Media

Fake "News" About Russian Invasion Sparks Panic

Submitted by Anne Landman on

A pro-government television station in the former Soviet Republic of Georgia broadcast a fake, half-hour news report depicting a Russian military invasion of the country, sending fear and panic throughout Georgian citizens. The station called the broadcast a "simulation" of what a new invasion might look like. In August, 2008 Russian tanks, troops and armored vehicles invaded Georgia after Georgian troops attacked pro-Russian separatists in the breakaway republic of South Ossetia.

No
Main Source: 
CNN.com, March 14, 2010
Topics: 
Media
Propaganda
War / Peace

Fooled You! The Military's Afghanistan PR Fib

Submitted by Anne Landman on

The U.S. media told the public for weeks that a big, offensive battle was taking place in Marja, in Afghanistan, a "city of 80,000 people" in Helmand province which was also the logistical hub of the Taliban. The description gave the impression that the U.S. presence in Marja was a major strategic objective, and that the city was more important than other district centers in the province.

No
Main Source: 
Interpress News Service, March 8, 2010
Topics: 
Afghanistan
Media
Propaganda

Groups Ramp Up Health Care Lobbying, Except AARP

Submitted by Anne Landman on

As President Obama moves ahead with health care reform, interest groups on both sides of the issue are again ramping up their lobbying efforts. Robert Zirkelbach of America's Health Insurance Plans, the insurance industry's top lobbying group, said his industry is making "a big effort" to counteract attacks from Obama and other Democrats, who have pointed to hefty premium increases to show why health care reform is needed.

No
Main Source: 
Washington Post, February 28, 2010
Topics: 
Health
Lobbying
Media

The Right Wing Media's Lie Machine

In a video posted on YouTube on February 3, House Representative Barney Frank (D-Massachusetts) explains how the right wing media machine creates and spreads disinformation in an effort to smear the left. "Disinformation" should not be confused with "misinformation," the unintentional form of wrong information. Disinformation is produced by people who intend to mislead their audience.

Step 1: Fabricate the Lie

Frank tells how John Fund, an editorial writer for the Wall Street Journal, told a lie about him in November of last year: In a speech at a conservative function in Florida called "Restoration Weekend," Fund claimed that, after losing the special election in Massachusetts, Democrats Chuck Schumer and Barney Frank were going to propose a bill to create universal voter registration. Fund further stated that Democrats were going to add all welfare recipients and unemployed people to the voter rolls, and he called it "felon re-enfranchisement." In reality, Frank explains, there was no such bill.

Boehner: "Prolonged Health Bill Debate Hurts the Economy" (Leaves Out GOP's Strategy to Stall it)

Submitted by Anne Landman on

House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) suggested on Fox News that the drawn-out process of passing health reform legislation is hurting the economy.

No
Main Source: 
Washington Independent, February 4, 2010
Topics: 
Right Wing
Media
Politics

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