Problems in Paradise? Check it out. See you on Thur. Clark
EU attack on press club rebuffed
The Japan Newspaper Publishers & Editors Association on Wednesday rebuffed the European Union's calls for the abolition of the press club system, claiming it plays an important role in disseminating news among the public.
"Each country has different systems and rules for covering news based on each country's historical background," the association said in a statement.
The association said the EU's proposals were "based on misunderstanding, biases and misperception of facts."
It added, however, that it would strive to make the press clubs more open to all reporters.
In October 2002 and again this year, the EU lambasted the "kisha club" system for restricting access to official news conferences to reporters from mostly mainstream domestic media organizations.
This practice leaves foreign reporters and freelance journalists at a disadvantage when covering national and local government offices, as well as police headquarters, the EU said.
As part of a drive to promote regulatory reform in Japan, the EU called on Tokyo to grant foreign news media better access to information at government offices.
The Japanese association claimed, however, that on the basis of discussions held by a subcommittee set up in November 2002 in response to the EU claims, the system is an important means of pressing reluctant public officials to disclose information.
It also said the system allows the media to obtain vital public information, such as information about natural disasters, quickly and accurately.
The Japan Times: Dec. 11, 2003
Wednesday, December 10, 2003
Monday, December 08, 2003
Sunday, December 07, 2003
Take a look at the notice below. These guys are really doing a good job. They produce a weekly e- newsletter called spin which is very good:
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?
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
John Stauber
Founder and Executive Director,
Center for Media and Democracy
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?
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
John Stauber
Founder and Executive Director,
Center for Media and Democracy
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