THE WEEKLY SPIN, August 15, 2007 Date: Wed, 15 Aug 2007 11:38:56 -0500 (CDT) THE WEEKLY SPIN, AUGUST 15, 2007 == BLOG POSTINGS == 1. SourceWatch Tracks the Pro-War Lobby and Vets for Freedom == SPIN OF THE DAY POSTINGS == 1. Cheney Says the Q Word 2. Vets for Freedom and VoteVets Are "Valuable Public Relations Tools" for Politicians 3. Pulp Friction 4. Rendition Lawsuit Against Boeing Subsidiary Grows 5. Minimal Station Oversight Pushes Fake News Online 6. McDonald's Advised to Fight or Fess Up 7. A Little Ray of Sunshine 8. Jamming Pearl Jam 9. America Supports You With Apocalyptic Rhetoric? 10. Global Warming is STILL Good for You! 11. McCarrott's? 12. University Defends Using Hill & Knowlton 13. Drive-Buy Journalism Infests China -------------------------------------------------------------------- == BLOG POSTINGS == 1. SOURCEWATCH TRACKS THE PRO-WAR LOBBY AND VETS FOR FREEDOM by John Stauber SourceWatch citizen journalist Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a dogged and prolific investigator. AI began digging into the pro-war front group Vets for Freedom in June 2006. AI's research exposing the neoconservative agenda and Republican operatives behind VFF has been used by scores of journalists. Just do a Google search for "Vets for Freedom" and you'll find AI's work in our SourceWatch article right at the top of your returns, next to the VFF's own website. Pro-war funding appears plentiful for VFF as it gears up to lobby Congress in September. Here's some of the latest from AI and the VFF article on SourceWatch: To read the rest of this item, visit: http://www.prwatch.org/node/6353 == SPIN OF THE DAY POSTINGS == 1. CHENEY SAYS THE Q WORD http://www.prwatch.org/node/6352 "It's not the first time that citizen 'investigative journalists' have uncovered some embarrassing, or telling, nugget from the past that apparently remained buried for years," writes Editor and Publisher magazine. "But it has happened again with the posting of a now wildly popular video on YouTube that shows Dick Cheney explaining in 1994 that trying to take over Iraq would be a bad idea and lead to a 'quagmire.'" Since August 10, when the video was posted on YouTube, it has been viewed by more than 400,000 people. SOURCE: Editor and Publisher, August 13, 2007 2. VETS FOR FREEDOM AND VOTEVETS ARE "VALUABLE PUBLIC RELATIONS TOOLS" FOR POLITICIANS http://www.prwatch.org/node/6350 The Associated Press examines two dueling partisan lobby groups composed of military veterans, "valuable public relations tools" for politicians in the debate over the war in Iraq. VoteVets "has spent about $850,000 this year on political ads. ... Its board of advisers includes ... former Democratic Senator Bob Kerrey," who lobbied for attacking Iraq as a member of the Committee for the Liberation of Iraq. VoteVets is part of Americans Against Escalation in Iraq, the MoveOn and SEIU coalition that pressures pro-war Republicans but not Democrats. On the Republican side, the pro-war Vets for Freedom "has worked with former White House spokesman Taylor Gross, and Campaign Solutions - headed by Republican consultant R. Rebecca Donatelli - helps manage its online media. Adriel Domenech, the press contact for the group, is a former intern with the Republican National Committee," who worked in public affairs for the Bush Administration in Iraq. The AP article fails to mention Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW), an independent grassroots group that criticizes both Republicans and Democrats. The Center for Media and Democracy hosted IVAW leaders at a Coffee with the Troops in Chicago at the Netroots Nation (formerly Yearly Kos) convention. SOURCE: Associated Press, August 14, 2007 3. PULP FRICTION http://www.prwatch.org/node/6349 The latest edition of the Tasmanian Business Reporter waxes lyrical about the importance of building a massive pulp mill proposed by the controversial logging company Gunns. Writing about the positive coverage in The Australian, D.D. McNicoll notes that the Reporter does not quote "a single voice of dissent to the project," despite widespread opposition by local small business owners. The editor of the Reporter is Ingrid Harrison, who's also the Executive Director of the PR firm Corporate Communications Tasmania (CCTas), an affiliate of Porter Novelli Australia. Ingrid's husband, Tony Harrison, is a PR advisor to Gunns. "Mere coincidence, perhaps," quips McNicoll. The Reporter is a joint venture between CCTas and the Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, a small business lobby group. SOURCE: The Australian, August 14, 2007 4. RENDITION LAWSUIT AGAINST BOEING SUBSIDIARY GROWS http://www.prwatch.org/node/6348 A lawsuit against airservices company Jeppesen Dataplan, Inc., has been re-filed to include two more victims of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency's extraordinary rendition program. In December 2002, Bisher al-Rawi was kidnapped from Gambia and flown to a secret U.S. prison in Afghanistan and then the Bagram airbase. In October 2003, Yemeni citizen Mohamed Farag Ahmad Bashmilah was kidnapped from Jordan and flown to the