War / Peace

Despite Prominence of Coverage, Pakistan Doesn't Merit News Bureaus

by Judith Siers-Poisson — January 2, 2008 - 1:53pm

When former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto was assassinated on December 27, 2007, the only American TV networks to have full-time employees in Pakistan to call on were ABC and CNN. Other networks were forced to rely on stringers, freelance reporters on retainer with news agencies, until they could get their own reporters to Pakistan.

Main Source: 
New York Times, December 31, 2007

Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition

by Sheldon Rampton — December 31, 2007 - 12:36pm

"For US Army soldiers entering basic training at Fort Jackson Army base in Columbia, South Carolina, accepting Jesus Christ as their personal savior appears to be as much a part of the nine-week regimen as the vigorous physical and mental exercises the troops must endure," writes Jason Leopold.

Main Source: 
TruthOut, December 21, 2007

"Posted to YouTube, Sir!"

by Judith Siers-Poisson — December 20, 2007 - 6:24pm

YouTube has become de rigeur for posting official war propaganda. As CMD reported in October 2007, NATO has dedicated at least 1 million Euros (about $1.46 million U.S.) to produce and post footage to the popular video sharing site. In Britain, the Ministry of Defence (MoD), Royal Navy and Royal Air Force all have channels on YouTube, with dozens of short videos shot by or with their forces.

Main Source: 
BBC News, December 13, 2007

2007 Most Deadly Year for Journalists in Over a Decade

by Judith Siers-Poisson — December 19, 2007 - 4:18pm

The Committee to Protect Journalists has released a report stating that 64 journalists died as a direct result of their profession in 2007. That marks the highest mortality rate since 1993. Nearly half of those deaths occurred in Iraq, with Somalia following in second place.

Main Source: 
<i>New York Times</i>, December 18, 2007

Anonymously Defending Guantanamo from Criticism

by Diane Farsetta — December 17, 2007 - 5:16pm

"US military personnel at Guantanamo Bay called Fidel Castro a transsexual and defended the prison for terrorism suspects in anonymous web postings," according to a new report.

Main Source: 
Associated Press, December 13, 2007

The Fakest Time of the Year: The 2007 Falsies Awards

by Diane Farsetta — December 7, 2007 - 9:50am
  • 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.

    The U.S. Propaganda Blitz in Post-War Japan

    by Bob Burton — November 25, 2007 - 5:37pm

    A report written in 1959 by Mark May, a Yale University professor and expert on psychological warfare, detailed the extensive operations by the United States Information Service (USIS) in Japan after the end of World War II. The report was recently uncovered in the National Archives in Washington by Kenneth Osgood, an assistant professor of history at Florida Atlantic University. The report reveals that 23 of 50 USIS-sponsored programs were not publicly identified as U.S. funded projects.

    Main Source: 
    The Japan Times, November 21, 2007

    A Preview of "Stop-Loss": A Film by Kimberly Peirce

    by Judith Siers-Poisson — November 19, 2007 - 3:29pm
  • Topics: Iraq, Arts / Culture, Ethics, Human Rights, Politics, U.S. Government, War / Peace

    • On Wednesday, November 14, 2007, Hollywood came to Madison, Wisconsin. Paramount Pictures sponsored a free pre-release screening of "Stop-Loss," which is due to hit theaters nationwide on March 28, 2008. (It will be released in the U.K. on April 18, 2008.) Writer and director Kimberly Peirce, best known for directing "Boys Don't Cry," was in attendance and took part in an extended questions and answer session after the screening.

    Fine-Tuning the Sell Job for the Next War

    by Diane Farsetta — November 19, 2007 - 3:07pm

    "The basis of the whole thing was, 'we're going to go into Iran and what do we have to do to get you guys to go along with it,'" said Laura Sonnenmark, a participant in a recent focus group apparently funded by the Republican-associated lobbying group Freedo

    Main Source: 
    Mother Jones, November 19, 2007

    America Might Support You, But Your Bureau Chiefs Don't

    by Diane Farsetta — November 14, 2007 - 3:43pm

    "If we can't get our own people to release public documents, why should we expect the military to cooperate?" asked the Europe bureau chief of the military newspaper Stars and Stripes.

    Main Source: 
    Stars and Stripes, November 14, 2007
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