This was published by MoJo early last month, and there were two topics about it here in GD, as I discovered by googling. But they got a total of 1 reply between them and were apparently overlooked with all the news about Egypt.
So I want to post the article again, for those interested in the Kochs:
http://motherjones.com/environment/2011/02/koch-brothers-media-beck-greenpeaceThe Koch Brothers' Vast Right-Wing Media Conspiracy
Watched any conservative programs lately? Chances are, you've seen an oil-funded pundit.
— By Kate Sheppard
Fri Feb. 4, 2011 4:00 AM PST
Last June, Glenn Beck paused in the middle of a rant about the economy and climate on his television show for an important, if rather unexpected, aside. "I want to thank Charles Koch for this information," he said. Beck's statement was totally without context, thrown in amid jabs at Al Gore and endorsements of the free market. Months later, it came to light that he recently had been a guest of honor at a semiannual confab sponsored by fossil-fuel billionaire Charles Koch and his brother, David, an event the pair hosts to connect conservative think tanks, politicos, and media types like Beck.
-snip-
The Kochs' influence over the conservative media may be obvious at such powwows. But to the general public, it's not always apparent that the pundits they read about in blogs and see on TV have a direct relationship to the company. So says Derek Cressman, regional director of state operations with Common Cause, the group that organized the protests outside the Koch Bros gates. "They don't see that connection between the pundit and the fact that it's funded by an oil company," says Cressman. "The global warming deniers aren't being candid that their funding is coming from people with an enormous financial stake in how we deal with climate change."
Take, for example, Planet Gore, the denialist blog at National Review Online. Planet Gore, along with NRO's main blog, The Corner, regularly features guest posts by representatives of think-tanks and foundations that have benefited from the Koch's largesse. Prime examples include Chris Horner and Ian Murray of the Competitive Enterprise Institute, who have each posted hundreds of items on the site. NRO's blogs regularly promote the institute's work to undermine climate science, such as the lawsuit the group filed against NASA last fall for temperature records. CEI has received more than $700,000 in Koch funds over the years.
-snip-
For the Kochs, the millions of dollars they have invested in think tanks and electoral politics is small change. But the value of having access to media outlets that can promote the work of other projects they fund is hard to put a dollar figure on. "In addition to building their own think tanks, they built their own media," said Kert Davies, research director at Greenpeace. "They have their own echo chamber built up, so then when they need it, when they need to amplify a message, they simply push a button and it's there."
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