Pundits

The Telecom World's Payola Pundit

by Diane Farsetta — May 4, 2006 - 10:36am

The New York Times, Washington Post and other "major U.S. newspapers often quote Jeff Kagan -- regarded as one of the most influential telecommunications analysts -- but invariably leave out the fact that he is paid by many companies in the industry to offer his comments to the media," reports Tim Arango.

Main Source: 
New York Post, May 3, 2006

Fumento's Genetically Engineered Columns

by Diane Farsetta — January 13, 2006 - 5:47pm

"Scripps Howard News Service announced Jan. 13 that it's severing its business relationship with columnist Michael Fumento, who's also a senior fellow at the conservative Hudson Institute.

Main Source: 
BusinessWeek, January 13, 2006

Fake Op/Eds: Think Tanks and Piggy Banks

by Diane Farsetta — December 16, 2005 - 6:44pm

Two opinion columnists and fellows at conservative think tanks have admitted to taking money from indicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff to write favorable columns about his clients.

Main Source: 
BusinessWeek, December 16, 2005

Public Radio, by the Numbers

by Diane Farsetta — May 31, 2004 - 11:00pm

The media watchdog group Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting (FAIR) looked at on-air sources for four National Public Radio news shows in June 2003, and think tanks and regular commentators on NPR from May to August 2003.

Main Source: 
Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting, June 1, 2004

Will Shill for Nukes

by Sheldon Rampton — April 15, 2004 - 11:00pm

University of Texas professor Sheldon Landsberger has admitted that a pro-nuclear column he submitted under his own name to the Austin American-Statesman was actually written by the Potomac Communications Group, a Washington PR firm that works for the nuclear power industry. "For at least 25 years," reports William Adler, an employee of Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee named Theodore M. Besmann (who moonlights for Potomac Communications) "has had published nuclear love songs in newspapers across the country, under his own or others' names."

Main Source: 
Austin Chronicle, April 16, 2004

Black's Hacks

by Sheldon Rampton — December 22, 2003 - 12:00am

Conservative columnist George Will doesn't think it's anybody's business that he's been paid $25,000 a year by scandal-plagued media magnate Conrad Black. Will is one of several mostly conservative pundits and politicians who got paid to sit on the advisory board of Black's company, Hollinger International.

Main Source: 
New York Times, December 22, 2003

Conservative Pundits Feel the Heat

by Sheldon Rampton — October 7, 2003 - 11:00pm

"The right wing talk media empire is taking some hits," observes Anthony Violanti. Rush Limbaugh got the boot from ESPN last week after making racially charged comments about "black quarterbacks." Michael Savage was fired by MSNBC after saying he wished a gay caller would "get AIDS and die." Bill O'Reilly at Fox News has made himself a laughingstock with his temper tantrums and attempt to sue satirist Al Franken. Columnist Robert Novak is in the center of a controversy about his role in publishing a White House leak that outed an undercover CIA officer.

Main Source: 
Buffalo News, October 8, 2003

Anti-Environmentalist Lomborg a 'Junk Scientist'

by John Stauber — January 8, 2003 - 11:56am

As we detail in our book Trust Us, We're Experts , 'junk science' is a PR pejorative used by corporations to smear environmentalists and public interest scientists.

Main Source: 
Washington Post, New York Times

The Sunday Spin

by Laura Miller — October 19, 2002 - 11:00pm

"The [Sunday political] talk shows may bore many Americans, but they are crucial vehicles for the White House in setting the news agenda for the week," New York Times reporter John Tierney writes. "For the networks, the programs not only keep the news machine going on a slow day but also generate handsome profits because of their low costs -- and the fact that the big-name guests do not have to be paid.

Main Source: 
New York Times, October 20, 2002; Columbia Journalism Review, September/October 2002
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