Public Relations

Energy Companies' Gallons of Greenwash

by Diane Farsetta — December 12, 2007 - 3:56pm

"Shell, the oil company that recently trumpeted its commitment to a low carbon future ... has quietly sold off most of its solar business," reports Terry Macalister.

Main Source: 
The Guardian (UK), December 11, 2007

The Fakest Time of the Year: The 2007 Falsies Awards

by Diane Farsetta — December 7, 2007 - 10:50am
  • Topics: Activism, Global Warming, Corporations, Health, Media, Pharmaceuticals, Propaganda, Public Relations, Science, Think Tanks, U.S. Government, War / Peace, Women

    • Ladies and gentlemen, this is the year that the Falsies Awards have truly arrived!

    Here at the Center for Media and Democracy (CMD), we've dearly treasured our Falsies since we gave the first awards out in 2004. After 12 months of reporting on the cynical, manipulative and just plain anti-democratic pollution of our information environment, we love adding an extra dash of humor to our work. But this year's Falsies Awards are extra super special.

    Columbus Discovers Local Fake News

    by Diane Farsetta — December 6, 2007 - 5:54pm

    Emmy award-winning television reporter Andrea Cambern "might be the most trusted news anchor in Columbus," Ohio, writes Steph Greegor. "So she's believable when she appears in reports reinforcing the notion that the Ohio State University Medical Center is a fine facility. What those clips don't mention is that Ohio State paid Channel 10 for them. ...

    Main Source: 
    The Other Paper (Columbus, Ohio), November 29, 2007

    Studio Owners Try to Seem Reasonable, Like Big Tobacco

    by Diane Farsetta — November 28, 2007 - 3:37pm

    Reporter Nikki Finke, who has been closely covering the ongoing Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike, reports that the studio owners' group, the Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers (AMPTP), "during the first days of the strike ... went out and hired Hill and Knowlton, the controversial global public relations and public affairs giant." Finke writes, "Remember that full page ad that ran November 15th in the Los Angeles Times and The New York Times?

    Main Source: 
    Deadline Hollywood Daily, November 25, 2007

    Want to Be a ConocoPhillips Flack (for Free)? Here's How!

    by Diane Farsetta — November 27, 2007 - 5:55pm

    ConocoPhillips's Bob Ridge visited San Antonio, Texas recently, as stop number 32 of a 33-city "Conversation on Energy" tour. "It becomes obvious fast that Bob isn't in San Antonio to make any great promises," writes local reporter Greg Harman, who attended the event. "He tells our group straightaway that the next 30 years belong to oil, natural gas and coal.

    Main Source: 
    San Antonio Current (Texas), November 21, 2007

    Deadly Cowboys

    by Bob Burton — November 25, 2007 - 5:49am

    Blackwater USA is a private military contractor facing a federal U.S. grand jury investigation for the shooting of Iraqi citizens. The company recently hit the headlines after its personnel opened fire on Iraqi civilians in September, killing 17.

    Main Source: 
    Washington Post, November 20, 2007
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