Where Celebrity- and Reality TV-Driven News Have Taken Us — and How to Change Course

By Nicco Mele / Neiman Reports Nov 16, 2016 To get beyond celebrity- and pundit-driven news, newsrooms need to become civic reactors—hubs of community information and activity. Dig deeper ( 4 Min. Read )

Nestle’s Self-Policing Policy Against Slave Labor Smells Like a PR Campaign

Donald Kaufman / Truthdig Feb 4, 2016 The food giant's unsuccessful effort to beat back a lawsuit may have been part of an effort to avoid fully facing up to ties to child slavery, critics suggest. Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

The Paris Attacks Are Being Used to Justify Agendas They Have Nothing to Do With

Alexander Reed Kelly / Truthdig Nov 20, 2015 The aftermath of the Paris terrorist attacks has “devolved into a dark and dishonest debate” in which governments consider banning encryption and barring Syrian refugees from entering their countries. But the attackers were neither Syrian nor refugees and there’s no evidence they used encryption to communicate. Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

Saudi Arabia Continues Hiring Spree of U.S. Lobbyists and Public Relations Experts

Alexander Reed Kelly / Truthdig Oct 5, 2015 Foreign lobbying disclosure documents reveal that the government of Saudi Arabia, known for its grotesque human rights abuses, is aggressively seeking to expand its influence in Washington, D.C. Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

A Pollster Strategy Sheet Is Helping Israelis Hide Facts, Writer Argues

Alexander Reed Kelly / Truthdig Jul 29, 2014 Israeli spokesmen are working from a secret PR playbook to "influence the media and public opinion" on their bloody military campaign on the Gaza Strip, Middle East correspondent Patrick Cockburn contends at The Independent. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

How the U.S. Government Shills for Monsanto

Tracy Bloom / Truthdig May 16, 2013 Thanks in part to WikiLeaks, we now know that the State Department is acting like a global sales agent for biotech behemoths such as Monsanto. Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

The Natural Gas Bubble

By Thomas Hedges, Center for Study of Responsive Law Jan 5, 2013 The natural gas industry is waging an aggressive public relations campaign to bolster investor confidence, despite evidence showing that shale gas is an unreliable resource and that the production process releases large amounts of methane into the atmosphere. The natural gas industry is waging an aggressive PR campaign to bolster investor confidence, despite evidence that the production process releases large amounts of methane into the atmosphere. Dig deeper ( 5 Min. Read )

A Tale of Two Hospitals: Kuwait 1991, Bahrain 2011

Barry Lando / Truthdig Apr 25, 2011 Scene: The Human Rights Caucus of the U.S. Congress hears the testimony of a 15-year-old girl, introduced by only her first name, Nayira, in order, the audience is told, to protect the safety of her family. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

Wendell Potter on ‘Deadly Spin’

Staff / Truthdig Dec 1, 2010 The health industry spinmaster-turned-whistle-blower says the consumer is funding the industry's smear campaigns: "A big portion of what we spend or pay in premiums is skimmed off to operate and conduct these fear-mongering and anger-mongering campaigns." Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Israel on a PR Campaign

Staff / Truthdig Nov 29, 2010 Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman is on a kick to improve his country’s standing in Europe. His strategy? Develop a cadre of “allies” abroad who will serve as walking PR agents for Israeli policy. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Now Hear This: U.S. Aids Pakistan

Staff / Truthdig Aug 15, 2010 The US is providing the largest humanitarian response of any country to the devastating flooding in Pakistan, but its goodwill isn't altogether altruistic Part of the motivation is to clean up the American image in a country where 68 percent of the people have a negative view of the U . Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

BP Readies the Final ‘Kill’

Staff / Truthdig Aug 6, 2010 Someone should tell BP that the whole kill-speak approach does not bode well when you're actually killing wildlife and industry in the Gulf. But nonetheless, BP says the mud and cement pumped into the blown-out oil well, termed a “static kill,” are holding and that it is preparing to seal the deal with a “bottom kill” later this month. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )