Parade Magazine's Animal Abuse Promo

The March 16, 2003, edition of Parade Magazine included a short article by "writer" Lyric Wallwork Winik called "Tails-Up For A Hot New Sport." The article was an all out promotion for rodeo, which is neither new (having been around for decades) or a sport (since animals are forced to "perform" through acts of cruelty and abuse).

Ms. Winik, quoted what she called a "recent survey" conducted by Sports Business Daily, indicating that rodeo was the next breakout sport. With just one E-mail to Sports Business Daily, I discovered that Ms. Winik's report was completely and hopelessly flawed, and lacked even the slightest amount of investigation or journalistic integrity.

I wrote to David Peedin, a research associate at Sports Business Daily, who responded with the following regarding the Internet poll:

It was conducted online on the front page of our site. Anyone who could have loaded our front page could have participated. Therefore, this poll is unscientific and I would caution anyone against using the data for that simple reason. This poll had 1,300 responses, our average poll will get between 50-175.

In a subsequent E-mail, Mr. Peedin states:

It's nearly 3 times the most we have ever received for a single poll. Something strange was going on with this poll. I can't say if rodeo folks "loaded" the poll or not, I'm just really cautious with this sort of polling.

Our polls on the site are done for fun....I wouldn't use them for any sort of professional analysis.

Best,
David Peedin

I don't know why Ms. Winik took the time to write what is obviously just a blatant promotion for the PRCA (Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association), but I will certainly keep this in mind whenever I see any future articles in Parade Magazine or any other publication that are written by Ms. Lyric Wallwork Winik.

Colleen Gardner, Director
Rocky Mountain Office of Showing Animals Respect and Kindness (SHARK)

Follow-up note from SHARK President Steve Hindi:

It is important to mention a couple points regarding Lyric Wallwork Winik and her work.

The family advocacy organization, Mothers At Home (MAH), wrote a rebuttal to another Parade article written by Ms. Winik charging that Winik had "drawn from the promotional materials" of an opposing special interest organization.

You can review the MAH rebuttal at http://www.familyandhome.org/media/parade.htm.

Furthermore, in an interview with Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, Ms. Winik gives Secretary Rumsfeld a book, stating: "I have something quickly for you from my husband who I think you know." Winik goes on to mention her personal connections to President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney.

Lyric Wallwork Winik and Parade Magazine may believe that a lack of talent and journalistic integrity may be replaced with political connections and fabrications. We respectfully disagree, and would encourage intelligent and discriminating readers to scrutinize very carefully any information associated with either Ms. Winik or Parade Magazine.

You can respond to Ms. Winik's article by E-mailing Parade Magazine, so long as you are willing to go through their sign-up form at http://www.parade.com/registration/RegLoginResp.lasso

If either Ms. Winik or Parade Magazine wishes to dispute our findings or opinions, we will be only too happy to include their entire response on this page, with the likelihood that we will respond. We won't hold our breath while we wait.

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