Analysis:
This story, lengthy by television news standards at 2 minutes and 26 seconds, looks at Aquinas College’s recent decision not to renew its contract with Coca-Cola due to pressure from students concerned about Coke’s human rights abuses.
While the story got the name of the student group wrong–it’s the Social Action Committee, not the Student Action Committee–WXMI did talk to SAC’s coordinator about the campaign. The quotes by her used in the story tended to be vague statements about Coca-Cola’s responsibility rather than statements about what Coke is accused of doing in Colombia. In fact, the story contains little mention of Coke’s crimes, only mentioning allegations that “union workers with a Coca-Cola bottling plant in Colombia are kidnapped, tortured, and murdered.” WXMI never investigates these claims or provides any details about specific allegations, despite a wealth of materials available online.
This is particularly problematic in light of the comments from Coca-Cola spokesperson Diana Garza who is able to deny the allegations without being asked for specifics. The story is framed in a manner that makes the students seem naive and unaware of the reality of the situation, while the Coke spokesperson seems somewhat unimpeachable with her declarations that “it isn’t logical” to hurt their workers. Despite the story reporting that Coca-Cola proved allegations were false at University of Michigan and Michigan State University, there has been considerable debate over Coke’s claims. Moreover, Coca-Cola’s contract was temporarily suspended at the University of Michigan due to concerns over human rights abuses.
Story:
News Reader: Students at Aquinas College celebrating what they call a stand against injustice. This comes after they convinced college administrators to quit offering Coca-Cola on campus. The student group says the company violates workers rights in Colombia. Tonight, Coca-Cola denies that, but students still call it a victory for human rights.
News Reader: Members of the Student Action Committee at Aquinas College say there is nothing refreshing about a can of Coca-Cola.
Claire O’Neill, SAC Coordinator: As a fellow worker, as a human being, we all have a responsibility to have compassion.
News Reader: The group joined the Killer Coke campaign, a human rights group based in New York who says union workers with a Coca-Cola bottling plant in Colombia are kidnapped, tortured, and murdered.
Claire O’Neill, SAC Coordinator: I think it’s unacceptable. As a corporation that has billions of dollars, they should be responsible.
News Reader: Claire O’Neill, coordinator for SAC at Aquinas College was one of fifty members that spent two and a half years hanging up posters on vending machines and distributing flyers. SAC then met with college administrators who decided not to renew its five-year contract with Coca-Cola. Instead, it signed with Pepsi.
Randy MacGeorge, Aquinas College Residential Life Director: We looked at everything from service to variety of products and the social concerns. They did come into play.
Diana Garza, Coca-Cola Spokesperson: There is no truth to any of these allegations.
News Reader: A Coca-Cola spokesperson said not only is the company not guilty of any wrongdoing, but it was also proven in a Colombian court.
Diana Garza, Coca-Cola Spokesperson: It is not logical for a company like ours to ever do anything that would put in jeopardy the very business that we operate in or the very communities in which we operate. It’s just, it’s just not logical. It isn’t logical for us to hurt our workers, we need them to produce our products.
News Reader: Coca-Cola also says it was not given an opportunity to speak to the student action committee and would have sent a representative to Aquinas to prove its case. But now that Coke machines are no longer on campus, Claire says their job is done.
Claire O’Neill, SAC Coordinator: We’re a small college, but we’re still able say and to speak to administrators and say we don’t agree with this and they listen to us.
News Reader: The student group is teaming up with the Workers Rights Consortium to monitor the company’s who make Aquinas College apparel to make sure it is sweatshop-free. Now, meanwhile Coca-Cola has maintained its contracts with Michigan and Michigan State universities after it proved allegations of abuses were false.
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