Astroturf

Who's Your Sugar Daddy?

by Diane Farsetta — August 1, 2004 - 10:00pm

"A grassroots PR effort that included giving away American flags for the Fourth of July has helped Donald Trump win the right to build a new casino in Orange County, an economically depressed area in Indiana," reports PR Week.

Main Source: 
PR Week (sub. req'd), August 2, 2004

Bending Like a Reed in the Wind

by Diane Farsetta — July 16, 2004 - 10:00pm

Former Christian Coalition leader Ralph Reed's public affairs firm Century Strategies "has raked in millions of dollars by mounting grassroots lobbying drives" for corporations, Republicans and "controversial lobbyists." Reed is also the

Main Source: 
The National Journal, July 17, 2004

Greenfields vs AstroTurf

by Diane Farsetta — May 15, 2004 - 10:00pm

Small, growing cities are trying to use their authority, "under California law... to assign themselves rights to the infrastructure that developers of new housing and commercial tracts," or greenfields, "install for electricity, natural gas and any other utility." Municipal officials believe they can provide electricity at lower rates while generating income for local governments.

Main Source: 
The Sacramento Bee, May 16, 2004

Birds of a Feather

by Laura Miller — January 12, 2004 - 11:00pm

"The rise of Tony Feather from congressional intern to successful lobbyist is a story of loyalty, of good deeds rewarded -- and of Republicans taking care of their own," the Washington Post writes.

Main Source: 
Washington Post, January 13, 2004

Drug Companies Fund Patient Advocacy Groups

by John Stauber — December 12, 2003 - 11:00pm

"Pharmaceutical companies are pouring millions of dollars into patient
advocacy groups and medical organisations to help expand markets for their
products.
They are also using sponsorships and educational grants to fund
disease-awareness campaigns that urge people to see their doctors.
Many groups have become largely or totally reliant on pharmaceutical
industry money, prompting concerns they are open to pressure from companies
pushing their products.
An investigation by The Age newspaper has found:
An awareness campaign run by the National Asthma Council was spearheaded
by a cartoon d

Main Source: 
Sydney Morning Herald, December 13, 2003

Letters Home From a Ghostwriter

by Sheldon Rampton — October 10, 2003 - 10:00pm

"Letters from hometown soldiers describing their successes rebuilding Iraq have been appearing in newspapers across the country as U.S. public opinion on the mission sours," reports Ledyard King. "And all the letters are the same." A newspaper in Olympia, Washington noticed the pattern after receiving identically-worded letters from two different soldiers with the 2nd Battalion of the 503rd Airborne Infantry Regiment.

Main Source: 
The Olympian (WA), October 11, 2003

Verizon & IDI 'Rent' Gray Panthers to Attack WorldCom

by John Stauber — June 19, 2003 - 10:00pm

"What seemed to be a groundswell of protest materialized last week when WorldCom Inc. lawyers arrived at federal court for a hearing on whether the company's agreement to pay a $500 million fine was sufficient punishment for its mammoth fraud. ... Outside the courthouse, a small group of demonstrators rallied" including the Gray Panthers. "The outpouring, though, was hardly spontaneous. Several of the opponents, including protest organizers and petitioners, had ties to Issue Dynamics Inc.

Main Source: 
Washington Post, June 20, 2003

"Canned PR Material" Not Welcome

by Laura Miller — February 2, 2003 - 11:00pm

"Readers have a right to assume that what they read on the letters page is not canned public relations material," Boston Globe Editorial Page Editor Renee Loth said. Responding to unknowingly running GOP "astroturf" form letters, the Globe is instituting a new policy to "confirm original authorship on any letter that could be part of an organized campaign." Globe Ombudsman Christine Chinlund writes that while readers may find the fake grassroots letters-to-the-editor offensive, in political campaigning circles, there is bipartisan support.

Main Source: 
Boston Globe, February 3, 2003

Astroturf Letter Wars

by Sheldon Rampton — January 26, 2003 - 11:00pm

"Newspapers and political organizations are engaged in technological one-upmanship over 'AstroTurf' - letters to the editor that look like authentic grass-roots responses from readers but are not," reports Jennifer Lee.

Main Source: 
New York Times, January 27, 2003

Google Catches Bush Astroturf Campaign

by Sheldon Rampton — January 21, 2003 - 4:11pm

"It looks like the Bush Administration is astroturfing, trying to artificially create the appearance of a grassroots movement supporting their policies," writes Jules Agee.

Main Source: 
http://www.politechbot.com/p-04332.html
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