April 7, 2011 2:05PM 

# Wash. Post, CBS, NBC Should Disclose Receipt of ObamaCare Subsidies 

By [Michael F. Cannon](https://www.cato.org/people/michael-f-cannon) 

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It’s not an easy period for major media organizations, what with all this [creative destruction](http://transcriptions.english.ucsb.edu/archive/courses/liu/english25/materials/schumpeter.html) revamping that sector of the economy. So the Washington Post Co. couldn’t help but be pleased when it [received](http://dailycaller.com/2011/04/06/washington-post-and-cbs-receiving-money-from-obamacare-slush-fund/) a $570,000 bailout from [ObamaCare](https://www.cato.org/pubs/wtpapers/BadMedicineWP.pdf)’s [Early Retiree Reinsurance Program](http://www.errp.gov/). That program allows the Obama administration to run up the national debt another $5 billion by doling out cash to corporations that provide retiree health benefits. The CBS Corporation received more than $720,000. General Electric, a part owner of NBC Universal, Inc., cleared nearly $37 million.

Since *The Washington Post*, CBS News, NBC News, and MSNBC have now received subsidies (the latter two indirectly) from this [very controversial](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/07/30/healthplan_n_725503.html) law, their reporters should disclose that fact to their audiences when reporting on ObamaCare. A disclaimer like this should suffice: “The Washington Post Corporation has received subsidies under the health care law.” That would be consistent with [how NBC discloses its relationship with General Electric](http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/thu-march-24-2011/family-matters):

Oh, and kudos to the marketing whiz who decided to call all these ObamaCare spending programs “slush funds.”

##### Related Tags 

[General](https://www.cato.org/general), [Government and Politics](https://www.cato.org/government-politics), [Health Care](https://www.cato.org/health-care), [Department of Health and Human Services](https://www.cato.org/department-health-human-services), [Downsizing Government](https://www.cato.org/downsizing-government) 

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