Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Oh What a Tangled Web We Weave, When We "Lie In Wait" to Deceive!

This often misquoted portion of an original poem by Sir. Walter Scott actually reads:

Yet Clare's sharp questions must I shun
Must separate Constance from the nun
Oh! what a tangled web we weave
When first we practice to deceive!
A Palmer too! No wonder why
I felt rebuked beneath his eye.

Even so, the meaning isn't lost.


Utah residents may have seen the ABC 4 News "Headline Story", no kidding!  They actually kicked off their news cast with this story. (April 26, 2012)"An ABC 4 News EXCLUSIVE  Are Utah tanning salons lying about cancer dangers?  Although the story that aired that night was entitled "Dying For A Tan".
The story featured Reporter Kylie Conway , MaryAnn Gerber, Huntsman Cancer Institute Doctor Sancy Leachman and a woman from the Utah Health Department, who remains unnamed in the printed version posted by the news agency in the early afternoon on April 27, 2012, but was featured in news footage as Teresa Garrett.  It seems Ms. Gerber and ABC 4 have been partners since, as far back as 2007 ,producing negative stories about Utah's tanning industry.  As for those people who have been presented by the ABC 4 news team as experts...seems they haven't done their research!  It is our attempt to expose this reporting, or "yellow journalism", and defend our right to the facts as documented by our establishment...one of 4 featured in the hit piece.


In Our Defense...
Our first incident was with an ABC 4 representative calling our business on April 16, 2012, asking to schedule an "on camera interview".  When we asked, "what is this concerning"? The representative stated, "they wanted an interview about the Legislation that had just passed this year".  When we told them we would, "address their questions in a written statement". The representative accused one of our employees of, "being caught on tape giving out false information that tanning was safe".  We asked to see the taped footage they claimed they had in their possession and we were told, "we could not see it".  The man was very rude and condescending and ended up hanging up on us.  So, as to Kylie Conway's statement in her report that, "we tried to contact salons with no success", is positively false.  That night we had a "drive by" by their satellite truck.

April 18, 2012 approximately 2:05 pm.  A cameraman and Kylie Conway were spotted outside our front door recording video. As the reporter approached our front entrance, camera and mic live, asking for an "on camera interview".  Remember, we had told them two days prior we would not do an on camera interview.  One of the owners approached the door and told the reporter and cameraman, face to face, he would "talk to them off camera, but did not feel comfortable on camera".  He asked them to, "turn off their equipment", stepped back, (at this point the video was creatively edited making it look like he is closing the door on them), but actually invited them both in.  Therefore confirming the false statement by Ms. Conway that, "when it came down to making a statement off camera, he didn't want to talk".  Our surveillance footage shows she, and her cameraman, in our establishment, engaged in conversation with Ms. Conway for almost 10 minutes.  Galvanising the evidence of outright falsehoods of what happened at our business

March 28 or 29, 2012-(We are not sure which day), MaryAnn Gerber came in with her hidden camera/audio.  We were unable to recover our surveillance video, since we hadn't become aware of ABC 4's attempt to expose there footage to the public until April 16th.  Our consultant on duty at that time, was questioned about a possible encounter with a woman "undercover".  She remembered a day a few weeks prior being "grilled" by a woman who asked so many questions in a leading manner that our employee became suspicious. Ms. Gerber seemed intent on trying to get our employee to use the word "safe".  We should add, our consultant still did not say that any were "safe".  The footage from the news report was also creatively edited as to not reveal the whole encounter, of course.  We wanted to provide you with our surveillance video of Ms. Gerber's visit, but as before noted, the footage is no longer available.  After watching the news report, and finding Ms. Gerber was the undercover source for ABC 4 News, we searched our database for her by name and age.  Our records do not contain any information on Ms. Gerber.  Ms. Gerber also states flat out that, "because at 24 I got it, it was because of a tanning bed", but in the story from 2007, (linked to above) this is undetermined because, "she wanted to keep her 'summer color'",indicating she did some tanning in the natural sunlight.

Addressing the doctor in the news story claims about "profiteering on the backs of young peoples health".  Tell that to your fraternal brother's and sister's in the dermatology industry!  Again, check out the links in the research link above.  It may come as a surprise.  And, since Ms. Gerber had previously partnered with the Huntsman Cancer Institute the doctor should have been aware of her.

As to the Utah Department of Health Representative, which mysteriously is not included in the written form of ABC 4's story, stated in the hit piece that, "we have a lot of educating to do with individuals that work in tanning facilities".  This may come as a shock to the UDH Representative, but all tanning representatives have to be licensed by the SLVHD and are given a tanning certificate to prove they were educated by them, tested, paid their fees and obtained a license.  And that her statement, "you're just writing yourself a prescription for cancer" is incriminating if not libelous.  Further that, "the right information is just not getting out in order for you to make an informed decision", re quoted by Ms. Conway is further proof of the UDH Representative lack of knowledge of what the requirements are to come into compliance with state regulation, which includes signage of the state regulation warning for UV Radiation, and every waiver filled out and signed by our clients contain the states words "SLVHD deems tanning is a risk to your health and informs you of potential negative health effects related to ultraviolet exposure, including: Increased risk of skin cancer later in life. Increased risk of skin thinning and premature aging and possible activation of some viral conditions.  Tanning may be inadvisable during pregnancy".  And in every room we also have a detailed posting SLVHD requires.  We have also been known to tell people who seem overly concerned that, "maybe tanning is not for you, maybe you should try the spray tan".  By entering our facility you are not held captive! You have the freedom to choose, and this is done by everyone who comes through our doors!  Maybe the UDH Representative should bone up on all the requirements that have to be met by the state in order to do business, and it includes an on site inspection before a business license is issued! And every year after that.


Conclusion:
It's not hard to educate yourself about tanning.  It may be harder to be an honest reporter/cameraman.  Putting small business out of business, as noted in this story, a small media's dream!

Again, as Sir. Walter Scott said,

Yet Clare's sharp questions must I shun
Must separate Constance from the nun

Now watch our video in which Kylie Conway and her Cameraman are invited into our establishment and continue to record, we think, audio & video.


Video is broadcast in double time for your viewing convenience.
The visit was approximately 10 minutes.
Please follow this link to see more insight on what actually happened.
(Bottom of page). 
Having trouble viewing on iPad & Smart Phone.  View on YouTube.

On a positive note:  We want to provide our clients with a good experience when they are here.  We encourage them to do research on their own, as well as asking questions, to decide if using a sunbed is right for them.  If you still don't feel comfortable getting in a sunbed, use our spray tan, or any of our sunless products.  More information on these subjects can be found on our website www.sunsabeach.com.

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