Front Groups

Telecom Firms Dial Up Ad Spending

by Diane Farsetta — May 31, 2006 - 9:54am

"Telecommunications companies are spending serious green on advertising in recent weeks," as several telecom-related bills, including on network neutrality, come before Congress. A study by Arlen Communications estimates that the U.S. Telecom Association, which "represents the majority of the Bell telecommunications firms," has spent $250,000 a week over six weeks. And SBC/AT&T has spent some $600,000 a week, according to Arlen. A U.S.

Main Source: 
National Journal's Insider Update, May 31, 2006

Wal-Mart Seeks Boosters Among Biz Partners

by Diane Farsetta — May 12, 2006 - 10:14am

The Wal-Mart-launched and -funded advocacy group, Working Families for Wal-Mart, is recruiting "Wal-Mart suppliers to join the public relations offensive -- a move that some vendors say puts improper pressure on them," reports Michael Barbaro. While Working Families for Wal-Mart "describes itself as autonomous ... at least half of the steering committee's members have business ties to Wal-Mart" or the group itself.

Main Source: 
New York Times, May 12, 2006

Food Flack Nation Attacks Journalist Eric Schlosser

by John Stauber — May 11, 2006 - 5:49pm
  • Topics: Food Safety, Crisis Management, Front Groups, Public Relations

    • "Fast Food Nation" mega-selling author Eric Schlosser must be doing something right. He's under vicious attack from food industry lobbyists and front groups mimicking his book title in their website smearing him. Long time Fleishman-Hillard food flack Becky Johnson and her fellow spinmeisters risk publicizing Schlosser's writings in their over-the-top efforts to condemn him.

    The industrial food lobby is freaking-out over "Chew On This", his new book with Charles Wilson aimed at youngsters, and the fact that his "Fast Food Nation" is being made into a major Hollywood movie with the same title. Best Food Nation is the food industry's sound-alike website funded by the American Farm Bureau Federation, American Meat Institute, National Cattlemen's Beef Association, National Council of Chain Restaurants, and 14 other food lobbies. The website highlights anti-Schlosser rants by industry-funded front groups including Heartland Institute and the American Council on Science and Health.

    Non-Profit 'Watchdog' Well Fed By ExxonMobil

    by Bob Burton — March 22, 2006 - 1:28am

    The Wall Street Journal reports that Public Interest Watch (PIW), a non-profit 'watchdog' group which sucessfully lobbied for an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) tax audit of Greenpeace, has been heavily funded by ExxonMobil. Two years after PIW urged an IRS investigation, Greenpeace was subjected to a three-month long audit.

    Main Source: 
    Wall Street Journal (sub req'd), March 21, 2006

    Front Group Claims Owls Learning to Love Logging

    by Bob Burton — February 22, 2006 - 3:35am

    Spotted Owl Source: Sierra Club

    The Executive Director of the Evergreen Foundation, James Peterson, argues in a Wall Street Journal opinion article that the decline of the spotted owl in the U.S.

    Main Source: 
    Wall Street Journal (sub req'd), February 18, 2006

    The "Center for Union Facts" Is Rick Berman's Newest Fiction

    by John Stauber — February 13, 2006 - 10:15am

    On February 13, full-page advertisements in the New York Times, the Washington Post and the Wall Street Journal, along with a media stunt involving a dinosaur, announced a new union-bashing front group called Center for Union Facts.

    Main Source: 
    UnionFacts.com, February 13, 2006

    Fish Story

    by Sheldon Rampton — January 18, 2006 - 9:37am

    Washington, DC lobbyist Rick Berman must have a new client. Recently his front group, the Center for Consumer Freedom, launched a new website called FishScam.com along with a multimedia PR blitz including billboard and radio ads decrying the "hype" about health hazards of mercury in fish.

    Main Source: 
    Village Voice, January 17, 2006

    Freeport Fronts Its Way into Activists' Emails

    by Bob Burton — January 1, 2006 - 9:06pm

    The New York Times reports that the Louisiana-based mining company Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold worked closely with Indonesian military intelligence officers to monitor the email and phone calls of environmental activists concerned about the impacts of the company's Grasberg mine in Indonesia's Papua province.

    Main Source: 
    New York Times, December 27, 2005
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