User:ChrisMcBSCSU/sandbox

ChrisMcB's sandbox.

Center for Media and Democracy

The Center for Media and Democracy (CMD) is a non-profit investigative reporting group. The CMD's writers and researchers focus on: "Reporting that promotes informed decision-making about policies and products affecting our lives--our economy, our environment, our health, our liberty, our security, and the health of our democracy--and analysis and opinion that aids citizen involvement and grassroots action"; "Exposing corporate spin and government propaganda"; "Investigating and countering PR campaigns and spin by corporations, industries, and government agencies"; and "Promoting citizen journalism as an alternative to the corporate media, so people from all walks of life can 'be the media' and help write the history of companies, front groups, and people influencing public policy".

It was founded in 1993 by environmentalist writer and political activist John Stauber, but has been run by Lisa Graves since the 2009 retirement of Stauber. Graves is the former Deputy Assistant Attorney General at the U.S. Department of Justice and Chief Counsel for Nominations for the chair of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee.

History
On July 13, 2011, the CMD leaked 800 documents on the expose of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). ALEC is a policy organization that wants "to advance the Jeffersonian principles of free markets, limited government, federalism, and individual liberty, through a nonpartisan public-private partnership of America's state legislators, members of the private sector, the federal government, and general public." The expose found: "corporations and state legislators work together as equals to draft model legislation, which is distributed to members across the country"; "ALEC has drafted model legislation that made polluting easier, voting harder, and wages lower"; The anti-collective bargaining laws that sparked massive protests in Wisconsin and Ohio began as ALEC model bills".

The CMD collaborated with the website TheNation.com who analyzed the leaked documents to help make these discoveries. TheNation.com editor Katrina vanden Heuvel said on the findings: "ALEC Exposed—a joint project by The Nation and the Center for Media and Democracy—offers a never-before-seen look at the origins of the rightwing legislative assault on labor, education, healthcare and voting rights in states across the country. It is an important reminder to refocus on the battle to loosen the grip of corporate America and renew democracy in the states."

Publications
CMD publishes PR Watch, SourceWatch, and BanksterUSA.org. The SourceWatch website, is a Wiki, which CMD describes as "a collaborative project to produce a directory of public relations firms, think tanks, industry-funded organizations and industry-friendly experts that work to influence public opinion and public policy on behalf of corporations, governments and advocacy groups."

CMD's writers and researchers have also published books on the media and PR:
 * "Deadly Spin: An Insurance Company Insider Speaks Out on How Corporate PR Is Killing Health Care and Deceiving Americans"
 * "Toxic Sludge Is Good For You: Lies, Damn Lies and the Public Relations Industry"
 * "Trust Us, We're Experts: How Industry Manipulates Science and Gambles With Your Future"
 * "Mad Cow USA"
 * "Weapons of Mass Deception: The Uses of Propaganda in Bush's War on Iraq"
 * "Banana Republicans: How the Right Wing is Turning America Into a One-party State"
 * "The Best War Ever: Lies, Damned Lies and the Mess in Iraq"

Political affiliations
CMD states it is a "national, independent, non-partisan public interest newsgroup".

Funding
The CMD states that it "...does not accept corporate, labor union or government grants", furthermore "accepts donations from individuals and philanthropic foundations through gifts and grants". It also maintains a lists of financial supporters on its website.

Awards
In September 2011, the CMD won the Sidney Award for their ALEC exposed piece. "A Look Into the Secretive Collaboration Between Corporations and Politicians on State Legislation".

Summary article
I have begun to add information to the article such as the image, links to the organization's Facebook, Twitter and website. I have also began to bring the CMD awards into the article such as the ALEC award which I will go into greater detail on. I also want to go into greater detail in the individual branches of this organization to shine on a light on what their role is within it.

History: I plan on extending this history to explain more in depth about what the organisation is involved in, and some of its praised discoveries. For example: ALEC Exposed. [], and []