div style=float:right;width:283px;margin:0px 0px 10px 10pxobject width=283 height=233br / param name=movie value=http://www.youtube.com/v/Yv_4A1RbA-o / param name=wmode value=transparent /embed src=http://www.youtube.com/v/Yv_4A1RbA-o type=application/x-shockwave-flash wmode=transparent width=283 height=233/embed/objectbr /bA TV commercial by opponents of Proposition 8 highlights the Mormon role in promoting the measure./b/div pThe a href=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_Jesus_Christ_of_Latter-Day_Saints title=reference on Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints target=_blankChurch of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints/a (also known as the LDS or Mormon Church) is facing a href=http://www.ocregister.com/articles/church-beach-passage-2230532-clayton-fichter?pos=4 title=reference on a public backlash target=_blanka public backlash/a following its heavy-handed support of a href=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Proposition_8_(2008) title=reference on Proposition 8 target=_blankProposition 8/a banning same-sex marriages in California, notes progressive PR pro Michael Fox. For many years, he notes, the LDS Church has been an active force in the anti-gay movement, most notably in regard to its a href=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A05E4D6103AF930A35754C0A9659C8B63amp;sec=amp;spon=amp;pagewanted=all title=reference on sponsorship of the Boy Scouts of America target=_blanksponsorship of the Boy Scouts of America/a, but these activities have mostly been below the media radar and opposition has been directed at the Scouts, not the LDS Church itself. ... Now that will change. A a href=http://lds501c3.wordpress.com/2008/11/11/leaked-lds-prop-8-memo-the-work-depends-on-us/ title=reference on leaked internal memo target=_blankleaked internal memo/a shows how top church leaders a href=http://mormon-chronicles.blogspot.com/2008/10/church-expands-battle-for-proposition-8.html title=reference on egged on rank-and-file Mormons target=_blankegged on rank-and-file Mormons/a to donate more than $20 million to support Proposition 8, while members in Utah made a href=http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_10805121 title=reference on political phone calls to Californians target=_blankpolitical phone calls to Californians/a on behalf of the masure. In response, Fox says, Gay and lesbian groups and their allies will challenge the Mormons everywhere, no doubt tapping into pre-existing anti-Mormon prejudice. ... And the Prop 8 boycott, if sustained, can have a serious impact on businesses owned by Mormons, such as the a href=http://www.blogs.marriott.com/default.asp?item=2284808 title=reference on Marriott hotel chain target=_blankMarriott hotel chain/a, on the a href=http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/1393290.html title=reference on careers of LDS members target=_blankcareers of LDS members/a, and even on the a href=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2008/11/07/national/a162626S94.DTL title=reference on economy of the State of Utah target=_blankeconomy of the State of Utah/a./p br class=clear /

pIn November 2005, activists from the a href=http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Chesapeake_Climate_Action_Network title=reference on Chesapeake Climate Action Network target=_selfChesapeake Climate Action Network/a peacefully protested against the by then-Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr failure to significantly curb pollution from a href=http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Maryland_and_coal title=reference on coal-fired power stations target=_selfcoal-fired power stations/a in Maryland. After their protest, Maryland police categorized them as terrorists and added them to a federal database of people to be monitored. Lisa Rein and Josh White report that other groups spied on by an undercover police operation included those opposing the death penalty, the Iraq war, the manufacture of cluster munitions, globalization and the government's expansion of biodefense research at Fort Detrick. The American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland, which has been acting for a href=http://www.aclu-md.org/Index%20content/NoSpying/NoSpying.html title=reference on some of those spied on target=_blank some of those spied on/a, commented that a href=http://www.aclu-md.org/Index%20content/NoSpying/111908_Spying.html title=reference on records target=_blankrecords/a made public so far reveal the infiltration of activist meetings, dossiers on activists’ political affiliations ... and more spying on individuals who have never committed any crime and were never suspected of committing any crimes./p br class=clear /

