[eccr] Fwd: How to Bust the Propagandists

>Dear Weekly Spin subscriber,
>
>Never before have PR and propaganda been so pervasive and
>deceptive.  Academics find that 40 percent or more of "the
>news" is PR-driven.  Here at the Center for Media and
>Democracy, we debunk, analyze and expose this steady barrage
>of spin.
>
>A couple of years ago, we started this free Weekly Spin
>listserve to make the information we uncover as accessible
>as possible.  Today, I'm writing to ask what this service
>means to you.
>
>What does it mean to you to know that Lauri Fitz-Pegado,
>the PR executive in charge of the 1990 campaign that sold
>the first Gulf War, is now promoting a book about the
>Jessica Lynch rescue?
>
>What does it mean to you to know that the international
>pharmaceutical industry spends twice what it devotes to
>research on PR and hidden marketing (including forming fake
>patient advocacy groups)?
>
>What does it mean to you to know the details of the Bush
>administration's selling of the Iraq war?  That the
>CIA-funded Iraqi National Congress was a PR creation,
>as were the tightly controlled official statements and
>deceptive claims leading to the war, crafted as part
>of a  million "PR blitz against Saddam Hussein"
>under the White House Office of Global Communications?
>
>What does it mean to you to know that British American
>Tobacco is trying to reinvent itself as a "socially
>responsible company," and Coca-Cola is giving money to
>pediatric dentists and parent/teacher organizations?
>
>What does it mean to you that our books, website, PR Watch
>magazine, and countless interviews, presentations and
>articles constitute the frontline in exposing and debunking
>corporate and government deception?
>
>I hope it means a lot.
>
>If it does, I need you to now support our work by visiting
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>and making a donation of $35, $50, $100, $500 or more.
>
>You could help us celebrate our tenth anniversary by
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>
>Your support will be used well, I promise.  The Center
>for Media and Democracy has been a decade-long labor of
>love on the part of Sheldon Rampton, Laura Miller, former
>staff, volunteers and me.
>
>The non-profit Center for Media and Democracy remains the
>only organization in the world whose unique mission is
>rooting out deceptive and dangerous special interest
>propaganda campaigns.  And now, in our second decade,
>we need to do an even bigger and better job.  We are
>expanding our programs and staff to take our work and
>expertise directly to grassroots groups, activists,
>students and investigative journalists.
>
>I'm proud that we've created and launched the Disinfopedia,
>a unique web-based project to document and track government
>and industry disinformation campaigns. Now if you want to
>know which industry funded groups say climate change is a
>phony scare tactic, or who said there were weapons of mass
>destruction, you can do it in a click.   Check it out and
>contribute your own information at the Disinfopedia site:
>http://www.disinfopedia.org
>
>We will be conducting Disinfopedia training workshops across
>the country next year.  We'll let you know when and where
>they're organized.
>
>I'm proud that high schools and colleges around the country
>finally have an educational video about how propaganda is
>conducted.  This timely classroom presentation, inspired
>by our work and produced by the Media Education Foundation,
>is named after our first book, "Toxic Sludge is Good For You."
>
>I'm also proud that we wrote the very first book exposing
>how the war on Iraq was sold through massive deception,
>lies and media collusion.  A best seller in the U.S. and
>Britain, "Weapons of Mass Deception" is being translated
>into French, Arabic and Italian.  It made the New York Times
>and other bestsellers lists, even though the book and the
>issues it addresses are still largely shut out of the
>mainstream media.
>
>We're already at work on a new book for Summer 2004, titled
>Banana Republicans: How the Right Wing is Turning America
>into a One Party State.  We think it will be essential
>reading to understand what is ­ and what isn't ­ being
>discussed in the upcoming U.S. elections.
>
>But to make all this happen, we need your financial support.
>We can't do without it.
>
>To make an immediate contribution or to become a regular
>Sustaining member with your credit card, please visit now:
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>
>If you prefer to become a a Sustaining Member and donate
>via regular mail, send your name, address and the amount
>can contribute each month to us at <(diane /at/ prwatch.org)>.
>
>You'll notice that we have some premiums to thank you for
>your donation, including signed copies of "Weapons of
>Mass Deception." If you take advantage of this offer now,
>we'll get the book to you in time for the holidays.
>
>Propaganda destroys democracy, and the need to expose
>it has never been greater.  We refuse to accept corporate
>or government grants or advertising, so your contributions
>are especially important to us. We need you! Please donate
>today.
>
>
>John Stauber
>Founder and Executive Director,
>Center for Media and Democracy
>_______________________________________________
>Weekly-Spin mailing list
>(Weekly-Spin /at/ prwatch.org)
>http://two.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/weekly-spin

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Carpentier Nico (Phd)
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