/search_results?qstring=john+stossel</ref> | |||
=== |
===Criticism and controversy=== | ||
Progressive organizations such as ] (FAIR) and ] (MMfA) have criticized Stossel's work,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=19&media_outlet_id=19 |title=John Stossel |publisher=Fairness and Accuracy In Reporting |access-date=September 24, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071010060957/http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=19 |archive-date=October 10, 2007 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://mediamatters.org/issues_topics/search_results?qstring=john+stossel | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929104826/http://mediamatters.org/issues_topics/search_results?qstring=john+stossel | url-status=dead | archive-date=September 29, 2007 | title=John Stossel | publisher=Media Matters for America | access-date=September 24, 2007}}</ref> for what they described as a lack of balance of coverage and distortion of facts on his part. For example, Stossel was criticized for a segment on his October 11, 1999, show during which he argued that AIDS research has received too much funding, "25 times more than on Parkinson's, which kills more people." FAIR pointed out that AIDS had in fact killed more people in the United States in 1999.<ref>Hart, Peter (March 1, 2003). . Extra!, FAIR.</ref> | |||
On the ''20/20'' report "The Food You Eat" on ] ], Stossel said that ABC News had tested samples of organic and non-organic produce and found neither had any pesticide residue.<ref name="givemeafake"></ref> The ] (EWG) discovered that the researchers hired by ABC News had tested chicken for pesticides and had tested the produce for bacteria, but they had not actually tested the produce for pesticides. The July 7 rebroadcast of the program did not correct the error despite correspondence with EWG,<ref name="Rutenberg">{{cite news | last = Rutenberg | first = Jim | title = Report on Organic Foods Is Challenged | publisher = The New York Times | date = 2000-07-31 | url = http://www.nytimes.com/library/financial/073100abc-organic.html | accessdate = 2007-09-01}}</ref> but it did include new commentary where Stossel reiterated the claim that the produce had been tested for pesticide residue and found none.<ref name="givemeafake"/> On ] ], the '']'' picked up EWG's story,<ref name="Rutenberg"/> and ABC suspended ''20/20'' producer David Fitzpatrick for one month and reprimanded Stossel. According to an internal memo, the sanctions were less for the mistake, and rather "for the arrogance of ignoring complaint letters that followed".<ref>{{cite news | last = Rutenberg | first = Jim | coauthors = Felicity Barringer | title = MEDIA; Apology Highlights ABC Reporter's Contrarian Image | publisher = The New York Times | date = 2000-08-14 | url = http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9804E3DA133FF937A2575BC0A9669C8B63&sec=health&pagewanted=print | accessdate = 2007-09-05}}</ref><ref>http://www.lewrockwell.com/mcelroy/mcelroy21.html</ref> On August 11, Stossel apologized for the error and for repeating the error. "The labs we used never tested the produce for pesticides," he said. "We thought they had, but they hadn’t. We misunderstood, and that was our fault." <ref>http://abcnews.go.com/2020/story?id=124196&page=1</ref> | |||
In a February 2000 '']'' feature on Stossel titled "Prime-time ]", David Mastio wrote that Stossel has a conflict of interest in donating profits from his public speaking engagements to, among others, a non-profit called "Stossel in the Classroom" which includes material for use in schools, some of which uses material made by Stossel.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.salon.com/2000/02/25/stossel/ | title=Prime-time propagandist | date=February 25, 2000 | last=Mastio | first=David | work=Salon | access-date=October 6, 2007 }}; and, {{cite news | url=http://www.thenation.com/doc/20020107/dowie/3 | title=A Teflon Correspondent | last=Dowie | first=Mark | date=December 20, 2001 | access-date=October 6, 2007 | publisher=The Nation | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071012142733/http://www.thenation.com/doc/20020107/dowie/3 | archive-date=October 12, 2007 | url-status=dead }}</ref> | |||
==== Global Warming ==== | |||
<blockquote>''See also: ]''</blockquote> | |||
] economist ] has alleged that Stossel, in his September 1999 special ''Is America #1?'', used an out-of-context clip of Galbraith to convey the notion that Galbraith advocated the adoption by Europe of the free market economics practiced by the United States, when in fact Galbraith actually advocated that Europe adopt some of the United States' social benefit transfer mechanisms such as ], which is the economically opposite view. Stossel denied any misrepresentation of Galbraith's views and stated that it was not his intention to convey that Galbraith agreed with all of the special's ideas. However, he re-edited that portion of the program for its September 2000 repeat, in which Stossel paraphrased, "Even economists who like Europe's policies, like James Galbraith, now acknowledge America's success."<ref name="treatment">{{cite web | url=http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=1134 | title=The Stossel Treatment | publisher=Fairness and Accuracy In Reporting | first=Rachel | last=Coen | date=March 2003 | access-date=November 14, 2007 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071114002733/http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=1134 | archive-date=November 14, 2007 | df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref>Rose, Ted (March 2000) {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070926223859/http://www.mediatransparency.org/reprints/brill_stossel.htm |date=September 26, 2007 }} ''Brill's Content''; and, {{cite web|url=http://www.fair.org/activism/abc-response.html|title=A Response by Stossel and Some of His Staff To the Group "FAIR"|access-date=December 10, 2007|author=Stossel & staff|publisher=FAIR|quote=We stand by our report|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071212123640/http://www.fair.org/activism/abc-response.html|archive-date=December 12, 2007|df=mdy-all}}</ref> | |||
In June 2001, Stossel presented a one-hour special titled "Tampering with Nature" in which he said, "You may have heard that 1,600 scientists signed a letter warning of 'devastating consequences.' But I bet you hadn't heard that 17,000 scientists signed a petition saying that there's 'no convincing evidence' that greenhouse gases will disrupt the Earth's climate." FAIR criticized Stossel for comparing only the number of signatures between the two petitions. They argued that while the smaller petition was signed by 104 of the 178 living Nobel Prize winners in the sciences and 60 U.S. National Medal of Science winners,<ref name="denial"> "In Denial on Climate Change" By Peter Hart, FAIR May/June 2007</ref> the larger petition was the ], which came under fire for failing to independently verify the identity or credentials of its signatories.<ref name="tampering"></ref> | |||
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====David Schultz incident==== | ||
