Thursday, June 29, 2006
Activism and PR theatrics
There’s a great piece of undercover journalism in the new Overland, covering what is (rather obliquely, IMO) called “astroturfing”. Meaning, the science and ideology of PR companies creating fake “grass roots” groups.
It’s well worth reading in full, including for several jaw-dropping quotes. My only criticism is that author Katherine Wilson (a former Overland co-editor), is needlessly coy about how she got her story. Google fills in some of it, anyway: Wilson, aka weathergirl, has previously worked in PR.
Also falling into “dodgy theatrics” would have to be this upcoming radical Muslim conference. Dare I suggest that this event has long since been pre-carpeted with spies – unless, that is, ASIO relies on the Oz to alert them about such occasions.
There’s a great piece of undercover journalism in the new Overland, covering what is (rather obliquely, IMO) called “astroturfing”. Meaning, the science and ideology of PR companies creating fake “grass roots” groups.
It’s well worth reading in full, including for several jaw-dropping quotes. My only criticism is that author Katherine Wilson (a former Overland co-editor), is needlessly coy about how she got her story. Google fills in some of it, anyway: Wilson, aka weathergirl, has previously worked in PR.
Also falling into “dodgy theatrics” would have to be this upcoming radical Muslim conference. Dare I suggest that this event has long since been pre-carpeted with spies – unless, that is, ASIO relies on the Oz to alert them about such occasions.