pspan class=inline rightimg src=http://www.prwatch.org/files/images/tokyo.jpg alt= title= class=image img_assist_custom height=235 width=350 //spanThe a href=http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Associated_Press title=reference on Associated Press target=_selfAssociated Press/a recently conducted a study of news consumption by young people which found that participants showed signs of news fatigue; that is, they appeared debilitated by information overload and unsatisfying news experiences. ... Ultimately news fatigue brought many of the participants to a learned helplessness response. The more overwhelmed or unsatisfied they were, the less effort they were willing to put in. News nowadays, observes Bree Nordenson, finds us in airport lounges and taxicabs, on our smart phones and PDAs, through e-mail providers and Internet search engines. ...Edward Hallowell, a Boston-area psychiatrist, believes many of us suffer from what he calls an attention-deficit trait, a culturally induced form of attention-deficit disorder. In an environment where people are bombarded with more information than they can possibly absorb, she argues, journalism needs to reinvent itself, not as the place where people simply obtain information, but as a source of people to assimilate, understand, and make sense of it. ... The most valuable journalism is the kind that iexplains/i./p br class=clear /

pAnalyst Meg White examines the blitzkrieg of fear mongering and misinformation being whipped up against President-elect a href=http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Barack_Obama title=reference on Barack Obama target=_selfBarack Obama/a. One phalanx in the fight belongs to a href=http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Grassfire.org title=reference on Grassfire.org target=_selfGrassfire.org/a. ... Grassfire sent out an e-mail designed to scare people into joining its 'a href=http://www.grassfire.org/111/petition.asp?PID=18751165 title=reference on army that is ready to take on Obama's agenda target=_blankarmy that is ready to take on Obama's agenda/a.' ... The e-mail lists nine 'threats to our liberties' presented by the incoming administration. The common thread through all of these threats is alarmism. ... Grassfire is anything but grassroots. The 501(c)4 is listed as a a href=http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=front_group title=reference on front group target=_selffront group/a on the (a href=http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=SourceWatch title=reference on SourceWatch target=_selfSourceWatch/a) site, and SourceWatch notes that public relations for Grassfire are handled by a href=http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Shirley_%26_Banister_Public_Affairs title=reference on Shirley amp; Banister Public Affairs target=_selfShirley amp; Banister Public Affairs/a, whose president, a href=http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Craig_Shirley title=reference on Craig Shirley target=_selfCraig Shirley/a, was part of the team that created the infamous Willie Horton ad. Shirley and Banister represent like-minded clients such as a href=http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Ann_Coulter title=reference on Ann Coulter target=_selfAnn Coulter/a, the Christian Anti-Defamation Commission, and the a href=http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=National_Rifle_Association title=reference on National Rifle Association target=_selfNational Rifle Association/a. Grassfire is one of many groups amassing armies to fight everything Obama tries to do, no matter where it falls on the political spectrum./p br class=clear /

pThe a href=http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Environmental_Protection_Agency title=reference on Environmental Protection Agency target=_selfEnvironmental Protection Agency/a (EPA) is working to relax air quality rules and make it easier to build coal-fired power plants, oil refineries and other pollution-emitting enterprises near national parks and wilderness areas, even though half of the EPA's ten regional administrators have formally opposed the plan. The push to weaken the a href=http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Clean_Air_Act title=reference on Clean Air Act target=_selfClean Air Act/a involves changing the method used to measure air pollution near national parks so that pollution is averaged over much longer periods, effectively diluting large spikes and protecting polluters from violating the law. Mark Wenzler, who directs clean-air programs for the National Parks Conservation Association, remarked that The a href=http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Bush_administration title=reference on Bush administration target=_selfBush administration/a's staunch commitment to coal is so deep that they're willing to sacrifice our national parks on the way out the door. a href=http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Jeffrey_R._Holmstead title=reference on Jeffrey R. Holmstead target=_selfJeffrey R. Holmstead/a, who served as chief of EPA's air and radiation office, helped initiate the change. Holmstead has since left EPA and now works at the power industry legal and lobbying firm a href=http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Bracewell_%26_Giuliani title=reference on Bracewell amp; Giuliani target=_selfBracewell amp; Giuliani/a./p br class=clear /

pStarting next week, you'll need to wait one less day to get the great information in the Weekly Spin E-Digest! The Spin used to be published on Wednesdays (U.S. time), but we are moving it to Tuesdays. This small schedule change will allow CMD staff to find interesting new material to include in the a href=http://www.prwatch.org/taxonomy/term/247 title=reference on Weekly Radio Spin target=_blankWeekly Radio Spin/a, which is produced each Friday./p pDon't know what the Weekly Radio Spin is? It is a five-minute segment that highlights the stories behind the news and pulls the covers off of media manipulators. Aired on more than 15 radio stations, the Weekly Radio Spin is also available as a podcast -- go to a href=http://www.prwatch.org/audio/feed title=http://www.prwatch.org/audio/feedhttp://www.prwatch.org/audio/feed/a to subscribe!/p pDon't get the Weekly Spin? Go to a href=http://www.prwatch.org/cmd/subscribe_sotd.html title=http://www.prwatch.org/cmd/subscribe_sotd.htmlhttp://www.prwatch.org/cmd/subscribe_sotd.html/a to sign up today!/p br class=clear /

