Democracy

Defend the Press and Sarah Olson

We've seen a powerful show of support for our Defend The Press campaign against military intimidation and harassment of journalists including Sarah Olson. In the past 72 hours Defend the Press has been endorsed by a diversity of news media and public interest organizations from Free Press to the Organic Consumers Association, from Mother Jones to Mothering magazines. Some of these organizations have sent emails to their thousands of members urging support for the campaign. Others have posted banners at the top of their websites. The National Press Club issued a news release on behalf of Sarah Olson and other subpoenaed journalists, and endorsed Defend The Press.

Several Measures Opposing Iraq Troop “Surge” Introduced in Congress

In his State of the Union Address Tuesday night, President Bush asked Congress to not condemn his plan to send 21,500 additional U.S. troops to Iraq off the bat, but to "give it a chance" first. In the face of widespread and growing public opposition to both the plan and the war itself, however, many members are voicing their discontent with Bush’s policy, and some are trying to stop it.

UK Gov't Seeks to ID Flack for IDs

Submitted by Bob Burton on

The British government is looking to recruit a senior PR professional to help sell the controversial UK National Identity Cards Scheme. The yet-to-be appointed Director of Marketing and Communications will will help oversee the roll-out of the ID cards, which are scheduled to be introduced in 2009.

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Main Source: 
PR Week (sub req'd), January 17, 2007
Topics: 
Issue Management
Democracy
Human Rights
International
Marketing
Politics
Public Relations

U.S. PR Firms Help Thailand's Deposed Prime Minister

Submitted by Bob Burton on

The public relations company Edelman has confirmed that its Washington and Hong Kong offices are handling media relations for the deposed Prime Minister of Thailand, Thaksin Shinawatra. A September 2006 military coup saw Thaksin, a controversial media mogul and politician, toppled from power while he was in New York.

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Main Source: 
PR Week (sub req'd), January 19, 2007
Topics: 
Crisis Management
Democracy
Human Rights
International
Public Relations
War / Peace

House Democrats Wrap-Up "First 100 Hours" Agenda with Passage of Energy Bill

In only forty-two hours of floor time, the Democratic-led House successfully passed all six of its "first 100 hours" initiatives. The final bill, the CLEAN (Creating Long-Term Energy Alternatives for the Nation) Energy Act of 2007, passed in a 264-163 vote last Friday. If approved by the Senate and signed into law by President Bush, the bill would do the following:

Leaked Documents Spur Investigation into Lilly Drug Marketing

Submitted by Bob Burton on

A U.S. federal court judge has extended an injunction banning groups in the U.S. from adding a weblink to leaked internal documents on Eli Lilly's schizophrenia and bipolar disorder drug, Zyprexa.

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Main Source: 
New York Times, January 20, 2007
Topics: 
Citizen Journalism
Crisis Management
Internet
Democracy
Health
International
Marketing
Pharmaceuticals
Secrecy

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