THE WEEKLY SPIN, April 11, 2007 Date: Wed, 11 Apr 2007 10:40:21 -0500 (CDT) THE WEEKLY SPIN, APRIL 11, 2007 Sponsored by the nonprofit Center for Media and Democracy: http://www.prwatch.org To support our work now online visit: https://secure.democracyinaction.org/dia/organizations/cmd/shop/custom.jsp?donate_page_KEY=1107 -------------------------------------------------------------------- The Weekly Spin features selected news summaries with links to further information about media, political spin and propaganda. It is emailed free each Wednesday to nearly 25,000 subscribers. -------------------------------------------------------------------- SHARE US WITH A FRIEND (OR FIFTY FRIENDS) Who do you know who might want to receive "The Weekly Spin"? Help us grow our subscriber list! Just forward this message to people you know, encouraging them to sign up at this link: http://www.prwatch.org/cmd/subscribe_sotd.html -------------------------------------------------------------------- THIS WEEK'S NEWS == BE A CITIZEN JOURNALIST == 1. New Participatory Project: Getting the Colbert Report into Congresspedia == SPIN OF THE DAY POSTINGS == 1. They Always Return to Imus 2. The Latest News on Fake News 3. Where Did All the Tourists Go? 4. America's Hidden War Dead 5. Rebranding Russia 6. The Wal's Have Eyes (and Ears) 7. Rick Berman Gets His 60 Minutes of Fame 8. Consulting Firm OK's Its Own Conflicts of Interest 9. Endangered Science 10. Sunlight Sparkles 11. Swift Boat Ambassador 12. International PR Blitz Pushes Cervical Cancer Vaccine 13. Dowie Defiant 14. About Schmidt 15. The Ethical Optimist -------------------------------------------------------------------- == BE A CITIZEN JOURNALIST == 1. NEW PARTICIPATORY PROJECT: GETTING THE COLBERT REPORT INTO CONGRESSPEDIA http://www.prwatch.org/node/5950 A few weeks ago we asked you, dear readers and citizen editors, to pitch in and help with our first "wikiproject" - a short, participatory effort to update and expand a part of the SourceWatch/Congresspedia wiki. Lots of people chipped in and we accomplished our goal: getting contact information for all the freshman members of Congress, including the addresses and phone numbers for each of their district offices. You can view the glorious results by visiting the individual profiles of the freshman members of Congress. Now we've got a new project. Last summer we started a page that linked to the videos of the members of Congress that have submitted themselves to a grilling on the Colbert Report's "Better know a district" series. While nothing said in the comedic interviews should be taken too seriously, the segments often help humanize the public servants that run our government. However, now the page has gotten seriously out of date and we need you to help out with updating it. We've created a new wikiproject project page that contains complete instructions on how to update the page - each interview takes just a few minutes to add! Go to http://www.prwatch.org/node/5950 to get started. SOURCE: The Colbert Report on Congresspedia == SPIN OF THE DAY POSTINGS == 1. THEY ALWAYS RETURN TO IMUS http://www.prwatch.org/node/5948 The most recent racist remarks of Don Imus have yet to affect his popularity with political and media figures. David Carr points out that "Senator John Kerry has stopped by. Senator John McCain is on frequently. And Senators Joseph I. Lieberman and Joseph R. Biden are part of a legion eager to sit in the guest chair. NBC News uses 'Imus in the Morning' to promote the brands of Tim Russert, Andrea Mitchell and David Gregory. Tom Brokaw was a frequent guest, and his replacement, Brian Williams, has been sanctified by the I-man, as they call him. Chris Matthews from MSNBC has appeared, as have anchors and journalists from CNN and CBS and, on the print side, by reporters and editors from Newsweek and popular opinion columnists from The New York Times. ... There have been temporary breakups in the long-running affair. After Mr. Imus stepped over quite a few lines at the dinner of the Radio and Television Correspondents' Association in 1996, Cokie Roberts, now an analyst for ABC News, said, 'Now none of us can go on his show again.' But she went back; they always do." SOURCE: New York Times, April 9, 2007 2. THE LATEST NEWS ON FAKE NEWS http://www.prwatch.org/node/5946 "It has become harder for everyone, not just