pScience reporting is more and more the direct product of PR shops, according to Charles Petit, a veteran science reporter who runs MIT’s online a href=http://ksjtracker.mit.edu/ title=reference on Knight Science Journalism Tracker target=_blankKnight Science Journalism Tracker/a. Petit says information spoon-fed to reporters through news releases has become a powerful subversive tool eroding the chance that reporters will craft their own stories. Cristine Russell reports that institutional news offices from universities, government research agencies, and corporations are putting out large press packages that provide well-written press releases, graphics, and even video in a form that can be used directly by news outlets that are hungry for stories but lack the resources, time, and/or experience to do more thorough reporting. ... Institutional publicity operations are becoming more sophisticated at the same time that newsrooms are decimating the ranks of fulltime specialty science staff. Petit cited examples of clever press releases that have been recycled into news stories, such as a recent University of Utah press release titled “Living fossils have hot sex, which made its way into stories by Reuters, iNew Scientist/i, and the a href=http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Australian_Broadcasting_Corporation title=reference on Australian Broadcasting Corporation target=_selfAustralian Broadcasting Corporation/a./p br class=clear /

pspan class=inline leftimg src=http://www.prwatch.org/files/images/Skippyjar.img_assist_custom.jpg alt=Skippy peanut butter jars now have an inward quot;dimplequot; on the bottom to reduce the amount they hold. (Source: CNN) title=Skippy peanut butter jars now have an inward quot;dimplequot; on the bottom to reduce the amount they hold. (Source: CNN) class=image img_assist_custom height=142 width=175 /span class=caption style=width: 173px;strongSkippy peanut butter jars now have an inward dimple on the bottom to reduce the amount they hold. (Source: CNN)/strong/span/spanPrices of your favorite grocery items are skyrocketing, but you probably don't know it. Many companies are using a sneaky way to raise prices without driving customers to less expensive brands: they are shrinking their packaging. A jar of Skippy peanut butter, for example, is the same height and circumference it has always been, but now has a hidden, inward dimple on the bottom that decreases the amount the jar holds by two ounces. Boxes of breakfast cereal appear to be the same height and width they've always been, but manufacturers have reduced the boxes' depth from front to back, decreasing the amount of cereal they hold. Rolls of Scott toilet tissue contain the same number of sheets as always (1,000), but the length of each sheet has been cut from 4 to 3.7 inches. A six ounce can of Starkist Tuna now holds just five ounces. When asked about the shrinkage, most companies point to higher costs for ingredients, manufacturing and fuel. Dan Howard, a marketing professor at Southern Methodist University, says the only way consumers can fight back against this sneaky way of increasing costs is to refuse to buy from manufacturers who engage in this deceptive tactic. /p br class=clear /

div class=image style=float:right; width:144px;margin:0 0 10px 10px img src=http://www.prwatch.org/files/images/grouchos.png width=144 height=133 alt=Groucho mask //div pbIt's your chance to vote for the worst candidates -- and enjoy it!/b/p pNow's the time for you to participate in the stronga href=http://survey.prwatch.org/public/survey.php?name=FALSIES2008FINAL title=reference on fifth annual Falsies Awards contest target=_blankfifth annual Falsies Awards contest/a/strong, held by the Center for Media and Democracy to shine an unflattering light on those responsible for polluting our information environment. /p pAs you look back at 2008, who stands out, for their shameless spinning? The ballot includes sneaky spooks, pandering pundits, big business bullies, and many more.br / strongbr / a href=http://survey.prwatch.org/public/survey.php?name=FALSIES2008FINAL title=reference on Click here to cast your vote today! target=_blankClick here to cast your vote today!/a/strong/p br class=clear /pa href=http://www.prwatch.org/node/7966read more/a/p