On December 28, 1984, during an interview for ''20/20'' on ], wrestler ] struck Stossel twice after Stossel said professional wrestling was "fake", during a time when the professional wrestling industry heavily protected ]. Stossel said he suffered from pain and buzzing in his ears eight weeks after the assault.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec=health&res=9803E4D71239F930A15751C0A963948260&n=Top%2fNews%2fHealth%2fDiseases%2c%20Conditions%2c%20and%20Health%20Topics%2fEars%20and%20Hearing | title=TV Notes; ABC Reporter May Sue Wrestler Who Hit Him | last=Kaplan | first=Peter W. |work=New York Times | date=February 23, 1985 | access-date=September 28, 2007}}</ref> Stossel sued and obtained a settlement of $425,000 from the ] (WWF);<ref name="Muchnick"/> the WWF would eventually admit to the industry having predetermined results in 1989.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1119010/3/index.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091023145255/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1119010/3/index.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=23 October 2009 |magazine=Sports Illustrated |title=Wrestling with Success |date=25 March 1991 }}</ref> In his book, ''Myths, Lies, and Downright Stupidity'', Stossel noted his regret, believing lawsuits harm innocent people.<ref name="Muchnick"> by Irvin Muchnick ECW Press 2007 p. 118; and, by John Stossel, p. 211</ref> Schultz maintains that he attacked Stossel on orders from ], the head of the then-WWF.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/2006/10/08/1978747.html | archive-url=https://archive.today/20120718214851/http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/2006/10/08/1978747.html | url-status=usurped | archive-date=July 18, 2012 | title=Dr. D dominates PWHF dinner | last=Johnson | first=Steven | publisher=Canoe | date=October 8, 2006 | access-date=September 26, 2007 }}</ref> This was later re-visited on the second season episode of '']'', aired on April 28, 2020. | |||
In January 2006, Stossel presented a ''20/20'' special titled "Stupid in America: How We Cheat Our Kids," in which he argued that the public school system is ineffective in teaching students and that the U.S. should instead move to a voucher system.<ref>http://www.reason.com/news/show/33014.html</ref> Stossel presented charter schools that were doing well and claimed that charter schools are generally better than public schools. The progressive media watchdog group ] contends<ref>http://mediamatters.org/items/200601200003</ref> that Stossel ignored research by the Department of Education which shows that public schools are actually outperforming charter schools on standardized tests<ref>http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/nde/viewresults.asp</ref> and that Stossel interviewed eight advocates of school choice but only two opponents. In response, Stossel points out that students in America still lag behind those in less developed countries that spend less money on education, and that this gap widens by 12th grade. He further notes that the Department of Education study, which was adjusted for demographics, itself admits that "to ascertain the difference between the two types of schools, an experiment would be conducted in which students are assigned to either public or private schools".<ref></ref> | |||
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====Organic vegetables==== | ||
A February 2000 story about ] vegetables on ''20/20'' included statements by Stossel that tests had shown that neither organic nor conventional produce samples contained any pesticide residue, and that organic food was more likely to be contaminated by '']'' bacteria. The ] objected to his report, mainly questioning his statements about bacteria, but also managed to determine that the produce had never been tested for pesticides. They communicated this to Stossel, but after the story's producer backed Stossel's statement that the test results had been as described, the story was rebroadcast months later, unchanged, and with a postscript in which Stossel reiterated his claim. Later, after a report in '']'' confirmed the Environmental Working Group's claims, ABC News suspended the producer of the segment for a month and reprimanded Stossel. Stossel apologized, saying that he had thought the tests had been conducted as reported. However, he asserted that the gist of his report had been accurate.<ref name="Rutenberg">{{cite news | last=Rutenberg | first=Jim | title=Report on Organic Foods Is Challenged |work=The New York Times | date=July 31, 2000 | url=https://www.nytimes.com/library/financial/073100abc-organic.html | access-date=September 1, 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://abcnews.go.com/2020/story?id=124196&page=1 | title=20/20: Stossel Apology for Organic Food Report | date=August 11, 2000 | last=Stossel | first=John | publisher=ABC News | access-date=September 26, 2007}}</ref><ref name="Rutenberg2">{{cite news | last=Rutenberg | first=Jim |author2=Barringer, Felicity | title= Apology Highlights ABC Reporter's Contrarian Image |work=The New York Times | date=August 14, 2000 | url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9804E3DA133FF937A2575BC0A9669C8B63&sec=health&pagewanted=print | access-date=September 5, 2007}}</ref><ref name=blasphemer>{{cite news | url=https://www.lewrockwell.com/2000/08/wendy-mcelroy/blaspheming-organic-food-the-persecution-of-john-stossel/ | title=Blaspheming Organic Food: The Persecution of John Stossel | last=McElroy | first=Wendy | date=August 15, 2000 | publisher=LewRockwell.com | access-date=September 26, 2007}}</ref> | |||
On ], ], Stossel hosted a one-hour ''20/20'' special titled "Enough!", a segment of which investigated the extravagant finances and lifestyles of certain ]. The segment opened with a clip of TV preacher ] seemingly boasting about his wealth by informing his congregation that he lived in a "25-room mansion, I have my own $6 million yacht, I have my own private jet and I have my own helicopter and I have seven luxury automobiles.” Following the report, Price said that his statement was about a hypothetical person who has great wealth but lives a spiritually unfulfilled life and sued ABC for defamation and intentional infliction of emotional distress. ] has twice aired apologies for the misleading clip. <ref>, ''Los Angeles Wave'', August 2007</ref><ref>http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-price25jul25,1,2822577.story?ctrack=1&cset=true</ref> | |||
==== |
====Frederick K. C. Price==== | ||
