Casting a Wide Net
Submitted by Diane Farsetta on
Doug Ireland notes that, due to a legal decision, the Federal Election Commission is beginning to extend the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 to the Internet.
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U.S. Government
Terrorist or Activist?
Submitted by Diane Farsetta on
"Under the draconian conditions of the USA Patriot Act," reports the Guardian, "the FBI can use covert surveillance of 'terrorists' without the necessity of getting a judicial warrant." Last year, the FBI identified "animal rights extremists and eco-terrorism" as "a domestic terrorism investigative priority," concerning even mainstream environmental groups.
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Hiring Real Reporters for Fake News
Submitted by Diane Farsetta on
"The Department of Homeland Security has tapped Ogilvy PR to provide real journalists for its biennial mock terrorist exercise," reports PR Week. (An earlier Spin noted the TOPOFF 3 exercise.) Ogilvy "will pick six journalists to cover the simulated attack," for what DHS is calling the Virtual News Network.
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Trying to Spin Themselves Out of a Job?
Submitted by Diane Farsetta on
More than 4,000 pages of "documents relating to the communications strategy of the Social Security Administration," reveal that the SSA "has markedly changed its communications to the public over the last four years," reports the Democratic staff of the U.S. House Committee on Government Reform.
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Your Tax Dollars at Work
Submitted by Diane Farsetta on
Along with doubling spending on external PR contracts, the Bush administration has increased PR positions inside government agencies, called public affairs. Public affairs staffs grew by 9 percent since 2000, "even faster than the federal work force," for a cost increase of more than $50 million.
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Promoting Instability?
Submitted by Diane Farsetta on
Noting that the U.S.
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Faux Reporting for the Homeland
Submitted by Diane Farsetta on
The U.S.
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Take the Drug Money and Run
Submitted by Diane Farsetta on
Two former Ogilvy & Mather marketing executives were found guilty of conspiracy and false claims, for inflating labor costs on a government account with the U.S. Office of National Drug Control Policy. The decision is "certain to prompt more questions among marketers about just how their ad agencies come up with prices and fees," wrote the Wall Street Journal.
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Seeking Disclosure
Submitted by Diane Farsetta on
Comptroller general and Government Accountability Office chief David Walker warned federal agencies that, while they "have the right to disseminate information about their policies and activities, agencies may not use appropriated [public] funds to produce or distribute prepackaged news stories intended to be viewed by television audiences that conceal or do not clearly identify ...
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Potemkin Town Hall Meetings
Submitted by Laura Miller on
George W. Bush has been traveling throughout the United States to promote his plan to privatize Social Security. Recent "Team Bush" events have been called "conversations," "forums" and "town hall meetings." But these gatherings are hardly public and far from spontanious.
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