The Weekly Spin, Wednesday, July 14, 2004

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> 14 Jul 2004 05:00:01 -0000 > weekly-spin > The Weekly Spin, Wednesday, July 14, 2004 > weekly-spin-admin > > THE WEEKLY SPIN, Wednesday, July 14, 2004 > --- > sponsored by PR WATCH (www.prwatch.org) > --- > The Weekly Spin features selected news summaries > with links to > further information about current public relations > campaigns. > It is emailed free each Wednesday to rs. > > SHARE US WITH A FRIEND (OR FIFTY FRIENDS) > Who do you know who might want to receive Spin of > the Week? > Help us grow our r list! Just forward this > message to > people you know, encouraging them to sign up at this > link: > > http://www.prwatch.org/cmd/_sotd.html > > --- > THIS WEEK'S NEWS > > 1. Armey's Army Marches for Nader > 2. The Blog Is The Message > 3. Censorious or Sensitive? > 4. Of Foxes and Guerrillas > 5. A Funny Way To Show You Care > 6. Bypassing the Broadcast Media > 7. Ad Infinitum > 8. Oppose the Status Quo, but Don't Change > 9. Deceptive Defectors > 10. Revenge of the Teletubbies > 11. Mega Mediasaurus > 12. The Importance of Timing > 13. How Conspiracy Theories Took Us To War > 14. High-rise Blitz > ---- > > 1. ARMEY'S ARMY MARCHES FOR NADER > http://www.accuracy.org/press_releases/PR071304.htm > " Citizens for a Sound Economy, a national > organization led by > former House Majority Leader Dick Armey (R., > Texas), is widening > its efforts to help presidential candidate Ralph > Nader get on the > ballot in pivotal states. A recent news release > from the > corporate-backed group says it plans to pursue > those efforts 'in > key battleground states like Wisconsin, Florida, > Michigan, > Pennsylvania and elsewhere.' John Stauber, founder > and executive > director of the Center for Media and Democracy, > said today: 'The > Republican machine is mobilizing for Nader. Major > Republican > funders are sending checks to Nader, and a > far-right > industry-funded front group, Citizens for a Sound > Economy, is > organizing to get Ralph on the November ballot in > a number of swing > states. Nader, the sworn enemy of corporate power > and influence, > has become its not-so-secret weapon for the > November election.' " > SOURCE: Institute for Public Accuracy news release, > July 13, 2004 > More web links related to this story are available > at: > > http://www.prwatch.org/spin/July_2004.html#1089691200 > To discuss this story in the PR Watch Forum, visit: > > http://www.prwatch.org/forum/discuss.php?id=1089691200 > > 2. THE BLOG IS THE MESSAGE > http://www.globalprblogweek.com/archives/jay_rosen_pr_needs_t.php > " Public relations should first understand that to > the extent that > its art is a form of 'spin' - whether it's > reasonable spin, > accepted spin, good spin, bad spin, terrible spin > - it is selling a > service for which there is less and less value, > and less mind is > paid to it. Spin was possible in the era of > few-to-many media, and > a small number of gatekeepers who could be spun, " > media critic and > Press Think blogger Jay Rosen tells Micro > Presuasion blogger Steve > Rubel, who also takes part in Global PR Blog Week > 1.0, an online > forum on PR and blogs. With the rise of > participatory journalism, > which has been facilitated by the Internet and > weblogs, Rosen says > journalistic bloggers create a " second wave " > effect that has an > impact on the traditional press. " A little > orchestra of > interpreters instantly comes along and does > something to > journalism, plays back its significance, but first > editing out all > the noise. It's like a reply. Smart journalists > are tuning into > that because its an intelligent use of their work > - and a departure > point, a place where criticism flashes, " Rosen > says. > More web links related to this story are available > at: > > http://www.prwatch.org/spin/July_2004.html#1089673543 > To discuss this story in the PR Watch Forum, visit: > > http://www.prwatch.org/forum/discuss.php?id=1089673543 > > 3. CENSORIOUS OR SENSITIVE? > http://nytimes.com/2004/07/12/nyregion/12billboard.html > Clear Channel Communications refused to display a > peace group's > billboard ad in New York's Times Square during the > Republican > Convention. The ad features a red, white and blue > bomb graphic with > the words " Democracy Is Best Taught by Example, > Not by War. " The > peace group says Clear Channel also rejected their > alternative ad, > in which a dove replaced the bomb graphic. (Clear > Channel says they > found the dove ad acceptable.) A Clear Channel > marketing executive > explained that New Yorkers " are extremely > sensitive to references > to war. " A peace group spokesperson remarked, " I > guess we can have > a war, but we can't talk about it. " > SOURCE: New York Times, July 12, 2004 > More web links related to this story are available > at: > > http://www.prwatch.org/spin/July_2004.html#1089604800 > To discuss this story in the PR Watch Forum, visit: > > http://www.prwatch.org/forum/discuss.php?id=1089604800 > > 4. OF FOXES AND GUERRILLAS > http://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/11/magazine/11FOX.html > Robert Greenwald employs " a 'guerrilla' method of > documentary > filmmaking, creating timely political films on > short schedules and > small budgets and then promoting and selling them > ... through > partnerships with grass-roots political > organizations like > MoveOn.org. " His latest, " Outfoxed: Rupert > Murdoch's War on > Journalism, " includes " interviews with former Fox > employees, leaked > policy memos ... and extensive footage from Fox > News, which > Greenwald is using without the network's > permission. " Greenwald > worked with " a team of media volunteers ... who > monitored Fox News > 24 hours a day for months. " While praising > " Outfoxed, " Don Hazen > asks, " Do we run the danger of making Fox News > appear more powerful > than it is? " In any case, Fox News has gone > ballistic over the > film. If you want to see it, MoveOn is sponsoring > screenings at > theaters and house parties throughout the United > States. > SOURCE: New York Times, July 11, 2004 > More web links related to this story are available > at: > > http://www.prwatch.org/spin/July_2004.html#1089518401 > To discuss this story in the PR Watch Forum, visit: > > http://www.prwatch.org/forum/discuss.php?id=1089518401 > > 5. A FUNNY WAY TO SHOW YOU CARE > http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/nation/9127309.htm > GOP pollster Frank Luntz's advice against 1998 > rookie Senate > candidate John Edwards - " it's almost impossible > to go too far when > it comes to demonizing lawyers " - wasn't > successful, but Luntz > remains influential. Molly Ivins writes that Luntz > is now focusing > on women undecided voters. Noting that many women > feel pressured, > he advises, " It's not about issues, it's about > empathy. They have > to know that you care. " After Bush administration > attacks on family > leave, Head Start, services for domestic violence > survivors, equal > pay and anti-discrimination law enforcement, Ivins > wonders " how > Bush could convince 'the ladies' that he has > helped take stress out > of their lives. " > SOURCE: Philadelphia Inquirer, July 11, 2004 > More web links related to this story are available > at: > > http://www.prwatch.org/spin/July_2004.html#1089518400 > To discuss this story in the PR Watch Forum, visit: > > http://www.prwatch.org/forum/discuss.php?id=1089518400 > > 6. BYPASSING THE BROADCAST MEDIA > http://www.cyberjournalist.net/news/001466.php > " In the strongest evidence to date that Americans > are routinely > using the Internet to bypass traditional media, a > new report finds > that about one quarter of Net users say they go > online to find news > coverage and images they can't get from the > mainstream media. Net > users say they have sought out graphic Iraq war > images in > particular. " > More web links related to this story are available > at: > > http://www.prwatch.org/spin/July_2004.html#1089446477 > To discuss this story in the PR Watch Forum, visit: > > http://www.prwatch.org/forum/discuss.php?id=1089446477 > > 7. AD INFINITUM > http://livingroomcandidate.movingimage.us/election/index.php?nav_action=election\ & nav_subaction=overview & campaign_id=174 > If you're interested in reliving the TV > advertisements from > previous presidential elections, the American > Museum of the Moving > Image has put together an archive featuring every > ad from every > election since TV first infected politics in 1952. > Our favorite is > " Failure, " a 1968 ad by candidate Richard Nixon. > Campaigning > against the Democrats for leading America into > Vietnam, the Nixon > ad asks, " How can a party that lets the country > get bogged down in > an endless war against a fourth rate military > power promise > anything but decades of conflict? " Pretty good > question, huh? > More web links related to this story are available > at: > > http://www.prwatch.org/spin/July_2004.html#1089445158 > To discuss this story in the PR Watch Forum, visit: > > http://www.prwatch.org/forum/discuss.php?id=1089445158 > > 8. OPPOSE THE STATUS QUO, BUT DON'T CHANGE > http://news.findlaw.com/news/s/20040709/madcowfdadc.html > The Food and Drug Administration " banned brains > and other cattle > parts that could carry mad cow disease from use in > cosmetics and > dietary supplements, but delayed some similar > safeguards in animal > feed for up to two years. " In January, Health and > Human Services > Secretary Tommy Thompson proposed an " interim > final rule " (first > discussed in 2002) to strengthen animal feed > regulations. " We must > never be satisfied with the status quo, " he said. > But new feed > regulations have now been downgraded to an > " advance notice of > proposed rulemaking, " which delays possible > implementation. Today, > Thompson explained, " We cannot be content with the > status quo. " > SOURCE: Reuters, July 9, 2004 > More web links related to this story are available > at: > > http://www.prwatch.org/spin/July_2004.html#1089345601 > To discuss this story in the PR Watch Forum, visit: > > http://www.prwatch.org/forum/discuss.php?id=1089345601 > > 9. DECEPTIVE DEFECTORS > http://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/09/politics/09defe.html > Iraqi defectors who stepped forward with stories > about Saddam > Hussein's weapons of mass destruction were coached > by senior > figures in Ahmed Chalabi's Iraqi National > Congress, according to a > former INC field leader. To back up his claim, > Muhammad al-Zubaidi > has provided provided his handwritten diaries from > 2001 and 2002, > and his existing reports on the statements > originally made by the > defectors. " According to the documents, " writes > Jim Dwyer, " the > defectors, while speaking with precision about > aspects of Iraqi > military facilities like its stock of missiles, > did not initially > make some of the most provocative claims about > weapons production > or that an Iraqi official had met with Mr. bin > Laden. " According to > Zubaidi, " They intentionally exaggerated all the > information so > they would drag the United States into war. ... I > don't want to > criticize U.S. agencies, but it's strange that the > U.S. with all > its powerful agencies, the C.I.A., could not > manage to know the > truth from the lies in these people. " > SOURCE: New York Times, July 9, 2004 > More web links related to this story are available > at: > > http://www.prwatch.org/spin/July_2004.html#1089345600 > To discuss this story in the PR Watch Forum, visit: > > http://www.prwatch.org/forum/discuss.php?id=1089345600 > > 10. REVENGE OF THE TELETUBBIES > http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0708/p11s01-wmgn.html > " When a beautiful girl walks up to you, and she's > wearing the TV > commercial on her chest, you just can't get away > from it, " enthused > Adam Hollander, head of The Brand Marketers and > creator of T-Shirt > TV. The shirts contain speakers and 11-inch TV > screens, which can > show video ads, flash animation or slides. T-Shirt > TVs worn by > " aggressively friendly " young women will be part > of a 10 city > marketing campaign for the movie " I, Robot. " > Advertising executive > David Helm commented, " Advertising is obnoxious so > that it gets > attention. And then that doesn't work anymore, so > it gets more > obnoxious. " > SOURCE: Christian Science Monitor, July 8, 2004 > More web links related to this story are available > at: > > http://www.prwatch.org/spin/July_2004.html#1089259200 > To discuss this story in the PR Watch Forum, visit: > > http://www.prwatch.org/forum/discuss.php?id=1089259200 > > 11. MEGA MEDIASAURUS > http://www.metropulse.com/dir_zine/dir_2004/1428/t_cover.html > Conservatives and liberals alike are concerned by > growing media > consolidation, notes Jack Bradigan Spula, but he > warns that " this > outrage is being channeled into a national debate > about > 'indecency,' 'values' and moral policing. " The > Federal > Communications Commission, headed by Michael > Powell, recently > announced large fines for broadcasters whose > programming is deemed > indecent. The problem is that the large fines will > still be just a > drop in the bucket for large networks but " will > burden small > independents disproportionately - and thus tilt > the playing field > even more to mega-corporate advantage. " Monty > Pythonite Eric Idle > has commented on the trend with a song dedicated > to the FCC. > (Warning: It contains profanity. Idle says that at > $5,000 per > F-word, his song will cost half a million in fines > to any station > that broadcasts it.) > SOURCE: Metro Pulse (Knoxville, TN), July 7, 2004 > More web links related to this story are available > at: > > http://www.prwatch.org/spin/July_2004.html#1089172801 > To discuss this story in the PR Watch Forum, visit: > > http://www.prwatch.org/forum/discuss.php?id=1089172801 > > 12. THE IMPORTANCE OF TIMING > http://www.tnr.com/doc.mhtml?i=20040719 & s=aaj071904 > Wondering why the Bush administration only > " significantly increased > its pressure on Pakistan to kill or capture Osama > bin Laden, his > deputy, Ayman Al Zawahiri, or the Taliban's Mullah > Mohammed Omar " > this spring, The New Republic interviewed > Pakistani security > officials. One member of Pakistan's powerful > Inter-Services > Intelligence said, " The Pakistani government ... > wants to flush out > bin Laden and his associates after the latest > pressures from the > U.S. administration to deliver before the U.S. > elections. " Another > ISI official claimed that a White House aide told > ISI's director, > " It would be best if the arrest or killing of > [High Value Targets] > were announced on 26, 27 or 28 July " - during the > Democratic > National Convention. > SOURCE: The New Republic, July 7, 2004 > More web links related to this story are available > at: > > http://www.prwatch.org/spin/July_2004.html#1089172800 > To discuss this story in the PR Watch Forum, visit: > > http://www.prwatch.org/forum/discuss.php?id=1089172800 > > 13. HOW CONSPIRACY THEORIES TOOK US TO WAR > http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,2763,1254072,00.html > Peter Bergen, a professor of international studies > and author of a > recent book about Osama Bin Laden, takes a look at > Laurie Mylroie > of the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), whose > theory that Iraq > was behind Al Qaeda exerted strong influence on > the Bush > administration's decision for war. " She is a > conspiracy theorist > whose political conceits have consistently been > proved wrong, " > Bergen says. " So why were Bush and his aides so > keen to swallow > Laurie Mylroie's theories on Saddam and > terrorism? " Juan Cole, a > professor of Middle East studies, says part of the > answer lies in > the role that think tanks like AEI play in pushing > ideas forward: > " In the academic world, " Cole observes, " we don't > get to publish > our books at academic presses without peer review. > When Princeton > University Press considered my book, written out > of the Egyptian > National Archives, on the 19th century Urabi > Revolt, the editor > sent the manuscript to eminent experts in 19th > century Egyptian > history. Now, I lived in the Arab world for 6 > years, have a degree > in Arabic studies from Cairo, and had a Fulbright > grant for my > research. I spent a year working almost daily in > the archives in > Cairo. I had an academic position in a major > department at a major > university. But Princeton University Press did not > trust me. They > still had the book refereed. In contrast, the > American Enterprise > Institute publishes anything Mylroie hands into > them, no matter how > fantastic. She does not speak Arabic, has never > been in any Iraqi > archive, and has no standing in the Middle East > field. Her books > don't have to be refereed, apparently. ... And > then the mere fact > of the book's existence can become a > reference-point in political > debate. ... I guess if you have the backing of > enough incredibly > rich people, you can get away with almost > anything. " > SOURCE: Guardian (UK), July 5, 2004 > More web links related to this story are available > at: > > http://www.prwatch.org/spin/July_2004.html#1089000001 > To discuss this story in the PR Watch Forum, visit: > > http://www.prwatch.org/forum/discuss.php?id=1089000001 > > 14. HIGH-RISE BLITZ > http://www.sfexaminer.com/article/index.cfm/i/070504n_condos > Ed McGovern, a Democratic political consultant in > the San Francisco > Bay area, is helping local developer > Glenborough-Pauls as the > company fights environmentalists opposed to a > controversial > condominium project. The PR campaign, calling > itself the " Know All > the Facts Coalition, " is using print advertising > and bringing > together union representatives, elected officials > and government > employees in an effort to stymie a petition drive > that seeks to > halt the project. > SOURCE: San Francisco Examiner, July 5, 2004 > To discuss this story in the PR Watch Forum, visit: > > http://www.prwatch.org/forum/discuss.php?id=1089000000 > > > ---- > > The Weekly Spin is compiled by staff and volunteers > at PR Watch. > To or unsubcribe, visit: > http://www.prwatch.org/cmd/_sotd.html > > Daily updates and news from past weeks can be found > at the > Spin of the Day " section of the PR Watch website: > http://www.prwatch.org/spin/index.html > > Archives of our quarterly publication, PR Watch, are > at: > http://www.prwatch.org/prwissues > > PR Watch, Spin of the Day and the Weekly Spin are > projects > of the Center for Media & Democracy, a nonprofit > organization > that offers investigative reporting on the public > relations > industry. We help the public recognize manipulative > and > misleading PR practices by exposing the activities > of > secretive, little-known propaganda-for-hire firms > that > work to control political debates and public > opinion. > Please send any questions or suggestions about our > publications to: > editor > > Contributions to the Center for Media & Democracy > are tax-deductible. Send checks to: > CMD > 520 University Ave. #310 > Madison, WI 53703 > > To donate now online, visit: > https://www.egrants.org/donate/index.cfm?ID=2344-0|1118-0 > _____________ > Weekly-Spin mailing list > Weekly-Spin > http://two.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/weekly-spin >

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July 14, 2004 in Ayurveda, Health and Wellbeing

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