The Weekly Spin, Wednesday, May 19, 2004

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19 May 2004 05:00:01 -0000

The Weekly Spin, Wednesday, May 19, 2004

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THE WEEKLY SPIN, Wednesday, May 19, 2004

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sponsored by PR WATCH (www.prwatch.org)

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The Weekly Spin features selected news summaries with links to

further information about current public relations campaigns.

It is emailed free each Wednesday to rs.

 

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THIS WEEK'S NEWS

 

1. Meet the Authors of Banana Republicans in San Fran, LA, NYC, DC & Boston

2. No More Money for Chalabi

3. Your Tax Dollars at Work

4. Pseudo-Journalists Betray the Public Trust

5. Greenfields vs AstroTurf

6. Greenwashing, G8-Style

7. Bush Slips Again in Poll

8. Pennsylvania Boots a Whistleblower

9. Not Your Parents' Video Games

10. UK Tabloid Editor Sacked Over Fake Photos

11. Better Living Through Radiology

12. An Unfair Trade: Jobs for Ads

13. Park Service Whitewash

14. OhMy! in English!

15. USA Today Cracks First

16. Murder as Propaganda

17. Yet Another Mission Impossible

18. The Real Space Invaders

19. Lie in a TV Ad, Voters Will Believe You

20. An Enormous Stink

21. Private Sector Diplomacy

22. Two Invasions = One War, No Politics

23. Mad Practices, Mad Policies, Mad Cows

24. DuPont's Public Filibuster

25. Would You Like Fries With That?

26. Inside Bechtel's spin machine

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3. YOUR TAX DOLLARS AT WORK

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A31606-2004May16.html

" The U.S. government is a marketplace too rich to ignore, " writes

Jeffrey Birnbaum. " For the past few years, federal discretionary

spending has grown by more than 10 percent a year... In particular,

security spending has taken off. " PR and lobby firms have certainly

noticed: " Fleishman-Hillard Inc just opened a marketing

department... Cassidy & Associates Inc has also beefed up what

amounts to a sales force... And lobbying powerhouse Patton Boggs

LLP increasingly is applying its expertise to sell its clients'

products directly to - or with the help of - Uncle Sam. " Not to

mention " one of the most experienced companies in the field, "

Jefferson Consulting Group, which has brokered major health care

and pharmaceutical deals.

SOURCE: Washington Post, May 17, 2004

More web links related to this story are available at:

http://www.prwatch.org/spin/May_2004.html#1084766400

To discuss this story in the PR Watch Forum, visit:

http://www.prwatch.org/forum/discuss.php?id=1084766400

 

4. PSEUDO-JOURNALISTS BETRAY THE PUBLIC TRUST

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-op-carroll16may16,1,3379470.st\

ory

Los Angeles Times editor John Carroll has penned a blistering

critique of " pseudo-journalism " in the United States: " All across

America, there are offices that resemble newsrooms, and in those

offices there are people who resemble journalists, but they are not

engaged in journalism. ... You may have guessed by now that I'm

talking about Fox News. I am, but I am also talking about a broad

array of talk shows and websites that have taken on the trappings

of journalism but, when studied closely, are not journalism at

all. "

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times, May 16, 2004

To discuss this story in the PR Watch Forum, visit:

http://www.prwatch.org/forum/discuss.php?id=1084680002

 

5. GREENFIELDS VS ASTROTURF

http://www.sacbee.com/content/politics/story/9316721p-10241500c.html

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.

Electric companies, including Southern California Edison and San

Diego Gas & Electric, are responding by organizing anti-greenfield

ballot initiatitves, using fake grassroots or " AstroTurf " groups

like the " Citizens for the Right to Vote " in San Diego County and

" Moreno Valley Residents for Responsible Utility Service. " The

Sacramento Bee reports: " The Edison Electric Institute... recently

developed an industry handbook - 'New Public Power Takeovers:

Strategic Resources for Defeating Municipalization' - outlining

step-by-step how to 'nip the movement in the bud.' "

SOURCE: The Sacramento Bee, May 16, 2004

More web links related to this story are available at:

http://www.prwatch.org/spin/May_2004.html#1084680001

To discuss this story in the PR Watch Forum, visit:

http://www.prwatch.org/forum/discuss.php?id=1084680001

 

