Public Relations

Whitewashing Guantanamo in the UK

"The innocence of (Moazzam) Begg, the Tipton Three and the other British detainees who have come home is a part of the story of Guantanamo that no official wants people to hear," writes Victoria Brittain, the co-author with Begg of the book Enemy Combatant.

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Local TV News May Be Hazardous to Your Health

After studying health segments on 122 local television stations, researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and University of Michigan concluded, "Few newscasts provide useful information, and some stories with factually incorrect information and potentially dangerous advice were aired." Yet, "Americans rate television as their primary source of health information." The researchers noted "pervasive health stories" that aired in "more than 10 media markets" sometimes included "identical video," suggesting the use of

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'Brand America,' Now with More Terror

While George W. Bush's domestic poll numbers find a new low, the U.S. image abroad continues to scrape bottom. Addressing the White House's failure to win "hearts and minds," John Brown writes, "Personnel and programs matter in foreign policy, but what counts most is policy itself. ...

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Lincoln Group: The Little Propaganda Shop that Could

The Lincoln Group, whose covert Iraq program was recently OK'd by the Pentagon, "is working to boost economic development in Pakistan." Lincoln is working with former U.S. diplomat Carol Fleming to increase "investments in the country's textile, energy, technology and telecom" industries.

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Anti-Enviro Front Groups Grow on Trees

Paul Thacker reports on "one short-lived 'grassroots' organization" based in Oregon, whose leaders "played a key role in passing President Bush's Healthy Forests legislation and are now promoting changes" to the Endangered Species Act (ESA) that

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On Dubai Ports Deal, It's Clinton vs Clinton

U.S. House Armed Services Committee chair Duncan Hunter will introduce legislation "to prevent foreign companies from controlling facilities determined to be critical to U.S. national security." If passed, the bill would nix the Dubai Ports World deal to manage major U.S. ports.

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Corporations Told Actions More Important than Words

Australian social researcher Hugh Mackay has little time for companies that try to use corporate social responsibility as a PR and marketing tool. "Nothing diminishes virtue like trying to draw other people’s attention to it. You’re a good corporate citizen? Get on with it, then, don’t brag about it," he said in a speech launching a fundraising campaign for a non-profit disability group.

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