Terrorism

The Secrets of 9/11

by Sheldon Rampton — April 29, 2003 - 11:00pm

"Even as White House political aides plot a 2004 campaign plan designed to capitalize on the emotions and issues raised by the September 11 terror attacks," report Michael Isikoff and Mark Hosenball, "administration officials are waging a behind-the-scenes battle to restrict public disclosure of key events relating to the attacks.

Main Source: 
Newsweek, April 30, 2003

The Fear Factor

by Sheldon Rampton — April 10, 2003 - 11:00pm

The producer of a CBS mini-series has been fired after comparing the climate of fear in the United States to the political environment that enabled Adolf Hitler's rise to power. Ed Gernon, the producer of "Hitler: The Rise of Evil" told TV Guide that the story "basically boils down to an entire nation gripped by fear, who ultimately chose to give up their civil rights and plunged the whole world into war.

Main Source: 
Washington Post, April 11, 2003

Homefront Confidential

by Sheldon Rampton — March 20, 2003 - 3:07am

The Reporters' Committee for Freedom of the Press has issued an updated report showing "how the war on terrorism affects access to information and the public's right to know." The report includes sections on "covering the war," "military tribunals," "domestic coverage," and "the USA PATRIOT Act." The World Press Institute has just issued a similar report.

Main Source: 
http://www.rcfp.org/homefrontconfidential/

New Warnings from FBI Whistleblower

by Sheldon Rampton — March 6, 2003 - 12:00am

Minneapolis FBI agent Colleen Rowley, who last year exposed the agency's mishandling of warning signs prior to September 11, has written a new letter to FBI director Robert Mueller, warning that "the diversion of attention from al-Qaeda to our government's plan to invade Iraq ... will, in all likelihood, bring an exponential increase in the terrorist threat to the U.S., both at home and abroad. ... It is altogether likely that you will find yourself a helpless bystander to a rash of 9-11s.

Main Source: 
Minneapolis Star-Tribune, March 6, 2003

Airlines Go From Friendly Skies to A Flying Police State

by John Stauber — March 6, 2003 - 12:00am

"The travel industry and civil liberties groups are sharply
objecting to government plans for a new airline passenger
screening program .... . The proposed program ... would involve
electronic checking of the credit
records and criminal histories, along with checking whether
the passenger is on watch lists of suspected terrorists.
The screening would be done by the federal Transportation
Security Administration. ... Based on the results, each traveler would be
assigned a
risk level. Those deemed to pose a danger would be barred
from flights.

Main Source: 
New York Times, March 6, 2003

Homeland Security's "Get Ready Now" Gets PR Help

by Laura Miller — February 19, 2003 - 12:00am

"Ruder Finn designed the Dept. of Homeland Security's www.ready.gov website and brochure that provides tips on how to prepare against a biological, radiation or nuclear attack," O'Dwyer's PR Daily reports. "Ruder Finn wants to be 'clear and accurate' in giving tips to cope with terror attacks. 'We worked with the Ad Council on its Smokey the Bear campaign, and AC staffers recommended us for the Homeland Security work,' said [Ruder Finn senior VP Scott] Schneider.

Main Source: 
O'Dwyer's PR Daily, February 19, 2003

The Media: Terrorist Tool?

by Sheldon Rampton — February 14, 2003 - 12:00am

Terrorists and the U.S. government are both using the media to achieve propaganda goals, according to Hafez Al Mirazi, bureau chief of the Al-Jazeera satellite TV network. "If CNN or Fox or others are not going to have breaking news flashing on their screens if Palestinians are killed, but only if Israelis are killed, then [terrorists] will go out and kill an Israeli," he said.

Main Source: 
O'Dwyer's PR Daily, February 14, 2003

Duct And Cover

by Laura Miller — February 12, 2003 - 12:00am

"Henkel Consumer Adhesives is working with retailers to ensure there is a plentiful supply of duct tape on their shelves, according to its website," O'Dwyer's PR Daily writes. "The move follows Dept. of Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge's recommendation that Americans stock up on duct tape so they can seal their windows in the event of a biological attack. Cleveland-based Liggett-Stashower PR is pitching the story to national media. ... Ridge's duct tape plug has been a PR bonanza for HCA, which sells Americans more than 1.5 billion linear feet of Duck Tape brand duct tape each year."

Main Source: 
O'Dwyer's PR Daily, February 12, 2003

Food for Activists

by Sheldon Rampton — February 4, 2003 - 2:10pm

PR crisis manager Nick Nichols, who advises companies to use attack-dog strategies against pesky activists, delivered another fiery speech this weekend at the Conservative Political Action Conference, branding environmentalists as terrorists and comparing them to Hitler. "A lot of [my] clients look like food to the more extreme environmental groups," he said.

Main Source: 
http://www.crosswalk.com/news/1183938.html?view=print

Just Say No to S.U.V.s

by Sheldon Rampton — January 8, 2003 - 12:00am

"This is George," a girl's voice says. "This is the gas that George bought for his S.U.V." The screen then shows a map of the Middle East. "These are the countries where the executives bought the oil that made the gas that George bought for his S.U.V." The picture switches to a scene of armed terrorists in a desert. "And these are the terrorists who get money from those countries every time George fills up his S.U.V." The ads, modeled after the Drug Council's TV commercials alleging that drug users support terrorism, are the brainchild of author and columnist Arianna Huffington.

Main Source: 
New York Times, January 8, 2003
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