Bagram airbase. Both were tortured before being released without charges in March 2007 and early 2006, respectively. The American Civil Liberties Union alleges that the Boeing subsidiary "falsified flight plans submitted to European air traffic control authorities to avoid public scrutiny of CIA flights." Boeing spokesman John Dern would not say whether Jeppesen works for the CIA. "As a matter of policy we don't comment publicly on any of the work done or services for any of our customers without their consent," he said. SOURCE: Chicago Tribune, August 2, 2007 5. MINIMAL STATION OVERSIGHT PUSHES FAKE NEWS ONLINE http://www.prwatch.org/node/6347 "Only 40% of PR pros are considered 'trustworthy' to the press," according to an annual survey of broadcasters conducted by the PR firm D S Simon Productions. The survey (of an unknown number of newsrooms) revealed that 84% of newsrooms "are allowed to use third-party video," such as video news releases, but 58% "now require management to sign off on this footage before it airs. A similar trend has emerged with satellite interviews" -- sponsored, and often canned, TV interviews conducted remotely -- "87% of newsrooms allow it, but 40% require management approval beforehand." O'Dwyer's reports that "restrictions on video and satellite feeds can almost certainly be attributed to increased pressure for VNR disclosure." Doug Simon explained, "Pitching stories to broadcast is changing and it's going to continue to be challenging. ... The clear new avenue is getting content on the web." Simon estimated that "95% of all news stories now go online." SOURCE: O'Dwyer's PR Daily (sub req'd), August 10, 2007 6. MCDONALD'S ADVISED TO FIGHT OR FESS UP http://www.prwatch.org/node/6345 McDonald's has been criticized by PR professionals for its response to the recent study by Stanford University School of Medicine and the Lucile Packard Children's Hospital which found that young children preferred foods associated with the company's packaging. In a media statement (not available in its website), McDonald's spokesman Matt Riker tried to shift the focus away from the fast food giant, writing that "parents make the decisions for their children." PR consultant Eric Dezenhall opined that "you really can't attack a children's hospital." Instead, Dezenhall suggested the company should embrace the third party technique, using scientists or other experts to attack the study. Peter Sandman took the opposite tack, suggesting the company would be better off admitting its responsibility to children. The effect, he said, would be to "take the wind out of the sails of your critics by giving them some credit for the positive changes you've made." SOURCE: Advertising Age, August 13, 2007 7. A LITTLE RAY OF SUNSHINE http://www.prwatch.org/node/6344 Rick Snell, the editor of the Freedom of Information Review and lecturer in law at the University of Tasmania, has welcomed reforms proposed by the Victorian government for its freedom of information (FOI) laws. The new Victorian Premier, John Brumby, has promised to introduce legislation "to ensure that, except in national security cases, only real Cabinet documents will be exempt from FoI." Snell believes the changes should be adopted elsewhere in Australia. "I have just returned from Cambodia, where they are considering introducing an FOI regime that is more liberal than all Australian FOI laws," he said. SOURCE: The Australian, August 11, 2007 8. JAMMING PEARL JAM http://www.prwatch.org/node/6342 "Over the weekend," comments SaveTheInternet.com, "AT&T gave us a glimpse of their plans for the Web when they censored a Pearl Jam performance that didn't meet their standard of 'Internet freedom.' During the live Lollapalooza Webcast of a concert by the Seattle-based super-group, the telco giant muted lead singer Eddie Vedder just as he launched into a lyric against President George Bush. The lines -- 'George Bush, leave this world alone' and 'George Bush find yourself another home' were somehow lost in the mix." After the band complained, an AT&T flack said the deletion was a mistake by its "content monitor," who was only supposed to be deleting profanity. (But since when do music groups need "content monitoring" at all?) SOURCE: SaveTheInternet.com, August 9, 2007 9. AMERICA SUPPORTS YOU WITH APOCALYPTIC RHETORIC? http://www.prwatch.org/node/6341 In a July 2005 PR Watch post, Laura Miller asked whether the U.S. Defense Department's "America Supports You" campaign was an attempt "to boost public support for war and distract ... from criticisms." Turns out, it's even more problematic. As Max Blumenthal reports, the "evangelical entertainment troupe" Operation Straight Up (OSU), which "actively proselytizes among active-duty members of the US military," is an official arm of America Supports You. OSU "plans to mail copies of the controversial apocalyptic video game, Left Behind: Eternal Forces to soldiers serving in Iraq." The game is based on the Tim LaHaye/Jerry Jenkins books, and players must "kill or convert ... non-believers left behind after the rapture." They're also mailing English and Arabic versions of