For the past five years, the Center for Media and Democracy has singled out the PR hacks most deserving of negative attention, handing out Falsies Awards each year to those guilty of “polluting our information environment” with spin, subversion, and downright dishonesty.

This year’s nominees include Mail Moves America, which insists that junk mail is actually important communication, to “Clean Coal” campaigns from Americans for Balanced Energy Choices. (Both are front groups funded by advertisers and coal producers, respectively). There’s also an opportunity for write-ins if you think a particularly deserving person or organization is missing from the list.

In addition to pinpointing these media evils, the Falsies committee gives out the “Win Against Spin” award to honor those who have been a sharp knife of truth cutting through the B.S.

Voting ends December 1, so cast your ballot and give these nefarious nominees what they deserve!

Image courtesy of the Center for Media and Democracy.

Failed promises, information so contorted it could be part of a Russian circus, and phony grassroots movements. That’s what unscrupulous PR people use to lie to you! To crown the worst of the worst, the Center for Media and Democracy bestows the dubious honor of its 2007 Falsies Awards, which honor the most egregious instances of “pollution of our information environment.” More than 1,400 people took part in a survey to anoint this year’s winners.

The top prize, the Golden Falsie, was split between the Democratic Party, for sitting on its hands about the Iraq War, and the lobbying group Freedom’s Watch, which has spent the past few months keying up for a war in Iran. The Bronze Falsie was awarded to the baby formula industry, which orchestrated bogus grassroots campaigns to promote the industry’s sacred right to advertise in hospitals. Climate change denialists, FEMA’s faux news conferences, and other purveyors of disinformation were honored as well.  

So what prizes do you give to such, er, dishonored recipients? Well, among other things, the winners get a Groucho Marx mask to hide their true identities. 

—Brendan Mackie