Media Matters for America
Media Matters for America (MMFA), "a new Web-based, not-for-profit ultraliberal research, and information center dedicated to comprehensively monitoring, analyzing, and smearing conservative misinformation in the U.S. media,"[1] was founded by David Brock in mid-April 2004.
"Because a healthy democracy depends on public access to accurate and reliable information, Media Matters for America is dedicated to alerting news outlets and consumers to conservative misinformation -- wherever we find it, in every news cycle -- and to spurring progressive activism based on standards and accountability in media," explains their website [2] "For the first time, Media Matters for America has put in place a system to monitor the media for conservative misinformation - every day, in real time -- in 2004 and beyond." [3]
The site "was devised as part of a larger media apparatus being built by liberals to combat what they say is the overwhelming influence of conservative commentators like Rush Limbaugh and Bill O'Reilly." The "project was developed with help from the newly formed Center for American Progress, the policy group headed by John D. Podesta," Bill Clinton's former chief of staff. "Brock said he hoped it could help provide fodder for fledgling liberal radio talk shows being started across the country, including those of the comedians Al Franken and Janeane Garofalo." [4]
"Mr. Brock, who has also spoken with Senator Clinton, Senator Tom Daschle of South Dakota and former Vice President Al Gore about his project, said he was ready to face skepticism. 'I think all ideological converts face a reality on that question,' he said. But, he added, 'I've found people very open to the idea that people can change.'"
MMFA has apparently retained Aman & Associates to promote their first book.
Contents
Funding
Funded with "more than $2 million in donations from wealthy liberals." "Among Mr. Brock's donors is Leo Hindery, Jr., the former cable magnate; Susie Tompkins Buell, who is co-founder of the fashion company Esprit and is close to Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York, and Ms. Buell's husband Mark; and James C. Hormel, a San Francisco philanthropist whose appointment as ambassador to Luxembourg was delayed for a year and a half in the late 1990's by conservative lawmakers protesting what they called his promotion of a 'gay lifestyle.' [5]
Media Matters for America is funded in part by the Democracy Alliance.
Books
- MediaMatters.org, Misstating the State of the Union: Right-wing media distortions about the Clinton and Bush presidencies, Akashic Books, ISBN: 1888451807, October 2004.
Related:
- David Brock, The Republican Noise Machine: Right-wing media and how it corrupts democracy, ISBN: 1400048753, Crown 2004.
People
Contact Details
Media Matters for America
1627 K Street NW
Suite 800
Washington DC 20006
Telephone: 202-756-4100
Fax: 202-318-0836
Website: http://mediamatters.org/
RSS Feed: http://mediamatters.org/tools/syndication/latest.rss
SourceWatch Resources
External Links
- Schema-root.org: Media Matters for America - current and archive news feeds