pIn its latest quarterly financial report to the U.S. a href=http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Securities_and_Exchange_Commission title=reference on Securities and Exchange Commission target=_selfSecurities and Exchange Commission/a, a href=http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Medialink_Worldwide title=reference on Medialink Worldwide target=_selfMedialink Worldwide/a -- the largest producer of a href=http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=fake_news title=reference on fake news target=_selffake news/a products such as a href=http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=video_news_releases title=reference on video news releases target=_selfvideo news releases/a (VNRs) and a href=http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=audio_news_releases title=reference on audio news releases target=_selfaudio news releases/a (ANRs) -- reports that revenue dropped by more than 28%, compared to the same three month period in 2007. From early 2008, the company's share price a href=http://finance.google.com/finance?chdnp=1amp;chdd=1amp;chds=1amp;chdv=1amp;chvs=maximizedamp;chdeh=0amp;chdet=1226696400000amp;chddm=98923amp;q=NASDAQ:MDLKamp;ntsp=0 title=reference on has dropped target=_blankhas dropped/a from a high of $4.50 to just 9 cents. In its report, Medialink a href=http://ccbn.10kwizard.com/xml/download.php?repo=tenkamp;ipage=5980186amp;format=RTF title=reference on notes (see page 11) target=_blanknotes (see page 11)/a that the company's stock has traded below the minimum $1.00 per share requirement for continued listing on the Nasdaq stock market and has been warned that it has until May 18, 2009, to regain compliance./p br class=clear /

pspan class=inline rightimg src=http://www.prwatch.org/files/images/WRS3.jpg class=image img_assist_custom height=149 width=200 //spanListen to ba href=http://www.prwatch.org/node/7963 title=reference on this week#039;s edition target=_selfthis week#039;s edition/a/b of the a href=http://www.prwatch.org/audio title=reference on Weekly Radio Spin target=_selfWeekly Radio Spin/a, the Center for Media and Democracy's audio report on the stories behind the news. This week, we look at good eats in Iraq, selling agua and calling all cars for a bail-out. In Six Degrees of Spin and Fakin', we A-S-K about front groups. The Weekly Radio Spin is freely available for personal and broadcast use. Podcasters can subscribe to a href=http://www.prwatch.org/audio/feed title=reference on the XML feed target=_selfthe XML feed/a on a href=http://www.prwatch.org/audio title=reference on www.prwatch.org/audio target=_selfwww.prwatch.org/audio/a or a href=http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=264865807 title=reference on via iTunes target=_blankvia iTunes/a. If you air the Weekly Radio Spin on your radio station, please email us at a href=mailto:editor@prwatch.orgeditor@prwatch.org/a to let us know. Thanks!/p br class=clear /

pThere is a minor controversy bouncing around right now on the internet, and I'd like to do what I can to set the story straight. The controversy involves two incidents:/p ol liThe day after the U.S. presidential election, Fox News reporter Carl Cameron gave an interview with Fox commentator a href=http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Bill_O'Reilly title=reference on Bill O'Reilly target=_selfBill O'Reilly/a. During the interview, Cameron said that McCain's advisors had told him about their unhappiness with a href=http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Sarah_Palin title=reference on Sarah Palin target=_selfSarah Palin/a as a vice-presidential running mate. Citing anonymous sources within the McCain campaign, Cameron recited a litany of complaints, including their claim that Palin was so ignorant she didn't know Africa was a continent./li liA blogger who calls himself a href=http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Martin_Eisenstadt title=reference on Martin Eisenstadt target=_selfMartin Eisenstadt/a a href=http://www.eisenstadtgroup.com/2008/11/10/eisenstadt-the-source-for-sarah-palin-africa-leak-and-proud-of-it/stated a few days ago/a that he was the anonymous source for Cameron's story. Earlier today, however, the iNew York Times/i reported that a href=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/13/arts/television/13hoax.htmlMartin Eisenstadt doesn't exist/a. His blog does, but it's a put-on. The think tank where he is a senior fellow -- the a href=http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Harding_Institute_for_Freedom_and_Democracy title=reference on Harding Institute for Freedom and Democracy target=_selfHarding Institute for Freedom and Democracy/a -- is just a Web site. The TV clips of him on YouTube are fakes. And the claim of credit for the Africa anecdote is just the latest ruse by Eisenstadt, who turns out to be a very elaborate hoax that has been going on for months./li /ol script src=http://admin.brightcove.com/js/experience_util.js type=text/javascript/scriptscript type=text/javascript var config = new Array(); config[videoId] = 1902595866; //the default video loaded into the player config[videoRef] = null; //the default video loaded into the player by ref id specified in console config[lineupId] = null; //the default lineup loaded into the player config[playerTag] = null; //player tag used for identifying this page in brightcove reporting config[autoStart] = false; //tells the player to start playing video on load config[preloadBackColor] = #FFFFFF; //background color while loading the player config[wmode] = transparent; //Share popup windows should overlay player config[width] = 486; config[height] = 412; /* do not edit these config items */ config[playerId] = 1443726225; /scriptp align=center style=margin:10px script type=text/javascript createExperience(config, 8); /script/p br class=clear /pa href=http://www.prwatch.org/node/7961read more/a/p

