Corporations

Spinning Global Capitalism

"[I]n a way the term public relations is misleading, because the vast majority of PR is hidden from the public," David Miller writes in the British magazine Red Pepper. "PR is much more important than just media spin. It is the very lifeblood of the global capitalist system. PR can only flourish as a profession and an industry in a society run on market principles. The further a society moves away from neo-liberal dogma the less role there is for the PR industry and vice versa."

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PR Trade Group Calls To Postpone FCC Ownership Vote

The leading PR trade association, the Public Relations Society of America, is calling on its 20,000 members to organize a "broad grassroots initiative to persuade the Federal Communications Commission to postpone its scheduled June 2 vote on the biennial review of regulations for broadcast ownership." The group, which represents government, corporate, institutional and individual public relations practitioners, says it advocates postponement of the FCC vote "until the Commission proactively encourages full public participation in an open, r

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"Wal-Martizing" the Media

"Critics say the chance of hearing unique and offbeat voices in broadcasting could drop dramatically even as the number of outlets proliferates when the Federal Communications Commission votes on media ownership rules in about a week," reports Reshma Kapadia. "Like the Wal-Mart supercenters that have crowded out the mom-and-pop stores on Main Street and changed the U.S. retail landscape, the five major media owners could tighten their grip on programming, squeezing out local and independent views."

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The Media Monopoly

"A majority of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) intends to
ratify a sweeping plan to weaken or eliminate rules that limit the size
and power of media companies," media watchdog Fairness & Accuracy in Reporting writes. Among other things, the changes would allow a company to own a newspaper and
a TV station in the same market, and would significantly increase the number
of TV stations one company can own. The FCC is scheduled to vote June 2 on the proposal.

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Big Media Have No Incentive Not To Please Party In Power

The proposal to change the FCC's media ownership regulations "may be summarized as a plan to let the bigger fish eat more of the smaller fish," the New York Times Paul Krugman writes. Krugman warns of the danger of quid pro quos between the administration and big media.

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White House Denies Conflict Of Interest

When George W. Bush visited the Santa Clara production facility of United Defense last week, most reports focused on Bush's praise for the company and its products. What wasn't covered was that the maker of the Bradley fighting vehicle and the Hercules tank recovery vehicle is controlled by the Carlyle Group and that George H.W. Bush is a paid adviser to United Defense. The Corporate Crime Reporter writes that the White House denied any impropriety in Bush Jr.'s visit to the plant.

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'Green Industry' Prepares For PR Fight

The trade organization Professional Lawn Care Association of America wants "to create a positive message about the benefits of a well-maintained landscape." Landscape Management, a landscape and lawn care trade publication, writes that PLCAA is sponsoring a meeting next month to address "threatening issues" faced by the "Green Industry. ... These include issues pertaining to pesticide and

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Nature Conservancy Benefits Its Benefactors

In the last of its investigative series the Washington Post reports on how a multi-billion dollar environmental charity takes care of its own. For example, "on New York's Shelter Island, the Nature Conservancy three years ago bought an undeveloped, 10-acre tract overlooking its Mashomack Preserve ... just a stone's skip from the exclusive Hamptons. Cost to the charity: $2.1 million.

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