Internet

Ultraviolet Without the Sunlight

by Sheldon Rampton — April 23, 2008 - 9:30pm

A review article published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) suggested that tanning at the beach or an indoor tanning booth can help avoid the dangers of vitamin D deficiency. However, the NEJM didn't disclose that the article's author, Michael Holick, has received more than $150,000 in research funding from the artificial tanning industry.

Main Source: 
The Cancer Letter, April 18, 2008

A Not-So-Candid CAMERA

by Diane Farsetta — April 23, 2008 - 11:39am

CAMERA, a lobby group that campaigns against criticism of the Israeli government in U.S. media, had a campaign to impact Wikipedia's coverage of Israel and Palestine issues.

Main Source: 
Electronic Intifada, April 21, 2008

Finally, Advertisers Have More Say

by Diane Farsetta — April 22, 2008 - 11:04am

NBC Universal and Omnicom's Media Group Digital are partnering to create online videos "that help advertisers sell their products." The first "Digital Studio" programs will include "a science-fiction series starring Rosario Dawson called 'Gemini Division' and a quirky comedy about a college-aged zombie called 'Woke Up Dead,'" reports AP.

Main Source: 
Associated Press, April 18, 2008

Featured Participatory Project: Outing Front Groups

by Bob Burton — April 16, 2008 - 2:00am

Often readers and citizen journalists will come across a name of a group that seems a little at odds with the policy message they are promoting. Some of these names were added to the SourceWatch page on front groups with the intention of returning to create an article on that at a later date.

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Sourcewatch, April 16, 2008

Less Cause, More Marketing for Unilever

by Diane Farsetta — April 10, 2008 - 2:47pm

In 2004, the Unilever company Dove got lots of attention for using "ordinary-looking -- in some cases heavyset -- women in its ads for shampoos and beauty products.

Main Source: 
Wall Street Journal (sub req'd), April 10, 2008

New Participatory Project: Maximum Weirdness: Tobacco Industry Brainstorming Documents

by Anne Landman — April 7, 2008 - 1:25pm

A rock cocaine cigarette filter? A cigarette that delivers birth control and sexual stimulant drugs to the smoker at the same time? A geriatric brand? All of these are actual ideas for new products and promotions that were recorded at cigarette company "brainstorming" meetings.

Main Source: 
Tobaccowiki.org, April 7, 2008

University Helps Censor "One-Sided" Science

by Diane Farsetta — April 7, 2008 - 11:38am

Administrators of "Popline," the "world's largest scientific database on reproductive health," which is housed at the Johns Hopkins University's School of Public Health, "blocked the word 'abortion' as a search term after receiving a complaint from the Bush administration over two abortion-related articles listed in the database." The search block has since been remov

Main Source: 
Wired blog "Threat Level," April 4, 2008

War? What War?

by Sheldon Rampton — April 3, 2008 - 8:30am
  • Topics: Internet, Journalism, Iraq

    • "Five years later, the United States remains at war in Iraq, but there are days when it would be hard to tell from a quick look at television news, newspapers and the Internet," observes New York Times reporter Richard Pérez-Peña. "Media attention on Iraq began to wane after the first months of fighting, but as recently as the middle of last year, it was still the most-covered topic. Since then, Iraq coverage by major American news sources has plummeted, to about one-fifth of what it was last summer, according to the Project for Excellence in Journalism."

    The past week saw a dramatic escalation in violence in Iraq and rising civilian deaths, prompting analysts to warn that "Iraqis may be about to witness a new phase in the cycle of violence ... intra-Shi'ite bloodletting that could tear Iraq apart and more deeply embroil U.S. forces." But even these developments have barely cast a media ripple.

    The Iraq war has also been losing ground for attention on the internet, according to a recent report which shows that "the war in Iraq continues to decline in search interest, down 120 percent over the past three and a half years," while interest turns to topics such as Paris Hilton, Ashley Alexandra Dupre, Heath Ledger and the latest YouTube video.

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