In a March 2007 segment about finances and lifestyles of ]s, ''20/20'' aired a segment by Stossel that included a clip of television minister ], which had originally been broadcast by the ] in 1997. Price alleged that the clip portrayed him describing his wealth in extravagant terms, when he was actually telling a parable about a rich man. ABC News twice aired a retraction and apologized for the error.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.wavenewspapers.com/default.asp?sourceid=&smenu=71&twindow=&mad=&sdetail=6067&wpage=1&skeyword=&sidate=&ccat=&ccatm=&restate=&restatus=&reoption=&retype=&repmin=&repmax=&rebed=&rebath=&subname=&pform=&sc=1019&hn=wavenewspapers&he=.com|title=Price Strikes Back at ABC|last=Johnson|first=Gene C. Jr.|publisher=Los Angeles Wave|date=August 2, 2007|access-date=September 26, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071026100154/http://www.wavenewspapers.com/default.asp?sourceid=&smenu=71&twindow=&mad=&sdetail=6067&wpage=1&skeyword=&sidate=&ccat=&ccatm=&restate=&restatus=&reoption=&retype=&repmin=&repmax=&rebed=&rebath=&subname=&pform=&sc=1019&hn=wavenewspapers&he=.com|archive-date=October 26, 2007}}; and, {{cite news|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/1309570171.html?dids=1309570171:1309570171&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jul+25%2C+2007&author=Alana+Semuels&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&edition=&startpage=C.1&desc=TELEVISION%3B+Preacher+sues+%6020%2F20%2C%27+alleging+defamation|title=Preacher sues '20/20,' alleging defamation|work=Los Angeles Times|date=July 25, 2007|last=Semuels|first=Alana|access-date=September 26, 2007|archive-date=November 11, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121111012740/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/1309570171.html?dids=1309570171:1309570171&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jul+25%2C+2007&author=Alana+Semuels&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&edition=&startpage=C.1&desc=TELEVISION%3B+Preacher+sues+%6020%2F20%2C%27+alleging+defamation|url-status=dead}}</ref> The suit concluded with an out of court settlement including a public apology by ABC.<ref>{{cite news|magazine=]|first=Sam|last=Thielman|title=Price and ABC settle after four years|date=April 21, 2011|url=https://variety.com/2011/biz/news/price-and-abc-settle-after-four-years-1118035786/}}</ref> | |||
Unlike most other ABC News reporters, John Stossel's contract allows him to make public speaking engagements with the proviso that he not profit from them. Stossel donates the proceeds from these engagements to several charities, including the ], which produces "Stossel in the Classroom". Critics argue that a percentage of the sales of "Stossel in the Classroom" go to ABC and see a conflict of interest in this arrangement.<ref>http://archive.salon.com/media/feature/2000/02/25/stossel/</ref><ref>http://www.thenation.com/doc/20020107/dowie/3</ref><ref>http://www.thegreatboycott.net/John_Stossel.html</ref><ref>http://www.mediatransparency.org/recipientprofile.php?recipientID=761</ref> | |||
==== Lawsuit against fact-checkers ==== | |||
==Notes== | |||
In September 2021, Stossel sued ], alleging ] for labels applied by ] to two of his videos, but his lawsuit was dismissed in October 2022.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Cho |first=Winston |date=2022-10-12 |title=Judge Dismisses John Stossel's Defamation Suit Against Facebook Over Fact-Checking |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/digital/facebook-topples-john-stossels-defamation-suit-1235240341/ |access-date=2023-05-12 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-10-14 |title=Facebook wins dismissal of John Stossel's lawsuit over his California wildfire video |url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/10/14/facebook-wins-dismissal-of-john-stossels-lawsuit-over-his-california-wildfire-video |access-date=2023-05-12 |website=The Mercury News |language=en-US}}</ref> The ] organizations Science Feedback and ] were also named as defendants in Stossel's lawsuit.<ref name=":2" /> Stossel's video titled "Government Fueled Fires" had been labeled on Facebook as "missing context" and "misleading", and another video titled "Are We Doomed?" had been labeled as "partly false" and "factual inaccuracies".<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":2" /> Stossel's lawsuit said that the labels harmed his viewership, advertisement revenue, and reputation, and that Facebook and its fact-checking partners "falsely attributed to Stossel a claim he never made".<ref name=":2" /> In the first video, Stossel featured a guest who opined that climate change was not the primary cause of the ].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Stossel v. Facebook Inc. and Climate Feedback (United States District Court Northern District of California 2022) |url=https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/21068069-stossel |access-date=2023-05-11 |website=www.documentcloud.org}}</ref> In the second video, Stossel questioned statements made by those he refers to as "environmental alarmists", including "claims that hurricanes are getting stronger, that sea level rise poses a catastrophic threat, and that humans will be unable to cope with the fallout."<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Spangler |first=Todd |date=2021-09-23 |title=John Stossel Sues Facebook Alleging Defamation Over Fact-Check Label, Seeks at Least $2 Million |url=https://variety.com/2021/digital/news/john-stossel-sues-facebook-defamation-fact-check-1235072338/ |access-date=2021-11-03 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Gardner |first=Eriq |date=2021-09-23 |title=John Stossel Sues Facebook for Allegedly Defaming Him With Fact-Check |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/digital/john-stossel-sues-facebook-1235019248/ |access-date=2021-10-05 |website=] |language=en-US}}</ref> A Facebook spokesperson called Stossel's lawsuit "without merit", and Facebook attorneys said in 2021 that "The labels themselves are neither false nor defamatory; to the contrary, they constitute protected opinion."<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Bond |first=Paul |date=2021-12-17 |title=Confusing Social Media Messages on Kyle Rittenhouse Leave Supporters Scratching Their Heads |url=https://www.newsweek.com/confusing-social-media-messages-kyle-rittenhouse-leave-supporters-scratching-their-heads-1660791 |access-date=2022-02-25 |website=]}}</ref> In October 2022, a federal court dismissed Stossel's lawsuit, saying that Facebook did not defame him because the Facebook fact check program "reflects a subjective judgment about the accuracy and reliability of assertions". The court also ruled that Stossel's lawsuit could be dismissed under California's ] statute.<ref name=":3" /><ref>Stossel v. Meta Platforms, Inc., 5:21-cv-07385-VKD (N.D. Cal. Oct. 11, 2022), https://digitalcommons.law.scu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3731&context=historical</ref> | |||
<!--See http://en.wikipedia.org/Wikipedia:Footnotes for an explanation of how to generate footnotes using the <ref(erences/)> tags--> | |||
<div class="references-small" style="-moz-column-count:2; column-count:2;"> | |||
==Personal life== | |||
<references/> | |||
Stossel lives in ] with his wife, Ellen Abrams<ref>Wiggins, James, ''V.I.P Address Book'' (2008), p. 653</ref> and children, Lauren and Max.<ref name=TVGuide/><ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.harpercollins.com/authors/25395/John_Stossel/index.aspx| publisher=HarperCollins| title=John Stossel Biography| access-date=September 24, 2007| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080630050207/http://www.harpercollins.com/authors/25395/John_Stossel/index.aspx| archive-date=June 30, 2008| url-status=dead| df=mdy-all}}</ref> They also own a home in Massachusetts.<ref>{{cite episode|series=]|title=A Practical Earth Day|season=5|number=12|airdate=April 17, 2014|network=]}}</ref> | |||
</div> | |||
Stossel came to embrace his family's ] ] heritage after marrying his wife, who is also Jewish. They also raised their children Jewish.<ref name=SunSentinel/> Stossel identified himself as an ] in "Skeptic or Believer", the December 16, 2010, episode of '']'', explaining that he had no belief in ] but was open to the possibility.<ref>{{Cite episode |title=Skeptic or Believer |series=Stossel |series-link=Stossel (TV series) |network=] |airdate=December 16, 2010 |minutes=14 }}</ref> | |||
