Wal-Mart using RW bloggers for propaganda

Brian Pickrell, a blogger, recently posted a note on his Web site attacking state legislation that would force Wal-Mart Stores to spend more on employee health insurance. "All across the country, newspaper editorial boards — no great friends of business — are ripping the bills," he wrote. It was the kind of pro-Wal-Mart comment the giant retailer might write itself. And, in fact, it did.

Several sentences in Mr. Pickrell's Jan. 20 posting — and others from different days — are identical to those written by an employee at one of Wal-Mart's public relations firms and distributed by e-mail to bloggers.

SNIP

The author of the e-mail messages is a blogger named Marshall Manson, a senior account supervisor at Edelman who writes for conservative Web sites like Human Events Online, which advocates limited government, and Confirm Them, which has pushed for the confirmation of President Bush's judicial nominees.

In interviews, bloggers said Mr. Manson contacted them after they wrote postings that either endorsed the retailer or challenged its critics.



SNIP

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/07/technology/07blog.html

That's Asda price. (Pats back pocket full of RW bloggers.)*

(Asda is Wal-Mart's UK company. This reference to their ads will probably only be understood by Brits.)

It's called "astroturfing" (as opposed to true grassroots on-line organizing). See,

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/2/28/112052/928
A Job You Might Not Want to Apply For, Unless You're Jack Abramoff
by leveymg
Tue Feb 28, 2006 at 09:20:52 AM PDT

Like many of us here at DKos, I'm looking for a way to make my basic on-line posting Jones pay the bills. So, it was with some interest that I first spotted this Help Wanted ad at Craig's List:

Advocacy Coordinators

Exciting start-up, grassroots firm currently has openings for Advocacy Coordinators working in house or from home. In this position you will be working with a team of dedicated professionals doing issue-based advocacy work; educating, organizing and mobilizing grassroots advocates by phone and e-mail. Ideal candidates will be highly motivated, politically minded individuals with outstanding communication skills, both written and verbal, who thrive in a campaign style work environment. A strong interest in and working knowledge of politics and public affairs are essential. Campaign experience strongly preferred.

This is an outstanding opportunity to work on high profile issues and gain valuable grassroots experience!

MORE Below . . .

####

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/2/18/172127/546
The Bulldog Meets Rev. Moon: GOP Bloggers Get Paid For It
by leveymg
Sat Feb 18, 2006 at 03:21:27 PM PDT

There's an interesting string over at DU about a GOP Swiftboating campaign against Russell Tice, a source in Jim Risen's New York Times expose of the NSA domestic wiretapping scandal. http://www.democraticunderground.com/...

The ERW Internet attack on Tice is part of what appears to be a big corporate sponsored Right-Wing media operation that spans four countries, more than 90 websites, an on-campus organizing operation, a financial services company, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, a PR group, and one very busy financial huckster in Reno, Nevada touting a new-media business model dot-com that shares out advertising revenues from corporate giants Ameritrade, SBC Corp, and Circuit City with conservative pundits and website operators -- which he calls "beta testers" -- across the United States and Canada.

This is Reverend Moon meets the Bulldog, only there's no "church" or naked Marine that's been spotted, yet.

MORE Below . . .

Wal-Mart is using the Bush approach, offering access to friendlies while totally cutting off anyone who is objective or anti. It's legal, but it always backfires. Because one day you need the REAL press, and they tell you to go fuck yourself.

to the public?

No regulation. This is like the GOP having weekly meetings with right wing talk show hosts; it's evil and deceptive, but unlike radio, internet users tend to get both sides. Even a lot of conservative bloggers will find this offensive and talk about it.

wouldn't it?

Even public figures have the right to their own opinion. I've seen Wal-Mart do stuff like this before. It never works.

60 minutes and their day is done!

Ironic that they have the gall to accuse Liberals of being lazy.

:kick: