Estonia’s first lady, Evelin Ilves, unintentionally caused a tempest in a teapot when she expressed the very sensible opinion that the cheaper Estonian confectionery products, chocolates and candies, which are loaded with detrimental trans fats, should not be considered as Christmas presents for children. The media jumped on the practical suggestion to be careful about what you give to others to eat.
They twisted Mrs. Ilves’ private suggestion and concocted it into something not sweet at all, implying that her thoughts were an open attack on Estonia’s most famous confectioner, Kalev. Mrs. Ilves felt obliged to set the facts straight, and wrote to the confectioner. “I am sorry if my reference to the ingredients of some products of Kalev that in the initial private letter simply expressed my own and my family’s consumer preferences has been turned into a call for a boycott against the products of your enterprise as a result of misinterpretation of information,” wrote the President’s wife, according to Postimees Online.
The silly days of summer are not yet over for some of Estonia’s media outlets, it seems. Kommiskandaal, indeed. Aren’t there much more important issues out there to chew on?
Media misinterpretation of information
Archived Articles | 05 Oct 2009 | EWR
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