Stossel's brother, ], was a ] professor<ref>Stossel, 2004, p. 214.</ref> and co-director of the Hematology Division at Boston's ].<ref>Stossel, John (2006). ''Myths, Lies, and Downright Stupidity''. ] p. 56</ref> He has served on the advisory boards of pharmaceutical companies such as ] and ].<ref>{{cite news|author=Wilson, Duff|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/03/business/03medschool.html|title=Harvard Medical School in Ethics Quandary|newspaper=]|date=March 2, 2009}}; and, {{cite web|url=http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/stories/2010/april/26/physician-payment-disclosures.aspx|title=Kaiser Health News|date=April 26, 2010}}</ref> Stossel's nephew is journalist and magazine editor ].<ref>{{cite web|author=Stossel, John|date=September 2, 2009|title=Thank Goodness for John Goodman|publisher=]|url=http://www.foxbusiness.com/on-air/stossel/blog/2009/09/02/thank-goodness-for-john-goodman|access-date=August 3, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131212064713/http://www.foxbusiness.com/on-air/stossel/blog/2009/09/02/thank-goodness-for-john-goodman|archive-date=December 12, 2013|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref> | |||
On April 20, 2016, Stossel announced he had ] despite never having smoked,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.adweek.com/tvnewser/john-stossel-credits-his-overanxious-wife-for-early-discovery-of-cancer/293490|title=John Stossel Credits His 'Overanxious Wife' for Early Discovery of Cancer|last=Joyella|first=Mark|date=May 13, 2016|website=TVNewser|access-date=2016-07-23}}</ref> and that as a result of its early detection, he would have a fifth of one of his lungs surgically removed.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/stossel-i-have-lung-cancer-my-medical-care-is-excellent-but-the-customer-service-stinks/|title=Stossel: I have lung cancer. My medical care is excellent but the customer service stinks|last=Stossel|first=John|date=April 20, 2016|publisher=Fox News}}</ref> | |||
==Books== | |||
* {{Cite book | year=2005 | title=Give Me a Break: How I Exposed Hucksters, Cheats, and Scam Artists and Became the Scourge of the Liberal Media...|edition=Paperback|publisher=Harper Paperbacks| isbn=978-0-06-052915-4 }} | |||
* {{Cite book | year=2007 | title=Myths, Lies and Downright Stupidity: Get Out the Shovel – Why Everything You Know is Wrong | edition=Paperback | publisher=Hyperion | isbn=978-0-7868-9393-5 | url-access=registration | url=https://archive.org/details/mythsliesdownrig00stos_0 }} | |||
* {{Cite book|year=2012|title= ] |publisher = Threshold Editions | isbn=978-1451640946}} | |||
==See also== | |||
* ] | |||
==References== | |||
{{Reflist|30em}} | |||
==External links== | ==External links== | ||
{{Commons category}} | |||
===Biographies of, and articles about, Stossel=== | |||
{{Wikiquote}} | |||
* | |||
* {{official website|http://www.johnstossel.com/}} | |||
*, An article about John Stossel from '']''. | |||
* {{IMDb name|832766|John Stossel}} | |||
*, ''USA Today'' | |||
* {{C-SPAN|37200}} | |||
*, FrontPageMag.com | |||
* |
* | ||
* {{cite web |title=Special Interview...Steve Hantler (of) John Stossel |url=http://www.legalreforminthenews.com/Interviews/Stossel_Hantler_Interview.html |author=American Justice Partnership |format=17 minute MP3 audio |date=December 12, 2005 |access-date=October 14, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070712200131/http://www.legalreforminthenews.com/Interviews/Stossel_Hantler_Interview.html |archive-date=July 12, 2007 |url-status=dead }} | |||
*, TheAdvocates.org | |||
===Biographies and articles about Stossel=== | |||
* | |||
* Johnson, Peter. , '']'', April 30, 2006 | |||
* Sullum, Jacob. ], April 1997. | |||
===Articles by Stossel=== | ===Articles by Stossel=== | ||
* | * | ||
* | * {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070915035759/http://www.townhall.com/Columnists/JohnStossel/ |date=September 15, 2007 }} | ||
* | |||
* is an excerpt from his first book. | |||
{{Authority control}} | |||
===Stossel Critics=== | |||
* by ] | |||
* by ] | |||
{{20/20Anchors}} | |||
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Latest revision as of 18:11, 3 January 2025
American reporter, investigative journalist, author, and libertarian columnist
John Stossel | |
---|---|
Stossel in 2018 | |
Born | John Frank Stossel (1947-03-06) March 6, 1947 (age 77) Chicago Heights, Illinois, U.S. |
Education | Princeton University (BA) |
Occupation(s) | Libertarian pundit, author, columnist, reporter, TV presenter |
Years active | 1969–present |
Notable credits | |
Political party | Libertarian |
Spouse | Ellen Abrams |
Children | 2 |
Relatives |
|
Stossel's voice How he became a Libertarian | |
Website | www |
John Frank Stossel (born March 6, 1947) is an American libertarian television presenter, author, consumer journalist, political activist, and pundit. He is known for his career as a host on ABC News, Fox Business Network, and Reason TV.
Stossel's style combines reporting and commentary. It reflects a libertarian political philosophy and views on economics which are largely supportive of the free market. He began his journalism career as a researcher for KGW-TV, was a consumer reporter at WCBS-TV in New York City, and then joined ABC News as a consumer editor and reporter on Good Morning America. Stossel became an ABC News correspondent, joining the weekly news magazine program 20/20, and later became a co-anchor. In October 2009, Stossel left ABC News to join the Fox Business Network. He hosted a weekly news show on Fox Business, Stossel, from December 2009 to December 2016. In 2019, Stossel launched StosselTV, an online channel distributed on social media.
Stossel has received 19 Emmy Awards and five awards from the National Press Club. He has written three books: Give Me a Break (2004), Myths, Lies, and Downright Stupidity (2007), and No, They Can't: Why Government Fails – But Individuals Succeed (2012).
Early life
John F. Stossel was born on March 6, 1947, in Chicago Heights, Illinois, the younger of two sons, to Jewish parents who left Germany before Hitler rose to power. The family joined a Congregationalist church in the U.S., and Stossel was raised Protestant. He grew up on Chicago's affluent North Shore and graduated from New Trier High School. Stossel characterizes his older brother, Thomas P. Stossel, as "the superstar of the family", commenting, "While I partied and played poker, he studied hard, got top grades, and went to Harvard Medical School." Stossel characterizes himself as having been "an indifferent student" while in college, commenting, "I daydreamed through half my classes at Princeton, and applied to grad school only because I was ambitious, and grad school seemed like the right path for a 21-year-old who wanted to get ahead." Although he had been accepted to the University of Chicago's School of Hospital Management, Stossel was "sick of school" and thought taking a job would inspire him to embrace graduate studies with renewed vigor. Stossel recalled in an interview that after graduating college, "like a lot of young people I thought capitalism was ok it brings us some stuff but it's cruel and unfair".
