Cloth Diapers in the News
Cloth diapers too difficult to report on fairly?
Every once in a while, in my search for the latest in cloth diaper news, I come across an interview or write-up that smacks of biased journalism.
When Dani Tobey, owner of babycottonbottoms.com in Colorado Springs, CO, gave an interview to her local paper, I can imagine she had high hopes for a fair representation of her start-up business.
However, Tobey’s interview with journalist, Amanda Brown, is anything but fair; the published article, YOUR SPACE: Mother is ’sitting on a whole lot of diapers’ reaks of an undercurrent of sarcasm.
From the start, Brown trips over her own analogy when she writes, “Dani Tobey figures she did a good thing by cashing in her 401(k) last year to invest in something that, well, wouldn’t go down the toilet.” Brown is speaking of Tobey’s investment in a large inventory of modern cloth diapers; the analogy doesn’t quite make it - disposable diapers don’t flush down the toilet - that waste ends up in our landfills.
Brown’s apparent bias against cloth diapers serves as transitions between interview quotes; lazy, underhanded ‘pokes’ typically reserved for playground bullies, not skilled newspaper journalists.
When Tobey says her new cloth diaper business is “…kind of recession proof, because people have to buy diapers” and that “People turn to cloth diapers to save money.” Brown’s assessment of this business model is “Yeah, but most parents want to toss, not wash, the output from their little bundles of joy. After all, dirty diapers are…just that.”
When Tobey makes mention of her Diaper 101 Classes…Brown reframes strong product support and pro-active customer service by hailing cloth diapers as “complicated”.
In spite of the “crud” found in this interview, the truth is that modern cloth diapers ARE DIFFERENT. And though the perspective shift is difficult for mainstream journalists to wrap their minds around, Tobey and other online and brick & mortar retailers of cloth diapers can help any who are interested.
Tags: Baby Cotton Bottoms, babycottonbottoms.com, cloth diapers, Diaper 101 Classes, dirty diapers, disposable diapers, landfills, modern cloth diapersCloth Diaper Blog is published by www.diaperjunction.com.
Discussion
4 comments for “Cloth diapers too difficult to report on fairly?”
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I would be livid if I were Dani. That article was terrible. You are correct - Brown wasn’t presenting information she was feeding the current stereotype that cloth diapers are dirty and hard work and disposables are easy and cleaner.
I agree with Erin. This was a very poorly written piece. I sincerely hope that Dani has contacted this reporter about her obvious bias being within the article. Exactly what kind of reporter replies to a comment starting with “Yeah (enter derogatory reply)”? What bothered me the most was when the reporter stated, “Tobey holds Diaper 101 classes about products and proper care. It is that complicated.” It is that complicated? Really? You know what else is complicated? Driving a car, or cooking, or doing your own specialty laundry. Many things that we do daily are considered complicated until you do them enough that it becomes second nature. My husband and I may not have children yet but we are planning, and determined, to use cloth diapers. Thank heaven there are those out there still working to provide them to us. Thank you.
I had read this article when it came out and thought it was bit off and worded strangely, but I didn’t pay enough attention to why. Thank you for pointing out such poor journalism. I will read more carefully in the future.
I read the article for the first time…and wow…I think Ms. Brown was some how hurt by a cloth diaper some time in her life. In fact, I was quite offended by her statements and I wasn’t even the one being interviewed!!