VNR producers, to get their story on television," writes broadcast PR executive Doug Simon, about video news releases or "fake TV news." According to Simon, "The average length of a television news story continues to shrink." In 2005, "One-third of PR video segments that aired were longer than 45 seconds," while in 2007, "80 percent of the placements are less than 20 seconds in length." Simon recommends a "VNR 2.0" approach, with more emphasis on "pre-distribution," to "assess interest in the story and create a media relations plan that matches the needs of broadcasters." Additional "targeted distribution outlets" for VNRs include "health clubs, airlines, cell phones, television station websites and ... online distribution channels." On O'Dwyer's PR Daily, PR executive Chris Rosica bemoans what he says is an increasing trend towards television "pay for play." He warns, "If this practice is accepted and veiled as it currently is, it won't be long before those with legislative or political agendas can secure news coverage by paying for it, just as with the (Armstrong) Williams case." SOURCE: Bulldog Reporter, April 5, 2007 3. WHERE DID ALL THE TOURISTS GO? http://www.prwatch.org/node/5947 America's declining image is driving away tourists, according to the Discover America Partnership, an organization sponsored by the tourism industry. "We have lost nearly 60 million international travelers since 9/11 and the problem is only getting worse," said DAP Executive Director Geoff Freeman. "As travel around the world skyrockets, the U.S. is mired in a slump." Government figures show that overseas travel to the U.S. remains below pre-9/11 levels in six of the top eight overseas markets and fell further in 2006 in five out of the top eight overseas markets. A 2006 survey conducted by DAP found that many visitors are offended by the U.S. entry process, which subjects foreign visitors to fingerprinting, iris scans and other procedures that many find intrusive. The decline in tourism further feeds America's negative image, according to tourism industry executive Charles L. Merin, because "International travelers represent the opportunity to win the hearts and minds of people around the world. When travelers don't come here, they learn about America and Americans through headlines rather than personal experiences. As a nation, we must recognize that the people-to-people communication generated through travel is our greatest public diplomacy tool." SOURCE: Hotel Interactive, March 23, 2007 4. AMERICA'S HIDDEN WAR DEAD http://www.prwatch.org/node/5943 In addition to the 3,200 U.S. soldiers who have died in Iraq, notes Howard Witt, "More than 770 civilians working for U.S. firms have lost their lives supporting the military in Iraq, and some families are now speaking out." Family members are complaining that companies like KBR/Halliburton have placed their workers in harm's way in Iraq without adequate protection and that their own financial and psychological hardships have been ignored. SOURCE: Chicago Tribune, March 26, 2007 5. REBRANDING RUSSIA http://www.prwatch.org/node/5942 Concerned about its "rapidly deteriorating image abroad," Russia has launched "a series of public relations events" designed to enhance the image of Vladimir Putin regime, the Russian gas company Gazprom, and the country's intelligence and military forces. SOURCE: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, February 6, 2007 6. THE WAL'S HAVE EYES (AND EARS) http://www.prwatch.org/node/5941 In 2006, Wal-Mart "had a long-haired employee infiltrate an anti-Wal-Mart group to determine if it planned protests at the company's annual meeting. ... The company also deployed cutting-edge monitoring systems made by a supplier to the Defense Department that allowed it to capture and record the actions of anyone connected to its global computer network." The system "could detect the degree of flesh-tone on a viewed Internet image, and alerted monitors that a vendor sharing Wal-Mart networks was viewing pornography." The giant retailer "also directed its surveillance operations at critical shareholders." These revelations come from internal memos and Bruce Gabbard, a former member of Wal-Mart's "Threat Research and Analysis Group." Gabbard was fired in March 2007, "for unauthorized recording of calls to and from a New York Times reporter and for intercepting