Career
Early career
In school, Stossel aspired to work at Seattle Magazine, but it went out of business by the time he graduated. His contacts there assisted him in getting a job at KGW-TV in Portland, Oregon, where Stossel began as a newsroom gofer, working his way up to researcher and then writer. After a few years, the news director told Stossel to go on the air and read what he wrote. Despite his stage fright, Stossel says his fear spurred him to improve, examining and imitating broadcasts of David Brinkley and Jack Perkins. Stossel had also stuttered since childhood. After a few years of on-air reporting, Stossel was hired by WCBS-TV in New York City, by Ed Joyce, the same news director who hired Arnold Diaz, Linda Ellerbee, Dave Marash, Joel Siegel and Lynn Sherr. Stossel was disappointed at CBS, feeling that the more limited amount of time spent there on research lowered the quality of its journalism compared to Portland. Stossel cites union work rules that discouraged the extra work that Stossel felt allowed employees to be creative, which he says represented his "first real introduction to the deals made by special interests". Stossel also "hated" Joyce, who he felt was "cold and critical", though Stossel credits Joyce with allowing him the freedom to pursue his own story ideas, and with recommending the Hollins Communications Research Institute in Roanoke, Virginia, that helped Stossel manage his stutter.
Stossel grew continuously more frustrated with having to follow the assignment editor's vision of what was news. Perhaps because of his stuttering, he had always avoided covering what others covered, feeling he could not succeed if he were forced to compete with other reporters by shouting out questions at news conferences. However, this led to the unexpected realization for Stossel that more important events were those that occurred slowly, such as the women's movement, the growth of computer technology, and advancements in contraception, rather than daily events like government pronouncements, elections, fires, or crime. One day, Stossel bypassed the assignment editor to give Ed Joyce a list of story ideas the assignment editor had rejected. Joyce agreed that Stossel's ideas were better, and approved them. Stossel has served as a spokesman for the Stuttering Foundation of America.
20/20
In 1981 Roone Arledge offered Stossel a job at ABC News, as a correspondent for 20/20 and consumer reporter for Good Morning America. His "Give Me a Break" segments for the former featured a skeptical look at subjects from government regulations and pop culture to censorship and unfounded fear. The series was spun off into a series of one-hour specials with budgets of half a million dollars that began in 1994. During the course of his work on 20/20, Stossel wrote, he discovered Reason magazine, whose libertarian ideas appealed to him. Stossel later said in an interview that the regulations he urged governments to pass did not work. After coming out as a libertarian, Stossel said, he angered members of the political left, his news colleagues and others. Stossel was named co-anchor of 20/20 in May 2003, while he was writing his first book, Give Me a Break: How I Exposed Hucksters, Cheats, and Scam Artists and Became the Scourge of the Liberal Media, which was published in 2004. In it, he details his start in journalism and consumer reporting, and how he evolved to harbor libertarian beliefs.
Fox News Channel and Fox Business Network
In September 2009, it was announced that Stossel was leaving Disney's ABC News and joining News Corp.'s Fox News Channel and Fox Business Network. In addition to appearing on The O'Reilly Factor every Tuesday night, he also hosted a one-hour weekly program for Fox Business Network and a series of one-hour specials for Fox News Channel, as well as making regular guest appearances on Fox News programs.
The program, Stossel, debuted December 10, 2009, on Fox Business Network. The program examined issues related to individual freedom, free market capitalism and small government, such as civil liberties, the business of health care, and free trade. The final episode premiered on December 16, 2016. At the end of that episode, a retrospective that spotlighted moments from seven years of the program, Stossel explained that due to his age, he wanted to help develop a younger generation of journalists with his views, and would continue to appear as a guest on Fox programs, and also help produce content for Reason TV. His blog, "Stossel's Take", is published on both FoxBusiness.com and FoxNews.com.
Stossel TV
In 2019, Stossel launched Stossel TV, an online channel which distributes weekly videos via social media platforms.
Publications
See also: No, They Can'tStossel has written three books. Give Me a Break: How I Exposed Hucksters, Cheats, and Scam Artists and Became the Scourge of the Liberal Media is a 2005 autobiography from Harper Perennial documenting his career and philosophical transition from liberalism to libertarianism. It describes his opposition to government regulation, his belief in free market and private enterprise, support for tort reform, and advocacy for shifting social services from the government to private charities. It was a New York Times bestseller for 11 weeks. Myths, Lies, and Downright Stupidity: Get Out the Shovel – Why Everything You Know Is Wrong, which was published in 2007 by Hyperion, questions the validity of various conventional wisdoms, and argues that the belief he is conservative is untrue. On April 10, 2012, Threshold Editions, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, published Stossel's third book No, They Can't: Why Government Fails – But Individuals Succeed. It argues that government policies meant to solve problems instead produce new ones, and that free individuals and the private sector perform tasks more efficiently than the government does.
With financial support from the libertarian Palmer R. Chitester Fund, Stossel and ABC News launched a series of educational materials for public schools in 1999 entitled "Stossel in the Classroom". It was taken over in 2006 by the Center for Independent Thought and releases a new DVD of teaching materials annually. In 2006, Stossel and ABC released Teaching Tools for Economics, a video series based on the National Council of Economics Education standards.
Since February 2011, Stossel has written a weekly newspaper column for Creators Syndicate. His articles appear in such online publications as Newsmax, Reason, and Townhall.
Political positions
Stossel purports to debunk myths in his journalism. His Myths and Lies series of 20/20 specials challenges a range of liberal beliefs. He also hosted The Power of Belief (October 6, 1998), an ABC News Special that focused on assertions of the paranormal and people's desire to believe. Another report put forward the argument that opposition to DDT is misplaced and that the ban on DDT has resulted in the deaths of millions of children, mostly in poor nations.
Libertarianism
As a libertarian who has said he usually votes for the Libertarian Party, Stossel says that he believes in both personal freedom and the free market. He frequently uses television airtime to advance these views and challenge viewers' distrust of free-market capitalism and economic competition. He received an Honoris Causa Doctorate from Francisco Marroquin University, a libertarian university in Guatemala, in 2008.
Stossel argues that individual self-interest, or "greed", creates an incentive to work harder and to innovate. He argues that this innovation makes the poor richer and the only way people "can get rich is to offer us something that we believe is better than we had before." He promoted school choice as a way to improve American public schools akin to the Belgian voucher system.
Stossel has criticized government programs for being inefficient, wasteful, and harmful. He has also criticized the American legal system, opining that it provides lawyers and vexatious litigators the incentive to file frivolous lawsuits indiscriminately. Although Stossel concedes that some lawsuits are necessary in order to provide justice to people genuinely injured by others with greater economic power, he advocates the adoption in the U.S. of the English rule as one method to reduce the more abusive or frivolous lawsuits.
