The only bit of original “reporting” that WorldNetDaily has done in recent months is a series of video interviews reporter Art Moore has done with prominent COVID misinformers like Robert Malone. But Moore has been adding some less prominent misinformers to his interview slate — and one with a money-grubbing twist.
For a Feb. 8 article, Moore interviewed Viadimir Zelenko, an early proponent of the questionable drug hydroxychloroquine whom WND enthusiastically promoted early in the pandemic despite a lack of proper documentation for his claims. Moore touted how Zelenko “has developed an over-the-counter formulation to treat COVID-19 called Z-Stack that contains zinc, quercetin, vitamin D and vitamin C,” adding, that “Zelenko has explained that the key virus killer is zinc, which has a known antiviral effect, and it’s drugs like hydroxychloroquine, ivermectin and quercetin that “open the door to the cell and let the zinc in.” In fact, there’s little evidence that zinc works against COVID, and there’s little evidence that Zelenko’s supplement works as advertised.
But it’s not until the end of the article that it’s revealed the whole thing is a cross-promotional deal:
IMPORTANT NOTE: WND IS NOW OFFERING DR. ZELENKO’S FAMED over-the-counter treatment Z-STACK: An early champion of hydroxychloroquine for combatting COVID, even advising President Trump about its use, Dr. Zelenko saved hundreds of lives even during the earliest months of the pandemic. As his reward, he was banned from Twitter, Facebook and YouTube, vilified by the media, and New York’s governor blocked his patients’ access to hydroxychloroquine.
But Zelenko didn’t stop. He kept researching and working – and discovered a way to help people with an over-the-counter solution he calls Z-Stack.
[…]If you’d like to try Z-Stack, Dr. Zelenko has made available a special link for WND readers. By purchasing through this link, you’ll also be supporting and benefiting WND.
Order Z-Stack today for immune system support – and use code WND for a discount!
In other words, there’s a reason Moore didn’t ask Zelenko any challenging questions — the’re both trying to sell you something.
Note to Moore and WND: If you’re effectively running press releases as a fund-raiser to keep your website alive, you’ve stopped being a “news” operation. That fact that it has taken sides on the COVID debate for money means its “journalism” cannot be trusted (though, frankly, it hasn’t been trustworthy for years before this).