Journalism Issues

We will set aside some class time sometime in the next few weeks to
discuss the issue of "sponsored news" -- when the government, or a private
organization, prepares video news releases which appear to be news which
TV stations broadcast. Is this propaganda, or public information? Who is
responsible for alerting to the public when a news report is actually a
paid press release? The TV station which airs it?

Another issue.

-- bill

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Tue, 4 Oct 2005 15:37:26 -0400
From: Rob Williams <rob.williams@madriver.com>
To: ACME List <acmemembers@acmecoalition.org>
Subject: [ACME Member List] BREAKING BULLETIN - TAKE ACTION NOW - Prosecute
White House Propaganda Crimes

Hello ACME colleagues,

We are backing this Free Press initiative as a coalition.

I urge you to sign up as individuals, as well.

Simply click on "demanding a full prosecution," below.

The news belongs to us all,

Go get 'em,

Rob

Begin forwarded message:
>
> Subject: Prosecute White House Propaganda Crimes
> Reply-To: fp@democracyinaction.org
>
> Last week, an official government investigation determined that the
> Bush Administration broke the law when it used taxpayer dollars to
> hire fake journalists like Armstrong Williams to promote its political
> agenda.
>
> It’s not only unethical, it’s also illegal. The only way for justice
> to be served is for you and 50,000 others to add your name to a letter
> I am sending to Congress and the Justice Department demanding
> prosecution. A copy of your letter will be sent to all the leaders of
> the Judiciary and Appropriations Committees.
>
> Please put your name next to mine in demanding a full prosecution.
>
> This White House has a knack for evading prosecution. Our strength is
> in our numbers -- I need you to stand by me and make the charges stick
> against an administration that has set aside more than a quarter
> billion dollars to push covert propaganda on the public. No other
> administration has spent so much to deceive so many.
>
> In a report released on Sept. 30, the Government Accountability Office
> found that the Department of Education illegally used taxpayer dollars
> to fund a covert propaganda campaign, funneling money to Williams to
> tout Bush's education policies in advance of the 2004 elections. The
> investigation also dug up other instances of abuse, including a
> previously undisclosed case in which the Bush administration
> commissioned a newspaper article that praised the White House's role
> in promoting science education. But these abuses may just be the tip
> of the iceberg.
>
> We need the White House to provide a full accounting of the more than
> $250 million in taxpayer funds spent to promote its political agenda.
>
> Tell Congress and Justice to prosecute these crimes to the full extent
> of the law.
>
> The administration's silence on propaganda speaks volumes. Without
> popular dissent, an emboldened White House will continue to throw up
> obstacles to full disclosure. It is now up to the public to pressure
> our government to enforce the law and stop propaganda crimes.
>
> Take action today -- and don't forget to tell your friends.
>
> Onward,
>
> Robert McChesney
> President
> Free Press
> www.freepress.net
>
> P.S. Learn more about stopping news fraud at
> www.freepress.net/propaganda.
>
> You (rob.williams@madriver.com) are receiving this message as a
> subscriber of the Free Press E-Activist list. To discontinue receiving
> messages, please visit www.freepress.net/action/unsub.php.

// posted by newshare @ 8:09 PM