Stossel opposes the minimum wage, corporate welfare and welfare more broadly, bailouts, seat belt laws, occupational licensing and the war in Iraq. He also opposes legal prohibitions against pornography, marijuana, recreational drugs, gambling, ticket scalping, prostitution, polygamy, and assisted suicide, and believes most abortions should be legal. He has said he supports the rule of law, gun rights, pollution control, and lower and simpler taxes. He has endorsed or explored various ideas in his specials and on his TV series for changing the tax system, including switching to a flat tax, and replacing the income tax with the FairTax.
Stossel argues that a country needs to have police and a national defense as laid out by the United States Constitution. Stossel acknowledges that Scandinavian countries have large welfare states, but says that they can only afford them "because they have a homogeneous culture and they have a fairly free private market to pay for it" while also noting that they have no government-mandated minimum wage.
When the Department of Labor reissued federal guidelines in April 2010 governing the employment of unpaid interns under the Fair Labor Standards Act based on a 1947 Supreme Court decision, Stossel criticized the guidelines, appearing in a police uniform during an appearance on the Fox News program America Live, commenting, "I've built my career on unpaid interns, and the interns told me it was great – I learned more from you than I did in college." Asked why he did not pay them if they were so valuable, he said he could not afford to.
Stossel is a faculty member of the Charles Koch Institute.
Stossel has advocated in favor of abolishing the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
On April 1, 2016, Stossel moderated the first-ever nationally televised Libertarian presidential debate. The second part of the debate aired on April 8. On May 21, 2020, he moderated the Libertarian Party National Convention Presidential Debate between Jacob Hornberger, Vermin Supreme, Jo Jorgensen, Jim Gray, and John Monds.
Science
In 2001, the progressive media watchdog organization FAIR criticized Stossel's reportage of global warming in his documentary, Tampering with Nature, accusing it of using "highly selective...information" that placed undue emphasis on three dissenters from among the 2,000 members of the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which had recently released a report stating that global temperatures were rising almost twice as fast as previously thought.
In December 2014, Stossel stated that "There is no good data showing secondhand smoke kills people." The fact-checker website Politifact rated this statement "False", citing considerable levels of scientific research showing that secondhand smoke has caused deaths.
Praise and criticism
Awards
As of 2001, Stossel had won 19 Emmy Awards. He was honored five times for excellence in consumer reporting by the National Press Club, has received a George Polk Award for Outstanding Local Reporting and a Peabody Award. On April 23, 2012, Stossel was awarded the Chapman University Presidential Medal, by the current president, James Doti, and chancellor, Danielle Struppa. The award has been presented to only a handful of people over the past 150 years. Stossel received an honorary doctorate from Universidad Francisco Marroquín.
Praise
In promotional copy for one of Stossel's books, the Nobel Prize–winning Chicago School monetarist economist Milton Friedman wrote: "Stossel is that rare creature, a TV commentator who understands economics, in all its subtlety." Steve Forbes, the editor of Forbes magazine, described Stossel as "one of America's ablest and most courageous journalists." The author P. J. O'Rourke said, "He seeks the truths that destroy truisms, wields reason against all that's unreasonable, and uses and upholds the ideals that puncture sanctimonious idealism".
An article published by the libertarian group Advocates for Self Government notes praise for Stossel. Independent Institute Research Analyst Anthony Gregory, writing on the libertarian blog LewRockwell.com, described Stossel as a "heroic rogue... a media maverick and proponent of freedom in an otherwise statist, conformist mass media." Libertarian investment analyst Mark Skousen said Stossel is "a true libertarian hero".
Criticism and controversy
Progressive organizations such as Fairness and Accuracy In Reporting (FAIR) and Media Matters for America (MMfA) have criticized Stossel's work, for what they described as a lack of balance of coverage and distortion of facts on his part. For example, Stossel was criticized for a segment on his October 11, 1999, show during which he argued that AIDS research has received too much funding, "25 times more than on Parkinson's, which kills more people." FAIR pointed out that AIDS had in fact killed more people in the United States in 1999.
In a February 2000 Salon feature on Stossel titled "Prime-time propagandist", David Mastio wrote that Stossel has a conflict of interest in donating profits from his public speaking engagements to, among others, a non-profit called "Stossel in the Classroom" which includes material for use in schools, some of which uses material made by Stossel.
University of Texas economist James K. Galbraith has alleged that Stossel, in his September 1999 special Is America #1?, used an out-of-context clip of Galbraith to convey the notion that Galbraith advocated the adoption by Europe of the free market economics practiced by the United States, when in fact Galbraith actually advocated that Europe adopt some of the United States' social benefit transfer mechanisms such as Social Security, which is the economically opposite view. Stossel denied any misrepresentation of Galbraith's views and stated that it was not his intention to convey that Galbraith agreed with all of the special's ideas. However, he re-edited that portion of the program for its September 2000 repeat, in which Stossel paraphrased, "Even economists who like Europe's policies, like James Galbraith, now acknowledge America's success."
David Schultz incident
On December 28, 1984, during an interview for 20/20 on professional wrestling, wrestler David Schultz struck Stossel twice after Stossel said professional wrestling was "fake", during a time when the professional wrestling industry heavily protected kayfabe. Stossel said he suffered from pain and buzzing in his ears eight weeks after the assault. Stossel sued and obtained a settlement of $425,000 from the World Wrestling Federation (WWF); the WWF would eventually admit to the industry having predetermined results in 1989. In his book, Myths, Lies, and Downright Stupidity, Stossel noted his regret, believing lawsuits harm innocent people. Schultz maintains that he attacked Stossel on orders from Vince McMahon, the head of the then-WWF. This was later re-visited on the second season episode of Dark Side of the Ring, aired on April 28, 2020.
Organic vegetables
A February 2000 story about organic vegetables on 20/20 included statements by Stossel that tests had shown that neither organic nor conventional produce samples contained any pesticide residue, and that organic food was more likely to be contaminated by E. coli bacteria. The Environmental Working Group objected to his report, mainly questioning his statements about bacteria, but also managed to determine that the produce had never been tested for pesticides. They communicated this to Stossel, but after the story's producer backed Stossel's statement that the test results had been as described, the story was rebroadcast months later, unchanged, and with a postscript in which Stossel reiterated his claim. Later, after a report in The New York Times confirmed the Environmental Working Group's claims, ABC News suspended the producer of the segment for a month and reprimanded Stossel. Stossel apologized, saying that he had thought the tests had been conducted as reported. However, he asserted that the gist of his report had been accurate.
