[Media-watch] Re "Astroturf"

[james doleman]

Hello all

Something worth looking out for in newspaper letters pages is what our 
American friends call "astroturf" ie creating a fake grassroots campaign.

Yesterdays Glasgow Herad had a number of letters defending Blair, which 
seemed odd, but I recognised one of the names as being a New labour hack I 
knew from my university days.

I did a quick Google search and surprise surprise, three of the 
correspondents were Labour candidates, the Herald printed my letter on the 
subject (see below) and I think it is always something worth checking when 
you see pro-govt letters in the press.


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I WAS interested to see the number of letters on July 22 defending Tony 
Blair and Alastair Campbell while attacking the BBC. I noted a number of 
familiar names: there is a Simon Tiernan, who was third in the Labour list 
at the last Scottish Parliament elections, there is a Thomas Docherty, who 
is the Labour candidate for North Tayside, and a John Maxton who stood for 
the Labour Party in Cathcart.

Of course these are common names, and the fact that none of your 
correspondents mentioned their links with the government could mean that we 
are dealing with a totally unconnected group who happen to have the same 
names as these ambitious young Labourites. Perhaps we should be told?

In the US this process is called Astroturf - fake grassroots.

James Doleman, 8a Crown Circus, Glasgow.

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