Salem Media hosts in Balance Of Nature complaint to FTC, FDA

[CTListener]

Also Doctors of Divinity.

The Rev. Dr. Billy Graham, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. -- strike the "Dr." from both. On MLK Day, however, you get lots of speeches from lots of people who praise "Doctor King." The "Doctor" stays in quoted matter.

 

[davideduardo]

Exactly, and I'm sure you worked very hard for that degree. But to the general public, "Dr." before a person's name implies medical expertise. That's why AP insists on eliminating the title for people such as yourself.

An, internationally, they use Dr. for anyone with a doctorate. Just like we don't use the metric system, the US and few other rogue nations don't use "Dr" for anyone with a doctorate. Everyone else does.

Also, you don't need a doctorate, a master's or even a bachelor's degree to present yourself as an expert on broadcasting. There's no specific course of study needed, no licensing panels, no state or federal regulators. You can just get into the business at the entry level and acquire real-world expertise as you advance. You could go out and do lectures on broadcasting and, if you have sparkling career credentials and wide respect and renown among industry professionals, no one will be demanding to see your diploma or certificate.

But, for an engineer, it means knowledge of theory and principles and differentiates mechanics from scientists.

Lawyers hold doctorates, too. Their degrees are necessary for them to be approved to practice just as physicians' and surgeons' degrees are. But when have you ever seen a lawyer called "Dr." or insist on being identified that way?

A lawyer is "Ll. D" or Legum Doctor, a doctor of the laws. Ll.D. is commonly seen. So they do use the title, and quite commonly.

 

[davideduardo]

Precisely why The Associated Press Stylebook says to avoid the honorific "Dr." for all but those with medical degrees, whether the person using the title holds a philosophy degree from Columbia Pacific or an education degree from Harvard. University presidents are the worst. They all want to be called "Dr." in news coverage. I try to see to it that they aren't.

This rather unique trait of North American descendants of the Pilgrims and the American Revolution reject most titles... whether they be hereditary, honorific or earned. It's sort of a manifestation of "equality".

Yet we know that a doctor en law is not equal to a gardiner. A doctor in literature is not the same as an auto mechanic. While skilled manual labor is a very great and honorable occupation, it's not the same as having a doctorate in botany or a doctorate in physics. In most nations of the world, we honor those academic achievements with a title.

But in the USA, I'm just a schmuck who used to build and fix transmitters and consoles. In Ecuador, I was "Ing. Gleason" because I had a civil engineer's credential from the university (most of which I have painfully forgotten). It separated me from the guy around the corner who changed tubes in a radio set.

In some senses, the American desire to not have a no-bility prevented us from recognizing a-bility.

 

[CTListener]

A lawyer is "Ll. D" or Legum Doctor, a doctor of the laws. Ll.D. is commonly seen. So they do use the title, and quite commonly.

In this country, Ll. D. is an honorary degree only, awarded to anyone the university's top officials deem worthy of what is essentially a vanity title. It often finds its way to entertainers, athletes or people who share the university's social, religious or political biases. In other countries, it is also an academic title. Honorees who get one of these documents -- often included in a package of college-sponsored ego stroking on graduation day that also includes a hefty appearance fee and a chance to pontificate to a large crowd of newly minted B.S. and B.A. holders and parents -- and then go on to puff their chests and insist on being called "Doctor" may have sold millions of records or converted thousands of heathens or scored hundreds of goals, but they haven't earned a doctorate or any sort of academic degree just by doing so.

Most U.S. lawyers hold a J.D. (Juris Doctor) degree, and while you may see it affixed to their names -- along with "Esq.," a holdover from British usage in some cases -- they rarely if ever insist on being addressed as "Doctor." "Attorney" is more than enough of a title of respect. O.J. Simpson may have been defended by Johnnie Cochran, J.D., but I don't recall anyone -- including Cochran himself -- calling the lawyer "Dr. Cochran."

 

[davideduardo]

In this country, Ll. D. is an honorary degree only, awarded to anyone the university's top officials deem worthy of what is essentially a vanity title. It often finds its way to entertainers, athletes or people who share the university's social, religious or political biases. In other countries, it is also an academic title. Honorees who get one of these documents -- often included in a package of college-sponsored ego stroking on graduation day that also includes a hefty appearance fee and a chance to pontificate to a large crowd of newly minted B.S. and B.A. holders and parents -- and then go on to puff their chests and insist on being called "Doctor" may have sold millions of records or converted thousands of heathens or scored hundreds of goals, but they haven't earned a doctorate or any sort of academic degree just by doing so.

Most U.S. lawyers hold a J.D. (Juris Doctor) degree, and while you may see it affixed to their names -- along with "Esq.," a holdover from British usage in some cases -- they rarely if ever insist on being addressed as "Doctor." "Attorney" is more than enough of a title of respect. O.J. Simpson may have been defended by Johnnie Cochran, J.D., but I don't recall anyone -- including Cochran himself -- calling the lawyer "Dr. Cochran."

It's still a doctorate. And for lawyers, anything but honorary.

As I said, the US is about the only significant country not to use degree-earned titles other than for medical doctors.

 

[Lee Linwood]

The Rev. Dr. Billy Graham, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. -- strike the "Dr." from both. On MLK Day, however, you get lots of speeches from lots of people who praise "Doctor King." The "Doctor" stays in quoted matter.

Even worse, “Dr.” Maya Angelou, whose “doctorate” was an “honorary doctorate.”

 

[frankberry]

We've pulled this thread off topic. I'm guilty too.
Let's get back on topic.

 

[Don CT]

I would love to see informercials masked as talk shows to be taken down. This seems to be the route Larry King has gone down. Sell snake oil through the disguise of his old talk show.

 

[TheBigA]

I would love to see informercials masked as talk shows to be taken down. This seems to be the route Larry King has gone down. Sell snake oil through the disguise of his old talk show.

It's not going to happen. Too much money involved. As long as the sponsors follow the rules and give disclaimers, it's all legal.

 

[PTBoardOp94]

Larry King pitched medical supplements for years, even while he was still on CNN. Ester-C and Garlique were the brands IIRC.

 

[Don CT]

Larry King pitched medical supplements for years, even while he was still on CNN. Ester-C and Garlique were the brands IIRC.

But his show on CNN was not masked as an infomercial.

 

[Lee Linwood]

Larry King pitched medical supplements for years, even while he was still on CNN. Ester-C and Garlique were the brands IIRC.

Larry King has been doing infomercials for prostate pills and fish oil pills. Judging from Larry King’s health history, he’s the least qualified to be doing anything health-related.

 

[TheBigA]

Larry King has been doing infomercials for prostate pills and fish oil pills. Judging from Larry King’s health history, he’s the least qualified to be doing anything health-related.

I'd rather take health advice from him than marriage advice.