Media Matters: Lisa Graves, Executive Director for The Center for Media and Democracy

Lisa Graves, Executive Director for The Center for Media and Democracy
Media Matters with Bob McChesney (WILL: Illinois Public Media)

Lisa Graves is the Executive Director of the Center for Media and Democracy, the publisher of PR Watch, SourceWatch, and BanksterUSA. She joined the Center in mid-2009. She previously served as a senior advisor in all three branches of the federal government, as a leading strategist on civil liberties advocacy, and as an adjunct professor (at George Washington University Law School). She has written articles for a number of publications and also served as Managing Editor of the Cornell Law Review.

To Listen to the Conversation

Astroturf Organizations Spreading Propaganda: "Don't Make Us Pay"

I was sent an email from a concerned citizen about this seemingly grassroots organization concerned about consumer welfare:

Don't Make Us Pay

I use Sourcewatch to check up on suspected manipulative/misleading propaganda.

I looked at who funds this organization and it is "Electronic Payments Coalition" (look at the bottom of their "about" website page)

Sourcewatch: Electronic Payments Coalition) Which is a credit card organization fronting as a citizen rights group (we call these types of propaganda groups, "astroturf" organizations--because they are bogus, misleading, corporate fronts)

Also found this youtube video "Don't Make Us Pay": A Lesson in Astroturfing" where the author breaks down the misleading/manipulative nature of this campaign.

They are very sneaky -- we need to combat these forms of disinformation/misinformation and call them out for their manipulative propaganda.