pa href=http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=General_Motors title=reference on General Motors target=_selfGeneral Motors/a, teetering on the brink of insolvency, has taken the extraordinary step of calling on employees and dealers to personally urge lawmakers to approve another loan package that might keep the beleaguered automaker from going under, reports Wired.com. GM North America president Troy Clarke emailed 29,000 employees, Your elected officials must hear from all of us now on why this support is critical. ... This level of economic devastation far exceeds the $25 billion of government support that our industry needs to bridge this current period. ... Directions and key messages are in the attached document to assist you with the calls. GM's U.S. sales chief, Mark LaNeve, sent a letter to all GM dealers, urging them to take action on the deepest crisis our industry has ever faced, reports a href=http://www.reuters.com/article/privateEquity/idUSN1230853120081112 title=reference on Reuters target=_blankReuters/a. Separately, GM executives also held a broadcast for employees on Wednesday, urging them to contact their representatives and senators in support of any measures to provide immediate liquidity to the U.S. auto industry./p br class=clear /

pIf a href=http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=David_Axelrod title=reference on David Axelrod target=_selfDavid Axelrod/a decides to join the a href=http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Barack_Obama title=reference on Obama target=_selfObama/a White House, he'll ... have to take an enormous pay cut and possibly reveal the extent of his lucrative corporate public relations work, reports Politico. Axelrod co-founded two high-powered Chicago firms: a href=http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=AKP%26D_Message_%26_Media title=reference on AKPamp;D Message amp; Media target=_selfAKPamp;D Message amp; Media/a, which does political consulting, and a href=http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=ASK_Public_Strategies title=reference on ASK Public Strategies target=_selfASK Public Strategies/a, a corporate PR firm. ASK has established a href=http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=front_groups title=reference on front groups target=_selffront groups/a for corporate giants including Madison Square Garden and ComEd to help sway public opinion on controversial initiatives. Axelrod has already taken a leave from ASK, to work on the Obama campaign. If he were to sign on as a special assistant to President Obama, as Axelrod confidants expect, there may be pressure for him to sell his interest in both firms before joining the White House. a href=http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Karl_Rove title=reference on Karl Rove target=_selfKarl Rove/a sold his political consulting firm in 1999, just before going to work for Bush's nascent 2000 presidential campaign. If Axelrod didn't follow suit, The same kinds of questions that were asked about Rove need to be asked about Mr. Axelrod, said a href=http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Republican_National_Committee title=reference on Republican National Committee target=_selfRepublican National Committee/a chair Mike Duncan./p br class=clear /

pspan class=inline leftimg src=http://www.prwatch.org/files/images/glasswater.jpg alt=glass of water title=glass of water class=image img_assist_custom height=200 width=150 //spanBottled water sales in the past have grown mainly from consumers moving to water from soda and other sugary beverages, fueled by rising childhood and adult obesity rates. But ads for bottled water don't push the health angle, because many bottled water companies also sell soda. For example, Aquafina is made by a href=http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=PepsiCo title=reference on PepsiCo target=_selfPepsiCo/a and Dasani by a href=http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Coca-Cola title=reference on Coca-Cola target=_selfCoca-Cola/a. a href=http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Nestle title=reference on Nestle target=_selfNestle/a -- which does not sell soda -- is now seeking to counter concerns that bottled water is a bad choice for the environment by raising concerns about the health impact of soda. Its new antisoda campaign is focused on the Hispanic community because it drinks more bottled water than most other ethnic groups. Nestle's antisoda ads, which appear on U.S. Spanish-language channels like Univision and TeleFutura, promote the company's Pure Life bottled water. The ads feature talk-show host Cristina Saralegui, who says, Drinking water instead of three sugary drinks per week for a year will spare you seven pounds of fat. The Hispanic marketing agency behind the ads, Castells amp; Asociados, says they have been off-the-charts effective. a href=http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Publicis title=reference on Publicis target=_selfPublicis/a' Dallas office is working on an English-language version./p br class=clear /

