*Pentagon Propaganda Documents Go Online*

[chill_wind]

But Will the Media Ever Report on Them?
Pentagon Propaganda Documents Go Online
By JOHN STAUBER
May 7

Eight thousand pages of documents related to the Pentagon's illegal propaganda campaign, known as the Pentagon military analyst program, are now online for the world to see, although in a format that makes it impossible to easily search them and therefore difficult to read and dissect. This trove includes the documents pried out of the Pentagon by David Barstow and used as the basis for his stunning investigation that appeared in the New York Times on April 20, 2008.

The Pentagon program, which clearly violated US law against covert government propaganda, embedded more than 75 retired military officers -- most of them with financial ties to war contractors -- into the TV networks as "message surrogates" for the Bush Administration. To date, every major commercial TV network has failed to report this story, covering up their complicity and keeping the existence of this scandal from their audiences.

News of the Pentagon's online posting of the documents came from Joe Trento of the National Security News Service, who notes that NSNS provided the New York Times "limited information about a military office early in the reporting process."
Here is the official Pentagon website with the 8,000 pages of documents, the most interesting and revealing of them previously secret and only available to the Pentagon and the New York Times:

http://www.dod.mil/pubs/foi/milanalysts/

(...)

The Pew Excellence in Journalism project has a chart showing that " there was virtually no mainstream media follow up to The Times’ expose" with the only national TV coverage being the introduction segment and a live debate (featuring me) on the PBS NewsHour.

http://www.counterpunch.org/stauber05072008.html

I can't help observe just how much the Rev Wright media saturation has been so useful----- to so many.

[malaise]

1. Absolutely correct n/t

[chill_wind]

2. Hill Dems want investigation (May 6)

Hill Wants FCC to Investigate DOD 'Experts' Program

New York Times report on Pentagon-connected military analysts prompts call for investigation
By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 5/6/2008 6:17:00 PM

A pair of powerful legislators want to know whether news networks bear any culpability related to a Department of Defense program to recruit ex-military officers to talk up Iraq and other policies on TV, online and elsewhere.

Following a story in the New York Times about the program, House Commerce Committee Chairman John Dingell (D-Mich.) and Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) have asked FCC Chairman Kevin Martin to investigate whether the program may have violated requirements of sponsorship identification.

“While we deem the DoD’s policy unethical and perhaps illegal, we also question whether the analysts and the networks are potentially equally culpable pursuant to the sponsorship identification requirements in the Communications Act of 1934 and the rules of the Federal Communications Commission,” the pair wrote Martin.

“When seemingly objective television commentators are in fact highly motivated to promote the agenda of a government agency, a gross violation of the public trust occurs," they said. "The American people should never be subject to a covert propaganda campaign but rather should be clearly notified of who is sponsoring what they are watching."

The analysts also have ties to lobbying groups that are not disclosed to viewers, the Times story said.
Dingell and DeLauro called for an immediate investigation.

At least one FCC commissioner, Democrat Michael Copps, supports the move.

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6558164.html

[Triana]

3. KICK n/t

[chill_wind]

4. Thank you. I mean it! n/t

[hootinholler]

5. Kicking! This is important. n/t

[annabanana]

6. K, R. & Bookmarked!

(In case anyone ever needs that link)

[chill_wind]

7. John Kerry at Huffpo--- INVESTIGATE. (Co-sign his letter.)

"..Like me, I know you'll be following the election returns today - but it's imperative that we not lose focus on some of the issues in play that may be obscured by the election - and I can tell you that if you're watching the returns on television news, there's one story you're almost guaranteed not to see tonight.

It's now been two weeks since the New York Times published their story on the Pentagon Pundits.

I wanted to call out the cavalry here because we still don't know exactly what was going on and exactly what steps were taken to try to shape the news. You can help make sure we find out.
(...)

full text


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-kerry/investigate-the-pentagon_b_100364.html

Co-sign his letter:

http://www.johnkerry.com/pentagonpundits

[chill_wind]

8. Freepress.net form letter- contact your own Congress member

personalize your message:

Dear (Decision Maker),


The New York Times has exposed a quiet Pentagon campaign to infiltrate the media with pro-war propaganda. According to the newspaper, top officials recruited dozens of "military analysts" to spread favorable views of the war via major news media. Many of these pundits were working from Pentagon scripts while also lobbying for major military contractors looking to cash in on the war.

Sens. John Kerry and Carl Levin and Rep. Peter DeFazio have already responded, calling for an investigation. Please join them and demand a full congressional investigation and hearings to determine any wrongdoing.

This is not a partisan issue. An administration secretly forcing favorable views via the press is a violation of every conceivable standard of journalism -- and possibly of federal law.

The American public has the right to know.

Thank you,

(Your Name)
(Your Address)
(City, State ZIP)

http://www.freepress.net/pentagon_pundits

[OnyxCollie]

9. K&R. nt