New Wikileaks documents reveal how the Dr. Oz show operates behind the scenes.
Dr. Mehmet Oz often appears on his Dr. Oz popular to promote new health products and medical devices. Most people who watch the show believe he’s doing this to help mankind and teach people how to be healthy and make better life decisions. However, newly leaked emails suggest that it’s all about the money – it has nothing to do with health or science.
Last week, Wikileaks released hundreds of emails sent between Dr. Oz, his staff, and executives at Sony. They shed some light on how Dr. Oz’s daily talk show works behind the scenes and it’s scary.
Dr. Oz talks about promoting Sony products
In a January 2014 email, for instance, Dr. Oz reaches out to Michael Lynton, the CEO of Sony Entertainment about his interest in wearable fitness and health tracking devices.
“I have been carefully following the wearable device market and am pretty close to consummating a longer term relationship, but just saw the piece below quoting Kaz Hirai [the president and CEO of Sony] and realized that Sony is moving into the space as well,” Oz writes in an email. “We should leverage the Sony-driven success of our TV show into other arenas where Sony thrives, like health hardware.” [VOX]
The email points out that Dr. Oz is planning to use his talk show to promote and expand Sony’s fitness products. However, Dr. Oz does not point out or mention the health implications. He is more excited about working with Sony and pleasing the show’s producers.
But, it appears Dr. Mehmet Oz has a guilty conscience. Emails show both Sony and Oz’s staff are worried about the show’s growing critics. One email suggested Sony was concerned with Dr. Oz’s testimony before a Senate commerce subcommittee.
“Dr. Oz has not entered into a paid sponsorship arrangement to date, but would like to explore doing so in the future. We have apprised the appropriate parties of the risks associated with the future plans, as well as specific criticisms of Dr. Oz’s role in the national conversation about health that could emerge in the hearing or in subsequent coverage.” [VOX]
It is important to point out that producers did not want Dr. Oz to go to the Senate hearing. But, Dr. Oz was adamant about going.
“It’s also worth noting for the record that Harpo’s counsel is not in favor of Oz participating, especially when he’s not legally obligated to do so,” wrote Denise Beaudoin, the legal and business affairs counsel to The Dr. Oz Show, in an email. “They do not see the value of getting involved unless compelled by subpoena because there’s always the potential for downside (no matter how slight).”
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