Media

Canada's Canned Conservative Calls

by Sheldon Rampton — March 27, 2008 - 12:15pm

If you hear pro-Conservative Party callers to radio shows in Canada, their opinions "might not be as spontaneous as they sound," reports Alexander Panetta. "Some of those apparently ad-libbed musings are actually being choreographed at the Conservative Party of Canada's national headquarters.

Main Source: 
Globe and Mail, March 25, 2008

U.S. News Media in Quite a State

by Diane Farsetta — March 19, 2008 - 5:50pm

"The state of the American news media in 2008 is more troubled than a year ago," opens the latest "State of the News Media" report from the Project for Excellence in Journalism. Among the major findings is that the Internet is not yet the democratizing media force many hoped for.

Main Source: 
Project for Excellence in Journalism, March 16, 2008

More Spin for the Span

by Diane Farsetta — March 19, 2008 - 5:25pm

After the tragic collapse of the I-35W Mississippi River bridge in Minneapolis last August, the state wants to "restore the image of the beleaguered Minnesota Department of Transportation." So Minnesota is paying the public relations firm Himle Horner at least $550,000.

Main Source: 
Star Tribune (Minneapolis - St. Paul, Minnesota), March 16, 2008

Anti-Abortionists Hijack "Horton"

by Anne Landman — March 14, 2008 - 12:21pm

When some people in the audience at the premiere of the new Dr. Suess movie "Horton Hears a Who" started yelling "A person's a person no matter how small," others thought they were just over-enthusiastic Dr. Suess fans. Instead, it turned out that a pack of anti-abortion activists had hijacked the elephant star's famous line to promote their view that abortion should be banned.

Main Source: 
Slate.com, March 14, 2008

A Star Is Born: Spitzer's Downfall Gives Rise to Ashley Alexandra Dupré

by John Stauber — March 13, 2008 - 10:21am

In the brave new world of seemingly everyone having a MySpace page, publicity over alleged prostitution gave rise to a new online star at MySpace.

Main Source: 
MySpace.com, March 13, 2008

Canada's Groupthink Tanks on Afghanistan

by Diane Farsetta — February 27, 2008 - 11:27am

As the debate over Canada's military mission in Afghanistan continues, the country's "Department of National Defence is ... spending millions of dollars sponsoring think tanks and scholars to offer up agreeable commentary," writes University of Ottawa professor Amir Attaran. "Take the Conference of Defence Associations, a think tank that got $500,000 from DND last year. ...

Main Source: 
The Globe and Mail (Canada), February 21, 2008

U.S. Air Force Wants More Air Time

by Diane Farsetta — February 26, 2008 - 1:04pm

The U.S. Air Force "wants to more than double its advertising budget ... to $112.5 million," reports the Air Force Times.

Main Source: 
Air Force Times, February 18, 2008
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