FOREST SERVICE TO HIRE “PR” FIRMS TO REPLACE SPOKESPEOPLE

[housewolf]

For Immediate Release: May 5, 2005
Contact: Chas Offutt [phone]

FOREST SERVICE TO HIRE “PR” FIRMS TO REPLACE SPOKESPEOPLE — Outsourcing Public Information Is First Step in Renewed Drive

Washington, DC — The U.S. Forest Service announced that it is weighing replacement of 100 of its public information staff with private public relations firms, ... The move is motivated by pressure from the Bush White House to put more federal jobs out to bid by private contractors in order to “increase the cost-effectiveness of Forest Service work.”

According to agency memos, 100 of the agency’s 700 public affairs officers, public affairs specialists, writers, editors, graphic artists, illustrators and audio visual specialists will be reviewed by June 30 to determine whether the positions would be subject to bid by private firms. The agency plans to make decisions this fall and contractors could be in place by January. Hundreds of other positions throughout the agency may be subject to similar bidding in 2006.

<snip>

“Wag the Dog is coming to a national forest near you,” stated PEER Executive Director Jeff Ruch, referring to the movie about government use of PR firms to manipulate public perception of events. “Civil servants are under a legal obligation to tell the public the truth while PR firms specialize in shading it. Outsourcing the public information function risks putting a premium on spin at the expense of candor.”

<snip?

In 2004, the Forest Service spent $113,000 for a public relations firm to design a campaign to gain public acceptance of the agency plan to increase logging in California’s Sierra Nevadas.

<snip>

http://www.peer.org/news/news_id.php?row_id=522

[rodeodance]

1. oh my god!!

. .....“Civil servants are under a legal obligation to tell the public the truth while PR firms specialize in shading it. Outsourcing the public information function risks putting a premium on spin at the expense of candor.”

[Gyre]

2. "freedom (from truth) is breaking out all over".

Hippies should be taking weapons training.

Gyre

[Erika]

3. Another fascist action by this corrupt administration

and also a redistribution of our taxes to corporate friends.

Control the message is their theme.

[Kolesar]

4. Grrrr ... eom

[tom_paine]

5. More of the Sovietification of Imperial Amerika

:puke:

However, it IS consistent with the National Characetr of Imperial Amerikas, so weak and easily lied to, why not?

[struggle4progress]

6. kick