Difference between revisions of "Statistical Assessment Service"
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| − | The '''Statistical Assessment Service''' (STATS) is a stealth PR operation of the [[Center for Media and Public Affairs]] (CMPA). | + | The '''Statistical Assessment Service''' (STATS) touts itself as a "non-profit, non-partisan organization" but is a stealth PR operation of the [[Center for Media and Public Affairs]] (CMPA). STATS is a [[501(c)3]] non-profit organisation but its 2006 annual return to the Internal Revenue Service states that "salary costs for the organization are shared with the [[Center for Media and Public Affairs]]. CMPA ... reports the salary costs and files payroll reports under its tax identification number. DCFC is a related organization."<ref>Statistical Assessment Service, [http://www.guidestar.org/FinDocuments/2006/521/844/2006-521844456-02d22851-9.pdf 2006 Annual Return], page 15.</ref> The report also states that the relationship between STATS and CMPA is one of "common control". <ref>Statistical Assessment Service, [http://www.guidestar.org/FinDocuments/2006/521/844/2006-521844456-02d22851-9.pdf 2006 Annual Return], page 18.</ref> Since STATS shares the offices (in the pricey "K Street" lobbying district of Washington) and staff of CMPA, it should be considered as a front, rather than a subsidiary or spin-off. |
| − | Since | ||
| − | considered as a front, rather than a subsidiary or spin-off. | ||
| − | STATS | + | In 2004, STATS became officially affiliated with [[George Mason University]] and displays the university logo at the foot of its webpages.<ref>Statistical Assessment Service, [http://www.stats.org/about_affiliations.htm "Affiliations"], accessed March 2008.</ref> While STATS effectively operates as a part of CMPA's operations, it makes no mention of the connection between the two organizations on its website. |
| + | |||
| + | STATS self-promotion as a disinterested, non-partisan guardian of scientific and statistical integrity to often unsuspecting media outlets. It has been surprisingly successful in this guise, with many persons and organisations citing | ||
STATS (especially, its [http://www.stats.org stats.org web site]), for | STATS (especially, its [http://www.stats.org stats.org web site]), for | ||
example, the University of Iowa's Journalism school and <ref>[http://bailiwick.lib.uiowa.edu/journalism/statistics_txt.html "Statistical and Demographic Resources for Journalists"], University of Iowa, accessed March 2008.</ref> | example, the University of Iowa's Journalism school and <ref>[http://bailiwick.lib.uiowa.edu/journalism/statistics_txt.html "Statistical and Demographic Resources for Journalists"], University of Iowa, accessed March 2008.</ref> | ||
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==Funding== | ==Funding== | ||
| − | + | Startup funding for STATS came from conservative funders including the [[John M. Olin Foundation]], the [[Sarah Scaife Foundation]] and the [[William H. Donner Foundation]]. Other funders include [[Richard Mellon Scaife|Richard Mellon Scaife's]] [[Carthage Foundation]], the [[Sarah Scaife Foundation]], the [[Earhart Foundation]], [[John M. Olin Foundation]] and the [[Castle Rock Foundation]].<ref>[http://www.mediatransparency.org/recipientgrants.php?recipientID=1139 Grants to Statistical Assessment Service], from MediaTransparency. Accessed February 6, 2008.</ref> The STATS website did not list funding sources as of 2008. | |
==Areas of Interest== | ==Areas of Interest== | ||
Revision as of 22:47, 30 March 2008
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This article is part of the Center for Media & Democracy's spotlight on front groups and corporate spin. |
The Statistical Assessment Service (STATS) touts itself as a "non-profit, non-partisan organization" but is a stealth PR operation of the Center for Media and Public Affairs (CMPA). STATS is a 501(c)3 non-profit organisation but its 2006 annual return to the Internal Revenue Service states that "salary costs for the organization are shared with the Center for Media and Public Affairs. CMPA ... reports the salary costs and files payroll reports under its tax identification number. DCFC is a related organization."[1] The report also states that the relationship between STATS and CMPA is one of "common control". [2] Since STATS shares the offices (in the pricey "K Street" lobbying district of Washington) and staff of CMPA, it should be considered as a front, rather than a subsidiary or spin-off.
