Report: PR spending doubled under Bush

[Beaverhausen]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=676&e=5&u=/usatoday/reportprspendingdoubledunderbush

Report: PR spending doubled under Bush

Thu Jan 27, 8:26 AM ET Top Stories - USATODAY.com

By Jim Drinkard, USA TODAY

The Bush administration has more than doubled its spending on outside contracts with public relations firms during the past four years, according to an analysis of federal procurement data by congressional Democrats.


The administration spent at least $88 million in fiscal 2004 on contracts with major public relations firms, the analysis found, compared with $37 million in 2001, Bush's first year in office. In all, the administration spent $250 million on public relations contracts during its first term, compared with $128 million spent for President Clinton (news - web sites) between 1997 and 2000. The analysis did not examine what the Clinton administration spent during its first term.

The top-spending agency during the past four years, at $94 million, was the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The biggest federal public relations contractor in that period was Ketchum, with $97 million.

"While not all public relations spending is illegal or inappropriate, this rapid rise in public relations contracts at a time of growing budget deficits raises questions about the priorities of the administration," said the report by the Democratic staff of the House Government Reform Committee (news - web sites).

more at the link

[central scrutinizer]

1. and that doesn't count all of the free PR they

get from Fox, MSNBC, CNN, Heritage Foundation, Cato Institute. I thought their policies had to stand on their own two feet.

[goodboy]

10. or the payola of fascists like williams, gallagher and God knows who else

[robbedvoter]

12. How much was that for example:

The Post: You used partial privatization yourself last year, sir.
THE PRESIDENT: Yes?
The Post: Yes, three times in one sentence. We had to figure this out, because we're in an argument with the RNC about how we should actually word this.

[yardwork]

17. I'm not sure all that "news" publicity is actually free!

I wonder what kinds of "grants" Fox, Heritage Foundation, Cato Institute are getting....

Faith-based initiatives, too. Hundreds of millions of dollars worth.

[whistle]

2. So many faith based initiatives, so little time

[Triana]

3. The Ministry of Propoganda...

..busy place.

[jackster]

4. boy this is a surprise - NOT!

if this is not proof that these people are on the wrong side of everything, then what else do you want?

They need someone to HELP them convince the people for god's sake.

[dw]

5. Yes, and look at all the good it did...

[DulceDecorum]

6. Hence all the trolls

and paid disinfo artists hanging around here and other message boards.

[enki23]

7. funny. last i saw it was up 800% from 2000

.

[Botany]

8. From an earlier thread

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A39872-20...

For all those who think the media is paid for ..........


"Separately, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and nine colleagues released a report showing that the Bush administration spent more than $88 million last year on contracts with public relations firms, an increase of 128 percent over the last year of the Clinton administration. Medicare and Medicaid officials have spent the most on outside publicity firms over the past four years, the report said."

I know that "they" use Hill & Knowlton and Creative Response Concepts to plant stories and to get back door access to the media ..... But I have 2 questions.

1. Who else is on the payroll?
2. How do "they" control so much of the MSM message. i.e. Just about a blackout on
election fraud despite tons of evidence.


:bounce:

[yardwork]

18. Note that Medicare got the most - no surprise

The pr campaign to force approval of that drug program in Medicare was huge.

[Just Me]

9. Be sure to distinguish "education" PR from manipulative propaganda.

There is a HUGE distinction between the two and I am certain that the vast majority of the neoCONimperialists spending has been for manipulative (deceptive) propaganda!!!

[old blue]

11. Hasn't pretty much *all* spending at least doubled under Bush?

That is, except for spending on education, the arts, social programs and scientific research.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

13. How much of that went to the Swift Boat Liars?

[struggle4progress]

14. kick

[Just Me]

15. We had better confront the "PR" frame. IT IS PROPAGANDA PEOPLE!!!

It's one thing to spend money on "educating" our people.

It is an entirely different matter to attempt to freakin' BRAINWASH our people into doing what they would not otherwise do having ALL the facts.

This psy-ops campaign that benefits the corporatists and kills "the people" MUST END!!!

[Politicub]

16. $88 million will buy a LOT of PR

One could have several agencies and many people pitching spin for that much money. I would like to see the average company PR agency spend. I bet Bush's PR spending dwarfs it.

[DrBloodmoney]

19. We have to keep the sheep...

...quiet and complacent.

Nothing to be alarmed about folks... everything we're doing is for you liberty and freedom...

[darkism]

20. That's a lot of columnists n/t