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