pager messages"; his claims have been confirmed. After the revelations surfaced, Wal-Mart "apologized to several shareholder groups that the company had earlier evaluated as potential threats." The retailer has apparently not apologized to Wal-Mart Watch, ACORN, or Up Against the Wal, groups also targeted by Wal-Mart's "threat research" operations. SOURCE: Wall Street Journal (sub req'd), April 4, 2007 7. RICK BERMAN GETS HIS 60 MINUTES OF FAME http://www.prwatch.org/node/5940 PR maven Rick Berman, the right-wing lobbyist who has made a lucrative career of starting and managing industry-funded front groups such as Center for Consumer Freedom and ActivistCash.com, gets a CBS 60 Minutes work-up this weekend. A teaser piece on the CBSNews.com website says, this 'Dr. Evil' "doesn't disappear when movie credits roll. He's a constant gadfly to other lobbyists and do-gooders who label him evil for taking money from corporations to fight causes like animal rights, healthy food, labor unions even Mothers Against Drunk Driving." Berman excels at turning puffy media attention into ever more business from his secret clients in the fast food, booze, tobacco, drug and other industries, providing him with millions of dollars a year to front for their interests. SOURCE: CBSnews.com website, April 5, 2007 8. CONSULTING FIRM OK'S ITS OWN CONFLICTS OF INTEREST http://www.prwatch.org/node/5939 "The National Institutes of Health has temporarily suspended" the consulting firm Sciences International, which "had been reviewing the health dangers of chemicals for the government while also working for the chemical industry," reports Marla Cone. The evaluation of the firm's work is ongoing, and its $5 million government contract, "which runs through June 2008," remains in force. After Cone's earlier reporting, the NIH asked Sciences International "to conduct its own internal investigation." The self-reporting admitted that Sciences International had been "paid by three industry associations" -- the American Chemistry Council, the United Soybean Board, and "a styrene industry trade group" -- "to perform consulting work on three chemicals that it also reviewed for the government reproductive health center." However, Sciences International claimed that "no conflicts existed that impaired judgments or objectivity," and that employees doing government work "have historically been insulated" from industry contracts. The director of the Environmental Working Group, among others, expressed skepticism and called for "an independent investigation." SOURCE: Los Angeles Times, April 4, 2007 9. ENDANGERED SCIENCE http://www.prwatch.org/node/5937 A newly-released report by the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Interior details harassment of government scientists by Julie MacDonald, who was appointed by President Bush as Assistant Secretary of Fish, Wildlife and Parks. MacDonald, a former hydraulics engineer with no educational background in biology or other natural sciences, "has been heavily involved with editing, commenting on, and reshaping the Endangered Species Programs' scientific reports from the field." The report cites a former director of the Endangered Species Program who says her activities included "often intimidating and bullying" field staff "into producing documents that had the desired effect ... to minimize the Endangered Species Act as much as possible or ensnare it in court litigation." MacDonald also violated federal rules by sending confidential internal government documents to industry lobbyists with the right-wing Pacific Legal Foundation and other opponents of the Endangered Species Act. Washington Post columnist Ruth Marcus notes that MacDonald is one of many examples of what she calls "fox-in-the-henhouse government." SOURCE: Grist, March 30, 2007 10. SUNLIGHT SPARKLES http://www.prwatch.org/node/5935 PBS journalist Mark Glaser has written a laudatory article featuring the Sunlight Foundation, which cosponsors our own Congresspedia project on SourceWatch, along with numerous other citizen journalism projects such as their exposing earmarks campaign. Glaser calls Sunlight a "shining example of independent citizen action ... The group has had far-reaching success not only in making Congress more accountable to the people they are supposed to serve, but also in creating bi-partisan fervor in the blogosphere