MSM Won’t Help You With Recalls

On September 5th, Mattel Inc. announced a third recall on its toys for having lead based paints. An article on the Washington Post website and an article on ParentWonder.com both tell you what the defects are, why the toys were being recalled, and how many are supposedly affected. Both are straight to the point — telling you that a company has recalled some of its items due to an issue in production.

Although both are referring to the same thing and tell the reader what is going on, out of courtesy the ParentWonder site offers a link for the reader to visit on the Mattel website in case they are affected. I searched for a similar link, or even phrase, on the Washington Post website, and was unable to find anything. Not only did PW offer a link, but also some general instructions on how to fill out the recall form and what happens after the consumer acknowledges that a product they own is affected and has filed the appropriate paperwork. The independent website, ParentWonder, seems more in tune with what a reader would want, especially if that reader is a consumer. Sure, both sites offer lots of facts, that’s great. But what if I am affected by this recall? If I was a reader of the Washington Post, I would be out in the cold searching for the answer.