Frederick K. C. Price
In a March 2007 segment about finances and lifestyles of televangelists, 20/20 aired a segment by Stossel that included a clip of television minister Frederick K. C. Price, which had originally been broadcast by the Lifetime Network in 1997. Price alleged that the clip portrayed him describing his wealth in extravagant terms, when he was actually telling a parable about a rich man. ABC News twice aired a retraction and apologized for the error. The suit concluded with an out of court settlement including a public apology by ABC.
Lawsuit against fact-checkers
In September 2021, Stossel sued Facebook, alleging defamation for labels applied by fact checkers to two of his videos, but his lawsuit was dismissed in October 2022. The fact-checking organizations Science Feedback and Climate Feedback were also named as defendants in Stossel's lawsuit. Stossel's video titled "Government Fueled Fires" had been labeled on Facebook as "missing context" and "misleading", and another video titled "Are We Doomed?" had been labeled as "partly false" and "factual inaccuracies". Stossel's lawsuit said that the labels harmed his viewership, advertisement revenue, and reputation, and that Facebook and its fact-checking partners "falsely attributed to Stossel a claim he never made". In the first video, Stossel featured a guest who opined that climate change was not the primary cause of the 2020 California fires. In the second video, Stossel questioned statements made by those he refers to as "environmental alarmists", including "claims that hurricanes are getting stronger, that sea level rise poses a catastrophic threat, and that humans will be unable to cope with the fallout." A Facebook spokesperson called Stossel's lawsuit "without merit", and Facebook attorneys said in 2021 that "The labels themselves are neither false nor defamatory; to the contrary, they constitute protected opinion." In October 2022, a federal court dismissed Stossel's lawsuit, saying that Facebook did not defame him because the Facebook fact check program "reflects a subjective judgment about the accuracy and reliability of assertions". The court also ruled that Stossel's lawsuit could be dismissed under California's anti-SLAPP statute.
Personal life
Stossel lives in New York City with his wife, Ellen Abrams and children, Lauren and Max. They also own a home in Massachusetts.
Stossel came to embrace his family's Ashkenazi Jewish heritage after marrying his wife, who is also Jewish. They also raised their children Jewish. Stossel identified himself as an agnostic in "Skeptic or Believer", the December 16, 2010, episode of Stossel, explaining that he had no belief in God but was open to the possibility.
Stossel's brother, Thomas P. Stossel, was a Harvard Medical School professor and co-director of the Hematology Division at Boston's Brigham and Women's Hospital. He has served on the advisory boards of pharmaceutical companies such as Merck and Pfizer. Stossel's nephew is journalist and magazine editor Scott Stossel.
On April 20, 2016, Stossel announced he had lung cancer despite never having smoked, and that as a result of its early detection, he would have a fifth of one of his lungs surgically removed.
Books
- Give Me a Break: How I Exposed Hucksters, Cheats, and Scam Artists and Became the Scourge of the Liberal Media... (Paperback ed.). Harper Paperbacks. 2005. ISBN 978-0-06-052915-4.
- Myths, Lies and Downright Stupidity: Get Out the Shovel – Why Everything You Know is Wrong (Paperback ed.). Hyperion. 2007. ISBN 978-0-7868-9393-5.
- No, They Can't: Why Government Fails – But Individuals Succeed. Threshold Editions. 2012. ISBN 978-1451640946.
See also
References
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- "John Stossel". Reason.com. September 20, 2023.
- Johnson, Carlisle (January 15, 2008). "Interview with John Stossel by Carlisle Johnson". Francisco Marroquin University (Guatemala) "New Media - Universidad Francisco Marroquín". Archived from the original on May 31, 2020. Retrieved September 13, 2020.
{{cite web}}
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- ^ "John Stossel: Biography". TV Guide. Retrieved August 12, 2012.
- ^ Stossel, John (2004). Give Me a Break: How I Exposed Hucksters, Cheats, and Scam Artists and Became the Scourge of the Liberal Media. HarperCollins. pp. 2–3
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- Seavey, Todd (June 1, 2002). "The DDT Ban Turns 30 – Millions Dead of Malaria Because of Ban, More Deaths Likely". American Council on Science and Health. Archived from the original on October 9, 2007. Retrieved November 17, 2007.
- Stossel, John (October 4, 2006). "Hooray for DDT's Life-Saving Comeback". Real Clear Politics. Retrieved September 24, 2007.
- Rutenberg, Jim; Barringer, Felicity (August 14, 2000). "MEDIA; Apology Highlights ABC Reporter's Contrarian Image". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
- "Conference about The Myths, Lies and Downright Stupidity Archived May 31, 2020, at the Wayback Machine" at Francisco Marroquin University. Guatemala, January 2008
- Stossel, John (April 26, 2006). "Greed is good". Townhall.com. Retrieved September 24, 2007.
- Stossel, John (June 16, 2021). "The Poor Get Richer". Stoppingsocialism.com. Retrieved May 2, 2022.
- Stossel, John (January 13, 2016). "Opinion: John Stossel's 'Stupid in America'". ABC News. Retrieved May 9, 2021.
- "School choice and school vouchers: An OECD perspective" (PDF). Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. 2017. Retrieved May 9, 2021.
- Stossel, John (August 16, 2006). "Does Government Stupidity Know Any Bounds". Townhall.com. Archived from the original on March 18, 2008. Retrieved September 24, 2007.
- Stossel, 2004. "The Trouble with Lawyers". pp. 177–179
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- Stossel; 2004; p. 283
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- John Stossel and Andrew Kirell. Is the Government Bailout Just Dollars and Nonsense?, ABC News, March 13, 2009
- "John Stossel & Don Imus Discuss Gay Marriage & The Coming Bankruptcy of Medicare & Social Security". YouTube. April 5, 2013. Archived from the original on November 16, 2021. Retrieved April 11, 2014.
- Television Review; A Grab Bag of 'Victimless Crimes', The New York Times, May 26, 1998
- Stossel, John. "John Stossel Q & A – Your Questions Answered". ABCNews.com. Archived from the original on August 16, 2004. Retrieved March 18, 2010.
- The Right To BEAR Arms, June 29, 2021, retrieved March 12, 2023
- Stossel, John (April 2010). "Lower and Simplify Taxes!". JFS Productions, Inc. Creators.com. Archived December 13, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
- Stossel, John (1999). Is America #1?, ABC News.
- Boortz, Neal (May 25, 2006). "Today's Nuze: May 25, 2006". Cox Media Group. Archived from the original on May 4, 2012. Retrieved April 9, 2012.
- Fact Sheet #71: Internship Programs Under The Fair Labor Standards Act United States Department of Labor; April 2010
- Stout, Hilary. The Coveted but Elusive Summer Internship, The New York Times, July 2, 2010
- "Charles Koch Institute fellowship funds journalists". Columbia Journalism Review. Retrieved May 14, 2019.