In 2004, STATS became officially affiliated with George Mason University and displays the university logo at the foot of its webpages.[3] While STATS effectively operates as a part of CMPA's operations, it makes no mention of the connection between the two organizations on its website.
STATS self-promotion as a disinterested, non-partisan guardian of scientific and statistical integrity to often unsuspecting media outlets. It has been surprisingly successful in this guise, with many persons and organisations citing STATS (especially, its stats.org web site), for example, the University of Iowa's Journalism school and [4] and the University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point[5] as an authoritative or useful resource.
From its inception, however, STATS has repeatedly attacked environmentalists, civil libertarians, feminists and other "liberals." The first director of STATS, David Murry, was not a statistician at all. His academic training was in anthropology, but he was often described in the media as a "statistician" when he commented on various topics.
Contents
Funding
Startup funding for STATS came from conservative funders including the John M. Olin Foundation, the Sarah Scaife Foundation and the William H. Donner Foundation. Other funders include Richard Mellon Scaife's Carthage Foundation, the Sarah Scaife Foundation, the Earhart Foundation, John M. Olin Foundation and the Castle Rock Foundation.[6] The STATS website did not list funding sources as of 2008.
Areas of Interest
The STATS website lists the following as areas in which they have preformed "in-depth analysis"[1]:
- General
- Health
- "What Science Really Says About the Benefits of Breast-Feeding (and what the New York Times didn’t tell you)", June 20, 2006
- "Toy Tantrums - The Debate Over the Safety of Phthalates", January 30, 2006
- "Teflon Is Not Forever: Why the Editors of Mother Jones Need To Be Hit Over the Head with a Frying Pan", May 2, 2007
- "Will a Few Extra Pounds Lead to a Longer Life?", May 24, 2005
- Public Policy
- "Dueling Numbers on Asbestos Claims", November 10, 2005
- Drugs
- "The New York Times' Other WMD Problem", August 6, 2004
Staff
The first director of STATS was David Murray.
Their staff is listed as follows as of January 2008[2]:
- S. Robert Lichter, President
- Donald Rieck, Executive Director
- Rebecca Goldin, Director of Research
- Maia Szalavitz, Senior Fellow, has written for the liberal publication The American Prospect.
- Trevor Butterworth, Editor
The staff list in October 2003 also listed Linda Lichter as Vice President.
Advisory Board
Their Advisory Board is listed as follows as of March 2008[3]:
- Thomas C. Childers, Professor of History, University of Pennsylvania
- Wolfgang Donsbach, President, World Association of Opinion Research
- Nicholas Eberstadt, Fellow, Center for Population Studies, Harvard University
- Neil Gilbert, Professor of Social Welfare, University of California Berkeley
- Scott O. Lilienfeld, Professor of Psychology, Emory University
- Elisabeth Noelle-Neumann, President, Allensbach Institut fur Demoskopie
- Nelson Polsby, Director, Institute of Government Studies, University of California Berkeley
- Harrison Pope, Director, Biological Psychiatry Laboratory, Harvard Medical School
- Stephen Strauss, Toronto Globe and Mail
- Humphrey Taylor, CEO & President, Louis Harris and Associates
- James Q. Wilson, Professor of Political Science, UCLA
Former members of the Advisory Board include:
- Sallie L. Baliunas, Senior Scientist, George Marshall Institute and Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
Contact
Center for Media and Public Affairs
and Statistical Assessment Service
2100 L St NW, Suite 300
Washington, DC 20037
STATS line (202) 223 3193
CMPA line (202) 223 2942
Fax (202) 872 4014
Website: http://www.stats.org
Articles and Resources
References
- ↑ Statistical Assessment Service, 2006 Annual Return, page 15.
- ↑ Statistical Assessment Service, 2006 Annual Return, page 18.
- ↑ Statistical Assessment Service, "Affiliations", accessed March 2008.
- ↑ "Statistical and Demographic Resources for Journalists", University of Iowa, accessed March 2008.
- ↑ "Virtual Reference Desk: Communication", University of Wisconsin - Stevens point, accessed March 2008.
- ↑ Grants to Statistical Assessment Service, from MediaTransparency. Accessed February 6, 2008.