pAn opinion column by David McKnight, an associate professor at the Journalism and Media Research Centre at the University of New South Wales, argues that a href=http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Rupert_Murdoch title=reference on Rupert Murdoch target=_selfRupert Murdoch/a's critics often make the mistake of caricaturing him as just another businessman, interested more in money than ideology. ... These claims underestimate Murdoch's powerful contribution to the shaping of political ideas in Britain, the U.S. and Australia in the past 25 years. In particular, he points out that Murdoch maintains loss-making newspapers such as the emNew York Post/em and the emLondon Times/em and that ema href=http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=The_Australian title=reference on The Australian target=_selfThe Australian/a/em was subsidized for 20 years. Murdoch's preparedness to take losses year after year testifies to the fact that he often puts ideas and influence before profit, he writes./p br class=clear /

pa href=http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=SourceWatch title=reference on SourceWatch target=_selfSourceWatch/a has earned kudos from the emNew York Times/em: It was among the juicier post-election recriminations: a href=http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Fox_News title=reference on Fox News target=_selfFox News/a Channel quoted an unnamed a href=http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=John_McCain title=reference on McCain target=_selfMcCain/a campaign figure as saying that a href=http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Sarah_Palin title=reference on Sarah Palin target=_selfSarah Palin/a did not know that Africa was a continent. Who would say such a thing? On Monday the answer popped up on a blog and popped out of the mouth of David Shuster, an MSNBC anchor. 'Turns out it was a href=http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Martin_Eisenstadt title=reference on Martin Eisenstadt target=_selfMartin Eisenstadt/a, a McCain policy adviser, who has come forward today to identify himself as the source of the leaks,' Mr. Shuster said. Trouble is, Martin Eisenstadt doesn't exist. His blog does, but it's a put-on. The a href=http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=think_tank title=reference on think tank target=_selfthink tank/a where he is a senior fellow -- the a href=http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Harding_Institute_for_Freedom_and_Democracy title=reference on Harding Institute for Freedom and Democracy target=_selfHarding Institute for Freedom and Democracy/a -- is just a Web site. The TV clips of him on YouTube are fakes. And the claim of credit for the Africa anecdote is just the latest ruse by Eisenstadt, who turns out to be a very elaborate hoax that has been going on for months. a href=http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=MSNBC title=reference on MSNBC target=_selfMSNBC/a, which quickly corrected the mistake, has plenty of company in being taken in by an Eisenstadt hoax, including The New Republic and The Los Angeles Times. ... But the truth was out for all to see long before the big-name take-downs. For months a href=http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=SourceWatch title=reference on SourceWatch target=_selfSourceWatch/a has identified Martin Eisenstadt as a hoax. But the NYT piece also added to general confusion surrounding this issue. Read a href=http://www.prwatch.org/node/7961 title=reference on Sheldon Rampton's blog target=_blankSheldon Rampton's blog/a for that story./p br class=clear /

