Media

Rise of the Media Machine

by Diane Farsetta — February 15, 2005 - 1:21pm

Arnold Schwarzenegger's "current California media tour to promote his plans for reforming state government looks like a resounding success - if only because the California media, rather than turning up the heat, often ends up in marshmallow mode with the state's famous governor." While some ask about his "proposed merit pay for teachers, the state's budget deficit, nursing reform and pension ove

Main Source: 
San Francisco Chronicle, February 15, 2005

Leading with Bleeding (Don't Mind the Elections)

by Diane Farsetta — February 15, 2005 - 12:47pm

A study analyzing 4,000 local newscasts in 11 major markets found that, "in the month leading up to last year's presidential election, local television stations in big cities devoted eight times as much air time to car crashes and other accidents than to campaigns for the House of Representatives, state senate, city hall and other local offices." Eight percent of news shows reported on local races, while more than half rep

Main Source: 
New York Times, February 14, 2005

The PR Plan Behind Big Tobacco's Big Victory

by Bob Burton — February 8, 2005 - 5:40pm
  • Topics: Health, Media, Public Relations

    • The tobacco industry won a big victory Friday when the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia ruled in its favor, against the U.S. Justice Department. The court's ruling means that the Justice Department cannot force the industry to disgorge $280 billion in past profits, even if it wins its fraud and racketeering case against the cigarette makers.

    Little media attention has been paid to this important decision in a landmark case concerning a major public health threat. The near-invisible nature of the ongoing federal trial to determine whether Big Tobacco engaged in a conspiracy of fraud and deceit may represent another aspect of that very conspiracy - the successful efforts of tobacco industry PR to influence journalists. Internal tobacco industry documents shed light on the largely hidden phenomena of corporate tobacco lobbyists courting favor with editorial boards.

    The Sword Employs the Pen

    by Diane Farsetta — February 7, 2005 - 2:07pm

    The Pentagon is investigating "the military's practice of paying journalists to write articles and commentary ... and also looking more broadly at Pentagon activities that might involve inappropriate payments to journalists," writes Associated Press.

    Main Source: 
    Associated Press, February 6, 2005

    Conservative Media Machine As Polluting Factory

    by Laura Miller — February 4, 2005 - 7:47pm

    Tracing the rise of U.S. government sponsored propaganda from campaigns in the 1980s that supported U.S.

    Main Source: 
    Alternet, February 2, 2005

    Anti-Social Tendencies

    by Diane Farsetta — February 4, 2005 - 3:03pm

    "A city commissioner, a liberal radio producer, a deputy Democratic campaign manager and a number of university professors" were among 42 people on a "do not admit" list for President Bush's Fargo, North Dakota event promoting Social Security privatization. The White House said the list, given to two ticket distribution sites, must have come from local volunteers.

    Main Source: 
    Washington Post, February 4, 2005

    Look Less Idiotic, for $25,000 per Month

    by Diane Farsetta — February 1, 2005 - 5:41pm

    Declaring "a new milestone for the commercialization of blogs," AdAge.com reports that Sony Consumer Electronics e-Solutions Group is paying $25,000 a month to be the exclusive sponsor of LifeHacker, a new weblog published by Gawker Media "about the software of personal gadgetry." Gawker blog readers are considered "prime influencers" or "connectors" on technology issues.

    Main Source: 
    AdAge.com, January 31, 2005

    Could Pundits Not Receiving Government Funds Please Stand Up?

    by Diane Farsetta — January 28, 2005 - 10:43am

    "One day after President Bush ordered his Cabinet secretaries to stop hiring commentators to help promote administration initiatives, and one day after the second high-profile conservative pundit was found to be on the federal payroll, a third embarrassing hire has emerged," reports Salon.

    Main Source: 
    Salon, January 27, 2005

    Media and Democracy, OhMy!

    by Diane Farsetta — January 27, 2005 - 6:08pm

    At a recent conference, the publisher of South Korea's OhmyNews described "the collaboration between Korean citizens and the online newspaper. ... Eight hours before the start of voting, another candidate who had been supporting [reform candidate Roh Moo Myun], withdrew from the campaign. The conservative newspaper ...

    Main Source: 
    OhmyNews, January 26, 2005

    Media MIA on Iraq Deaths

    by Diane Farsetta — January 27, 2005 - 4:22pm

    In October 2004, "a study was published in The Lancet, a prestigious British medical journal, concluding that about 100,000 civilians had been killed in Iraq since it was invaded" in March 2003.

    Main Source: 
    The Chronicle of Higher Education, January 27, 2005
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