USDA plants its own pro-CAFTA news

[arcos]

USDA plants its own pro-CAFTA news

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has churned out three dozen radio and television news segments since the first of the year that promote a controversial trade agreement with Central America opposed by labor unions, the sugar industry and many members of Congress, including some Republicans.

Amid an intense debate over government-funded efforts to influence news coverage, the pre-packaged reports have been widely distributed to broadcast outlets across the country for easy insertion into newscasts

<snip>

The issue of the government's vast public relations apparatus trying to influence the public is hardly new. The Bush administration has taken that practice to aggressive levels on issues ranging from the war in Iraq to education and trade policy.

The USDA's CAFTA reports were produced while the administration was dealing with the fallout over its practice of paying journalists to tout administration policies. One television commentator, Armstrong Williams, was paid $240,000 to champion the administration's education plans.

<snip>

http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/mld/ledgerenquirer/news/politics/11911830.htm

[RalphReedsWreckedEm]

1. Pure Freakin' Propaganda

Goebbels would be proud. People in Central America do not want this. This is a ploy to exploit poverty-stricken peoples all over Central America. Another cynical attempt by Bush scum to exploit cheap labor in poverty-stricken nations who are suffering because of Republican administrations long since over.

[cthrumatrix]

9. of course it is.... no debate...no educating the people

it's all about the corporations...forget decent paying jobs for people in the US

[LuPeRcALiO]

2. so the U.S. Department of Agriculture

is busy promoting anti-U.S. farm legislation? How Orwellian.

[Roland99]

3. They...just...don't.... freaking....CARE!

Kick.

Them.

OUT!

[Deja Q]

8. Neither does more than half our country's citizens.

They like being kicked, I guess.

[Roland99]

10. USA = United States of Apathetica

[Moderator]

4. kick

[Rainscents]

5. USDA Plants its own Pro-CAFTA News

http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/mld/ledgerenquirer/news/politics/11911830.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp


WASHINGTON - (KRT) - The U.S. Department of Agriculture has churned out three dozen radio and television news segments since the first of the year that promote a controversial trade agreement with Central America opposed by labor unions, the sugar industry and many members of Congress, including some Republicans.

What's next? I wish all midwest farmers see this articles, do you suppose they might get just little upset? :argh:

[fasttense]

6. Our tax dollars at work. n/t

[MH1]

7. Support Lautenberg/Kerry bill S.967

Truth in Broadcasting Act - to mandate labeling of government-produced VNRs so people at least know that it's propaganda. The bill has the following other cosponsors:

Sen Akaka, Daniel K. - 5/12/2005
Sen Boxer, Barbara - 4/28/2005
Sen Clinton, Hillary Rodham - 4/28/2005
Sen Dayton, Mark - 4/28/2005
Sen Dorgan, Byron L. - 4/28/2005
Sen Feingold, Russell D. - 5/10/2005
Sen Kennedy, Edward M. - 4/28/2005

Finance committee hearing was on 5/12/05. I haven't had time to follow-up on it, but as I recall Stevens (committee chairman) was willing to go forward with a weakened version. Haven't seen anything yet though.

Center for Media and Democracy seems to support the bill even though they complained that it only covers government-produced VNRs, and omits the similar problem with corporate-sponsored VNRs.

You can also sign this petition. It doesn't specifically mention S.967 but calls for strengthening rules against this sort of stuff.