Talon News

Talon News describes itself as "a news company which covers political, national, and world news. Talon News focuses on those stories often overlooked by other media outlets." [1]

In general, the news on this website is in tune with White House policy or with a "conservative" slant.

The Hawaii Reporter.com web site shows the Talon News byline beginning September 12, 2003, following the absence of any media feed for the Hawaii Reporter during the month of August. Until that time, the predominant byline had been that of UPI. After Talon News first appeared in September 2003, it predominated daily news postings. See the listing of "correspondents" whose names accompany the Talon News byline below.

Stories were allegedly "filed" from numerous locations, as would be the custom of correspondents on location, to include Washington; Sacramento; Los Angeles; Nashville; Wilmington, DE, New York; Pyongyang, North Korea; Montgomery, AL; and Bangkok, Thailand.

The last filing for Hawaii Reporter under the name "Jeff Gannon" was February 8, 2005.[2] As of February 22, 2005, only two more items from Talon News have been posted: one on February 9 and the other February 17. No other media feed has been posted to the web site.

Background

Early February 2005, Media Matters for America, revealed that for over a year James Guckert alias Jeff Gannon posed as a "journalist for Talon News" at the White House press conferences. Guckert was best known to ask softball questions or to ask questions within the White House's agenda.

James Foser posed the question January 28, 2005, "What is Talon News, and why does it have press credentials?":

"Talon News, a conservative company whose Washington bureau chief and White House correspondent Jeff Gannon is well-known for asking loaded pro-Republican questions at White House press briefings, appears to be more a political organization than a media outlet.

"Media Matters for America recently highlighted three Gannon articles that were little more than reprints of Republican and Bush administration releases; Media Matters has also noted Gannon's role as White House press secretary Scott McClellan's lifeline and Talon editor in chief Bobby Eberle's partisan political activities. A more in-depth look at Talon, Gannon, and Eberle casts additional doubt on Talon's claim to be a media outlet and raises questions about whether Gannon should be a credentialed member of the White House press corps.

"Eberle is also, as Media Matters has previously noted, president and CEO of GOPUSA, a "conservative news, information, and design company dedicated to promoting conservative ideals." Though Eberle has claimed on the September 13, 2004, edition of MSNBC's Scarborough Country that GOPUSA and Talon News are separate companies, they overlap heavily.

"Talon News apparently consists of little more than Eberle, Gannon, and a few volunteers, and is virtually indistinguishable from GOPUSA.com."

Websites Syndicating Talon's Content

AmericaFirstPary.org (links directly to Talon News).
Free Republic.com.
GOPUSA.com.
Hawaii Reporter.com.
jdhauser.com.
MensNewsDaily.com.
The Land of the Free.com.

Personnel

Robert R. Eberle, Jr., editor in chief
Jennifer Ohman , media relations

Talon News "Byline" Hawaii Reporter: Correspondents

Richard Brownell
Stephen Dewey
Bobby Eberle
"Jeff Gannon"
Jim Hauser; also see web site jdhauser.com.
Terri Hillhouse
Jeni Horn
Mike Illions
Charles Mahaleris
Teresa Martin
Mike Minton
Jimmy Moore
Doug Patton
Jeremy Reynalds
Steve Roeder
Robynn Rutledge
Sarah Wagner
Leslie Wetzel

Other Talon News Contributors

Contact

URL: www.talonnews.com
Website owner: Endeavor Media Group, LLC, Houston TX

SourceWatch Resources

External Links

Talon News Subscriber and Member Agreement.
Bobby Eberle, "Holiday Greetings from the GOPUSA Team," GOPUSA, December 2004: "With 2004 coming to a close, please accept my sincere appreciation for all your comments, suggestions, and feedback. ... In particular, I'd like to thank Terri Hillhouse and the entire GOPUSA team for their drive, dedication, and support. I'd also like to send a special thank you to all those who personally provided me with their assistance, guidance, and friendship, including Kathleen Eberle, Bruce Eberle, Mike Hiban, Don Stewart, Paul Teller, Tim Goeglein, Stuart Richens, Matt Smith, Jennifer Ohman, Bob Johnson, Liz Sheld, Julie E. Cram, Phillip Stutts, Chuck Muth, Grover Norquist, Karl Rove, and G. Gordon Liddy."
"What is Talon News, and why does it have press credentials?" posted at freddevan.com Blogspot, January 30, 2005.
"Gannon Quits After Blogger Inquiry," MediaCitizen Blogspot, February 9, 2005: "3:30pm Update: Once again, Talon News has 'scrubbed' its site. Apparently, we were sending too many people to their homophobic reporting ... They have removed the stories in question along with most other material describing their relationship with Gannon save a brief explanantion of his resignation." MediaCitizen has the material archived. See web scrubbing.
Karen Brooks, "Owner says news service will continue White House coverage," Dallas Morning News, February 11, 2005: "The politically conservative owner of the online Talon News Service said Friday that his site would continue its coverage of the White House despite harsh criticism of one of his reporters. ... Bobby Eberle Jr., a Houston activist and engineer who also runs the popular GOPUSA political Web site, told The Dallas Morning News that he plans to replace reporter James Guckert, who went by the name Jeff Gannon."
Scott Ross, "Gay Adult Domain Names Help to Out Alleged Republican Propagandist," AVN Online.com, February 11, 2005: "Talon News now directs interview requests to Jennifer Ohman, the Director of Public Affairs for Oliver North’s Freedom Alliance."
John Byrne, "The missing link? Partner of GOPUSA founder has checkered past as Republican moneyman," The Raw Story, February 19, 2005: "Did Bruce Eberle get Gannon top White House access?"