6. GREENWASHING, G8-STYLE

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/environment/story.jsp?story=521752

Next month, the U.S. will host the thirtieth G8 Summit, a meeting

of the " leaders of the world's major industrial democracies, " in

Sea Island, Georgia. The setting is " in keeping with President

Bush's emphasis on environmental quality " and " will showcase the

complementary benefits of environmental stewardship and a strong

economy, " according to the Summit website. The Independent reports:

" But the island - the most beautiful of the sub-tropical Golden

Isles off the Georgia coast - is in one of the most polluted areas

of the American South. Glynn County, which contains Sea Island...

is home to 16 hazardous waste plants. " The Summit website claims

attempts are underway to " enhance the environmental assets. " The

Glynn County commissioner says there's been no environmental

support: " Most of our stuff was for the police department. "

SOURCE: The Independent (UK), May 16, 2004

More web links related to this story are available at:

http://www.prwatch.org/spin/May_2004.html#1084680000

To discuss this story in the PR Watch Forum, visit:

http://www.prwatch.org/forum/discuss.php?id=1084680000

 

8. PENNSYLVANIA BOOTS A WHISTLEBLOWER

http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/full/328/7449/1153

" A whistleblower who uncovered evidence that major drug companies

sought to influence government officials has been removed from his

job and placed on administrative leave, " reports Jeanne Lenzer.

" Allen Jones, an investigator at the Pennsylvania Office of the

Inspector General (OIG), was escorted out of his workplace on 28

April and told 'not to appear on OIG property' after OIG officials

accused him of talking to the press. ... His findings showed that

the pharmaceutical company Janssen had paid honorariums to key

state officials who held influence over the drugs prescribed in

state-run prisons and mental hospitals. "

SOURCE: British Medical Journal, May 15, 2004

More web links related to this story are available at:

http://www.prwatch.org/spin/May_2004.html#1084593602

To discuss this story in the PR Watch Forum, visit:

http://www.prwatch.org/forum/discuss.php?id=1084593602

 

11. BETTER LIVING THROUGH RADIOLOGY

http://www.timesdaily.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20040513/APF/405130842

During a speech to the Nuclear Energy Institute, U.S. Commerce

Secretary Donald Evans predicted: " The public will be more

receptive " to new nuclear power plants " as we move into a period of

higher energy bills. " NEI quoted Evans as saying nuclear energy has

" a big role to play in the expansion of freedom. " " How are we going

to lift up the economies around the world... without affordable,

available, environmentally preferred and sound energy supplies?

Nuclear power has just got to play a critical role, " Evans claimed.

In an interview, Evans said the Bush administration supported both

" free trade " and " fair trade. " The Times-Picayune reports: " When

asked to elaborate... Evans said the administration basically holds

free-trade principles but uses fair-trade tactics when the

situation and the political realities call for it. "

SOURCE: Associated Press, May 14, 2004

More web links related to this story are available at:

http://www.prwatch.org/spin/May_2004.html#1084507202

To discuss this story in the PR Watch Forum, visit:

http://www.prwatch.org/forum/discuss.php?id=1084507202

 

 

13. PARK SERVICE WHITEWASH

http://www.bushgreenwatch.org/mt_archives/000118.php

" Despite budget crunches, poor air quality, maintenance backlogs

and other problems, the public is not likely to hear any bad news

from staff of the National Park Service (NPS), " BushGreenwatch.org

writes. " Park superintendents have received orders from the Bush

Administration to follow a set of feel-good 'talking points' during

any interaction with the media, according to internal e-mails

obtained by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility

(PEER) and released yesterday. " Park Service employees were told to

call budget cuts " service-level adjustments. " A day before eight of

the nation's largest national parks were declared to be in

violation of new standards for ozone pollution, NPS superintendents

were given talking points on air quality in national parks.