- Edwards, Jim (March 1, 2010). "John Stossel's Plan to Abolish the FDA Should Be Laughed Out of Town". CBS News. Retrieved September 26, 2021.
- Nicholas Sarwark (March 3, 2016). "Libertarian presidential debate to air on Stossel Show in April". Libertarian Party. Archived from the original on May 11, 2016.
- "FBN's John Stossel Hosts Libertarian Presidential Forum Featuring Johnson, McAfee & Petersen". Fox Business. March 31, 2016.
- "LP official presidential debates tonight; lineups announced". Independent Political Report. SpinJ Corporation. May 21, 2020. Retrieved July 3, 2020.
- "FAIR Action Alert: Stossel Tampers with the Facts". FAIR. July 17, 2001. Archived from the original on June 9, 2012. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
- Sanders, Katie. "Fox Business pundit: 'No good data' for deaths from secondhand smoke". Politifact. Archived from the original on May 14, 2019. Retrieved July 14, 2020.
- Kelly, Ray (October 15, 2018). "Fox News' John Stossel to speak at STCC". masslive.com. Retrieved May 14, 2019.
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- ^ "Confessions of a Media Maverick: Exposing Hucksters, Cheats and Scam Artists". The Independent Institute Conference Center. January 30, 2004. Retrieved September 24, 2007.
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- Skousen, Mark (February 1, 2003). "A Year at FEE". Forecasts & Strategies. Archived from the original on September 28, 2007. Retrieved September 24, 2007.
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We stand by our report
- Kaplan, Peter W. (February 23, 1985). "TV Notes; ABC Reporter May Sue Wrestler Who Hit Him". New York Times. Retrieved September 28, 2007.
- ^ Wrestling Babylon by Irvin Muchnick ECW Press 2007 p. 118; and, Give Me a Break by John Stossel, p. 211
- "Wrestling with Success". Sports Illustrated. March 25, 1991. Archived from the original on October 23, 2009.
- Johnson, Steven (October 8, 2006). "Dr. D dominates PWHF dinner". Canoe. Archived from the original on July 18, 2012. Retrieved September 26, 2007.
- Rutenberg, Jim (July 31, 2000). "Report on Organic Foods Is Challenged". The New York Times. Retrieved September 1, 2007.
- Stossel, John (August 11, 2000). "20/20: Stossel Apology for Organic Food Report". ABC News. Retrieved September 26, 2007.
- Rutenberg, Jim; Barringer, Felicity (August 14, 2000). "Apology Highlights ABC Reporter's Contrarian Image". The New York Times. Retrieved September 5, 2007.
- McElroy, Wendy (August 15, 2000). "Blaspheming Organic Food: The Persecution of John Stossel". LewRockwell.com. Retrieved September 26, 2007.
- Johnson, Gene C. Jr. (August 2, 2007). "Price Strikes Back at ABC". Los Angeles Wave. Archived from the original on October 26, 2007. Retrieved September 26, 2007.; and, Semuels, Alana (July 25, 2007). "Preacher sues '20/20,' alleging defamation". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on November 11, 2012. Retrieved September 26, 2007.
- Thielman, Sam (April 21, 2011). "Price and ABC settle after four years". Variety.
- ^ Cho, Winston (October 12, 2022). "Judge Dismisses John Stossel's Defamation Suit Against Facebook Over Fact-Checking". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 12, 2023.
- "Facebook wins dismissal of John Stossel's lawsuit over his California wildfire video". The Mercury News. October 14, 2022. Retrieved May 12, 2023.
- ^ Spangler, Todd (September 23, 2021). "John Stossel Sues Facebook Alleging Defamation Over Fact-Check Label, Seeks at Least $2 Million". Variety. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
- "Stossel v. Facebook Inc. and Climate Feedback (United States District Court Northern District of California 2022)". www.documentcloud.org. Retrieved May 11, 2023.
- Gardner, Eriq (September 23, 2021). "John Stossel Sues Facebook for Allegedly Defaming Him With Fact-Check". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 5, 2021.
- Bond, Paul (December 17, 2021). "Confusing Social Media Messages on Kyle Rittenhouse Leave Supporters Scratching Their Heads". Newsweek. Retrieved February 25, 2022.
- Stossel v. Meta Platforms, Inc., 5:21-cv-07385-VKD (N.D. Cal. Oct. 11, 2022), https://digitalcommons.law.scu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3731&context=historical
- Wiggins, James, V.I.P Address Book (2008), p. 653
- "John Stossel Biography". HarperCollins. Archived from the original on June 30, 2008. Retrieved September 24, 2007.
- "A Practical Earth Day". Stossel. Season 5. Episode 12. April 17, 2014. Fox Business Network.
- "Skeptic or Believer". Stossel. December 16, 2010. 14 minutes in. Fox Business Network.
- Stossel, 2004, p. 214.
- Stossel, John (2006). Myths, Lies, and Downright Stupidity. Hyperion Books p. 56
- Wilson, Duff (March 2, 2009). "Harvard Medical School in Ethics Quandary". The New York Times.; and, "Kaiser Health News". April 26, 2010.
- Stossel, John (September 2, 2009). "Thank Goodness for John Goodman". Fox Business Network. Archived from the original on December 12, 2013. Retrieved August 3, 2012.
- Joyella, Mark (May 13, 2016). "John Stossel Credits His 'Overanxious Wife' for Early Discovery of Cancer". TVNewser. Retrieved July 23, 2016.
- Stossel, John (April 20, 2016). "Stossel: I have lung cancer. My medical care is excellent but the customer service stinks". Fox News.
External links
- Official website
- John Stossel at IMDb
- Appearances on C-SPAN
- Stossel TV YouTube Channel
- American Justice Partnership (December 12, 2005). "Special Interview...Steve Hantler (of) John Stossel". Archived from the original (17 minute MP3 audio) on July 12, 2007. Retrieved October 14, 2007.
Biographies and articles about Stossel
- ABC News Biography
- Johnson, Peter. "Stossel's evolution from activist to contrarian angers some of his fans", USA Today, April 30, 2006
- Sullum, Jacob. "Risky Journalism: ABC's John Stossel bucks a fearful establishment" Reason, April 1997.
Articles by Stossel
- John Stossel's 20/20 Web Page
- John Stossel's Newspaper Columns Archived September 15, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
- John Stossel's Column on Creators.com
- 1947 births
- Living people
- ABC News personalities
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- American anti-communists
- American columnists
- American former Protestants
- American libertarians
- American people of German-Jewish descent
- American political commentators
- American skeptics
- American free speech activists
- Fox Business people
- Fox News people
- George Polk Award recipients
- Jewish agnostics
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- New Trier High School alumni
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