for reform on Capitol Hill. Though the Foundation's grants and projects, average citizens have been given the tools and resources to make a difference." SOURCE: PBS MediaShift, April 4, 2007 11. SWIFT BOAT AMBASSADOR http://www.prwatch.org/node/5931 After withdrawing his nomination in the face of Congressional opposition, President Bush has used a recess appointment to make Sam Fox U.S. Ambassador to Belgium. At issue is Fox's ties to Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, the Republican front group that during the 2004 presidential election attacked Senator John Kerry's military service and patriotism. Fox is reported to have given $50,000 to the group. In addition, Fox was one of "Bush's Rangers," which requires raising a minimum of $200,000. He has also donated millions of dollars to GOP candidates over the years. Senator and Presidential candidate Chris Dodd (D-CT) said he plans to ask the Government Accountability Office, Congress' nonpartisan research arm, for an opinion on the legality of the appointment. SOURCE: Chicago Tribune, April 5, 2007 12. INTERNATIONAL PR BLITZ PUSHES CERVICAL CANCER VACCINE http://www.prwatch.org/node/5930 The "first global summit against cervical cancer" was held in Paris on March 22 and promoted the need for national vaccination programmes for girls. The cost of the summit, estimated at millions of dollars, was "entirely funded" by Sanofi Pasteur MSD, the company with the European license to market Merck's Gardasil vaccine, reports Sarah Boseley. Gardasil is effective against the most common strains of human papilloma virus (HPV), which causes cervical cancer. The "Coalition Against Cervical Cancer" was launched at the summit, and promoted by a video news release produced by the PR firm Euro RCSG and distributed by AP Television News. "Celebrities, doctors and journalists were shipped in from across Europe and the United States by PR agencies working for Sanofi," Boseley reports. Diane Harper, a professor at Dartmouth medical school in New Hampshire, flagged potential concerns and described a mass vaccination program as being "a great big public health experiment." SOURCE: Guardian (UK), March 26, 2007 13. DOWIE DEFIANT http://www.prwatch.org/node/5928 Doug Dowie, the former Fleishman-Hillard executive who is about to begin serving prison time for conspiracy and fraud, continues to maintain his innocence. Dowie was convicted last May in a scheme to overbill the city of Los Angeles hundreds of thousands of dollars for public relations services. In a written statement, Dowie blames the scandal and trial on irresponsible journalists, over-zealous prosecutors, and his former employer. "In the Marine Corps, I learned we never left our dead on the battlefield," he writes. "At Fleishman Hillard, they shot their wounded." Not all the news for Dowie is bad, however. While on trial, he wrote a screenplay that has been optioned by Hollywood. SOURCE: LawDragon.com, April 3, 2007 14. ABOUT SCHMIDT http://www.prwatch.org/node/5927 Steve Schmidt, a former White House communications strategist and campaign manager for Arnold Schwarzenegger, has gone to work for Mercury Public Affairs, a subsidiary of the Fleishman-Hillard PR firm. On its website, Mercury lists Fuel Bio Holdings LLC Energy, IBM, Altria group (which includes several divisions of Philip Morris), Pfizer, AT&T, and corporate front groups Alliance for Quality Nursing Home Care and the American Tort Reform Association among its clients. SOURCE: O'Dwyer's PR Daily (sub req'd), March 30, 2007 15. THE ETHICAL OPTIMIST http://www.prwatch.org/node/5926 Ann Higgins of Utopia Communications, a member of the Public Relations Society of America, has started a blog about ethics and public relations. Recent postings discuss PR firms that don't pay their interns, a conflict between a Texas power company and two environmental groups over coal-fired power plants, a marketing campaign to sell diet pills to dogs, and a "neuromarketing" campaign that actually conducts brain scans of whiskey drinkers in hopes of figuring out how to sell them more Jack Daniels. SOURCE: Ethical Optimist weblog -------------------------------------------------------------------- The Weekly Spin is compiled by staff of the Center for Media and Democracy (CMD), a nonprofit public interest organization. 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