SOURCE: BushGreenWatch.org, May 14, 2004

More web links related to this story are available at:

http://www.prwatch.org/spin/May_2004.html#1084507200

To discuss this story in the PR Watch Forum, visit:

http://www.prwatch.org/forum/discuss.php?id=1084507200

 

14. OHMY! IN ENGLISH!

http://www.ohmynews.com/specialpage/special_view.asp?menu_code=04219

We've reported in the past on OhMyNews! -- an innovative,

Korean-language online newspaper that has transformed journalism

and Korea's traditionally conservative political culture by serving

as an outlet for tens of thousands of " citizen journalists " teamed

up with professional reporters and editors. Now there's a

English-language " international version " of OhMyNews, featuring

stories ranging from a look at the controversial impeachment trial

of Korea's president to a first-person report from Fallujah. In an

OhMy report on Korea's embrace of broadband Internet technology,

Telecosm author George Gilder predicts that " Korea will kill TV! "

More web links related to this story are available at:

http://www.prwatch.org/spin/May_2004.html#1084489280

To discuss this story in the PR Watch Forum, visit:

http://www.prwatch.org/forum/discuss.php?id=1084489280

 

 

23. MAD PRACTICES, MAD POLICIES, MAD COWS

http://www.upi.com/view.cfm?StoryID=20040511-015527-4917r

" The U.S. Department of Agriculture has issued an order instructing

its inspectors in Texas, where federal mad cow disease testing

policies recently were violated, not to talk about the cattle

disorder with outside parties, " reports Steve Mitchell. The order,

sent by email from the USDA's Dallas office, instructed that " all

BSE inquiries MUST be directed to Congressional Public Affairs "

office in Washington DC. The email was sent the day after news

broke that a Texas cow displaying signs of a neurological disorder

was not tested for mad cow disease. According to anonymous sources,

an Austin-based government official ordered that the cow not be

tested, in contradiction of official USDA policy. Consumer

advocates and a USDA veterinarian say the Texas case " is not an

isolated incident. "

SOURCE: United Press International, May 11, 2004

More web links related to this story are available at:

http://www.prwatch.org/spin/May_2004.html#1084248005

To discuss this story in the PR Watch Forum, visit:

http://www.prwatch.org/forum/discuss.php?id=1084248005

 

24. DUPONT'S PUBLIC FILIBUSTER

http://www.sunherald.com/mld/thesunherald/news/local/8636598.htm

As area residents and activists prepared to participate in a public

hearing on DuPont Titanium Technologies' request to increase

polluting activities at its plant outside Pass Christian,

Mississippi, they had no idea they'd have a long wait before

getting a turn to speak. " When they realized a handful of prominent

supporters - including economic development directors, chamber

boosters, bankers and several plant employees - had reserved the

first hour and a half of floor time, the hundreds of concerned

residents grew livid, " reports Greg Harman. The company's

supporters tied up the hearing with lengthy orations about the

company's contributions to local schools and civic programs. The

speeches, Harman notes, " served one purpose, intended or otherwise:

Barely a breath of the very-present dissent hit the television

newscast that night or the next day's newspaper. "

SOURCE: Biloxi Sun Herald, May 11, 2004

To discuss this story in the PR Watch Forum, visit:

http://www.prwatch.org/forum/discuss.php?id=1084248004

 

25. WOULD YOU LIKE FRIES WITH THAT?

http://www.pressherald.com/business/stories/040511potato.shtml

Low-carb diets, the demise of the McDonald's Supersize menu, and

even mad cow disease have hurt the market for potatoes, so spud

growers are fighting back. " The National Potato Promotion Board

(NPPB) recently launched a $4.5 million campaign that mixes print

advertising, public relations and partnerships with weight-loss

groups to educate consumers about the healthy benefits of

potatoes, " reports the Associated Press. According to NPPB

president Tim O'Connor, " There's nothing anyone can do about

McDonald's deciding to eliminate its Supersize. ... But addressing

the bottom line with consumers about the positive attributes that

potatoes contribute to their daily diet is really critical to

increasing consumers' consumption. " Plans include hiring fitness

maven Denise Austin as a spokeswoman and getting her to put recipes

featuring potatoes in her future books. (No word yet on whether Dan

Quayle has been approached.)

SOURCE: Associated Press, May 11, 2004

To discuss this story in the PR Watch Forum, visit:

http://www.prwatch.org/forum/discuss.php?id=1084248003

 

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