Several TV producers and the Lithuanian Health Ministry are under fire for signing a 9,900-euro deal for a public adviser to the minister, who is also a popular health blogger, to appear on a talk show to speak about vaccines.
Edgaras Kulikauskas, otherwise known as Ciniškas Chirurgas, appeared on the Kitokie Pasikalbėjimai talk show on September 9, which was broadcasted on Delfi.lt news website. There was no disclaimer that the content had been sponsored by the ministry.
“Municipalities, cultural centres, and this time the [health] ministry [paid producers] with the intention to disseminate information about vaccines,” said Mantas Bartulis, one of the show’s creators.
“Because we made an animated film in May about vaccines pro bono, we gladly accepted this time as well to spread [information about vaccination],” he added.
However, other institutions have previously sponsored the talk show as well, which they had never disclosed, Bartulis added.
“Because there was no direct marketing for anyone in this show, [...] we did not mark the show [as sponsored content],” he said. “The Health Ministry was not the only sponsor of this [show].”
Bartulis also that Kulikauskas was not paid, nor had to pay, for this appearance. In a post on Facebook, Kulinauskas said he was not informed that the show was sponsored by the ministry. His role as a public adviser to the ministry is voluntary and is unpaid.
On Friday, Delfi.lt also announced it would stop hosting the talk shows.
The incident has sparked a discussion surrounding hidden sponsored content in the media, as well as the use of public funds to promote Covid vaccination.
CORRECTION: A sentence was added to explain that Kulikauskas is a public adviser to the ministry, which is an unpaid, voluntary position.
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