the evangelical book More Than A Carpenter, "ostensibly intended for proselytizing efforts among Iraqi civilians." OSU will head to the Mideast for a "Military Crusade in Iraq." As OSU leader Jonathan Spinks explains: "At no greater time is our military acceptant of the principles of God and prayer, than when under extreme danger and concerned about their loved ones at home." SOURCE: The Nation blog, August 7, 2007 10. GLOBAL WARMING IS STILL GOOD FOR YOU! http://www.prwatch.org/node/6339 Five years ago in their book "Trust Us We're Experts," CMD's Sheldon Rampton and John Stauber exposed the propaganda machine selling Americans the idea that global warming is good for us. Newsweek's Sharon Begley examines the current situation: "If you think those who have long challenged the mainstream scientific findings about global warming recognize that the game is over, think again. ... Since the late 1980s, this well-coordinated, well-funded campaign by contrarian scientists, free-market think tanks and industry has created a paralyzing fog of doubt around climate change. ... Now they contend that the looming warming will be minuscule and harmless." SOURCE: Newsweek, August 13, 2007 11. MCCARROTT'S? http://www.prwatch.org/node/6337 A survey of the impact of marketing on children's taste preferences has revealed the power of McDonald's. Sixty-three preschoolers from low-income families in California were presented with five samples of identical foods and beverages, one in McDonald's packaging and the other in unbranded packaging. They were then asked "to indicate if they tasted the same or if one tasted better." The results? "54.1 per cent of the children said baby carrots served on top of a paper bag bearing the McDonald's logo tasted better than those on a plain bag (23 per cent) - even though McDonald's does not have carrots on its menu," reported Kate Benson in the Sydney Morning Herald. The study authors concluded that the results are "consistent with recommendations to regulate marketing to young children." SOURCE: Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, August 2007 12. UNIVERSITY DEFENDS USING HILL & KNOWLTON http://www.prwatch.org/node/6336 A local branch of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) representing University of California (UC) employees is protesting against UC management's hiring Hill & Knowlton to spin its labor record. The union called on the university to drop the PR firm, citing John Stauber and Sheldon Rampton's book, "Trust Us, We're Experts," which recounted H&K's work opposing measures to reduce children's lead exposure. In a letter to UC President Robert Dynes, a coalition supporting the AFSCME branch pointed out that the company had also worked for the tobacco industry and "some of the worst human rights abusing states in the world." In an email to PR Week, UC spokesperson Peter Schwartz responded that H&K "has been invaluable in helping us to keep our employees and the general public educated about UC labor negotiations." SOURCE: PR Week, August 7, 2007 13. DRIVE-BUY JOURNALISM INFESTS CHINA http://www.prwatch.org/node/6335 Jamil Anderlini and Mure Dickie report that when the banking company HSBC and the China Charity Foundation recently held a celebration in Beijing, the event organizers paid attending Chinese journalists 200 renminbi ($26.40) as "transport money." "It's awful. It's an embarrassment for Chinese journalism ... and it's corruption," said Ying Chan, director of the Journalism and Media Studies Centre at the University of Hong Kong. Esmond Quek, the CEO for Hill & Knowlton's Beijing office, told the Financial Times that payments, which can be more for television crews, were at rates agreed with by China's Public Relations Association (CPRA). "The amount given is standard and specifically for transportation," said Quek, who previously worked for British American Tobacco. However, the "standard" amount is greater than the cost of cross-city taxi fares, and some PR practitioners dispute that the CPRA has endorsed the practice or set a rate. SOURCE: Financial Times, August 5, 2007 -------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 subscribers. PR Watch, Spin of the Day, the Weekly Spin and SourceWatch are projects of the Center for Media & Democracy, a nonprofit organization that offers investigative reporting on the public relations industry. We help the public recognize manipulative and misleading PR practices by exposing the activities of secretive, little-known propaganda-for-hire firms that work to control political debates and public opinion. Please send any questions or suggestions about our publications to editor@prwatch.org. To subscribe to the Weekly Spin, visit: http://www.prwatch.org/sub CMD also sponsors SourceWatch, a collaborative research project that invites anyone (including you) to contribute and edit articles. For more information, visit: http://www.sourcewatch.org Contributions to the Center for Media and Democracy are tax-deductible. To donate now online, visit: http://www.prwatch.org/donate Don't want to receive this email? Unsubscribe at http://www.prwatch.org/unsub