pspan class=inline rightimg src=http://www.prwatch.org/files/images/audie_murphy.jpg alt=Audie Murphy title=Audie Murphy class=image img_assist_custom width=195 height=279 /span class=caption style=width: 193px;Actor Audie Murphy was the most highly-decorated soldier in World War II, from which he later suffered insomnia, depression, and nightmares. Today some people want to use him as a propaganda symbol in support of current wars./span/spana href=http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Viral_marketing title=reference on Viral emails target=_selfViral emails/a have emerged as a form of stealth propaganda recently, most noticeably in the recent U.S. presidential campaign, when a href=http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Barack_Obama title=reference on Barack Obama target=_selfBarack Obama/a was dogged with false claims that he was a Muslim, that he was refused to salute the American flag, that he was not a U.S. citizen and so forth. The iWashington Post/i reported earlier this year that Danielle Allen, a professor at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey, attempted to trace the chain of one of those emails and found what the iWashington Post/i called a href=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/27/AR2008062703781.html?hpid=topnews title=reference on valuable insight into the way political information circulates, mutates and sometimes devastates in the digital age target=_blankvaluable insight into the way political information circulates, mutates and sometimes devastates in the digital age/a. She noted that the anonymous nature of viral emails, combined with the word-of-mouth way that they spread, makes them hard to counter. This kind of misinformation campaign short-circuits judgment, she said. It also aggressively disregards the fundamental principle of free societies that one be able to debate one's accusers./p pRecently a friend forwarded me a viral email that has apparently been circulating since at least June of this year. I haven't seen it previously, but a Google search turned up several copies on various websites. This particular viral message was unrelated to Obama or the presidential campaign but carries its own load of rhetoric aimed at shaping public opinion. On the principle that these subterranean propaganda campaigns ought to be openly discussed and exposed, I thought I'd respond to this one publicly./p br class=clear /pa href=http://www.prwatch.org/node/7948read more/a/p

pa href=http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Public_relations_firms title=reference on Public relations firms target=_selfPublic relations firms/a across the country predict massive layoffs in the coming months due to recent legislation outlawing the firms' most lucrative practices, according to an article in a spoof edition of the iNew York Times/i, dated July 4, 2009. The real iTimes/i reports, In an elaborate hoax, pranksters distributed thousands of copies ... Wednesday morning at busy subway stations around the city. The lead story of the spoof paper is Iraq War Ends. Other stories detailed similar wonders, including national health care, a rebuilt economy, progressive taxation, [and] a national oil fund to study a href=http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=climate_change title=reference on climate change target=_selfclimate change/a. The spoof special edition iTimes/i is also online, where a href=http://www.nytimes-se.com/2009/07/04/public-relations-industry-forecasts-a-series-of-massive-layoffs/ title=reference on it 'reports' that target=_blankit 'reports' that/a new regulations a href=http://www.prwatch.org/node/3348 title=reference on carefully scrutinize government contracts with for-profit public relations companies target=_selfcarefully scrutinize government contracts with for-profit public relations companies/a. ... The new rules would have forbidden the creation of the a href=http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=National_Smokers_Alliance title=reference on National Smokers Alliance target=_selfNational Smokers Alliance/a, a a href=http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=front_group title=reference on front group target=_selffront group/a formed by a href=http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Philip_Morris title=reference on Philip Morris target=_selfPhilip Morris/a with the help of P.R. giant a href=http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Burson_Marsteller title=reference on Burson Marsteller target=_selfBurson Marsteller/a. The spoof paper has been a href=http://gawker.com/5084164/fake-new-york-times-declares-iraq-war-over-heres-who-did-it title=reference on linked to target=_blanklinked to/a the a href=http://www.theyesmen.org/ title=reference on Yes Men target=_blankYes Men/a, a political satire group that's previously targeted the a href=http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=World_Trade_Organization title=reference on World Trade Organization target=_selfWorld Trade Organization/a and a href=http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Dow_Chemical_Company title=reference on Dow Chemical Company target=_selfDow Chemical Company/a./p br class=clear /

pA coalition of open records, good government and research groups submitted a lengthy to-do list for President-elect a href=http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Barack_Obama title=reference on Barack Obama target=_selfBarack Obama/a and Congress. Their recommendations include overturning the a href=http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=John_David_Ashcroft title=reference on Ashcroft target=_selfAshcroft/a memo, which made it easier for federal agencies to refuse requests under the a href=http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Freedom_of_Information_Act title=reference on Freedom of Information Act target=_selfFreedom of Information Act/a (FOIA); rescinding Executive Order #13233, which limits access to historical presidential records; directing the new Attorney General to advise agencies how to increase the presumption of openness under FOIA; encouraging Congress to establish a criminal penalty for willful concealment or destruction of non-exempt agency records requested under FOIA. The Obama transition website, Change.gov, once contained pages describing how it would use technology to provide more information to the public, reports ProPublica, but the transition team took down the pages to 'retool' them. The a href=http://www.propublica.org/article/obama-details-promises-for-transparency-1107/ title=reference on since-disappeared transparency ideas target=_blanksince-disappeared transparency ideas/a included establishing a public contracts and influence database of federal contractors and their lobbying expenditures, and posting all non-emergency bills on the White House website for five days, before they're signed into law./p br class=clear /