Monday, June 23, 2008

The American Petroleum Institute's ad blitz


As a news junkie I often see the same commercials over and over. I've been noting API's ads for some time and had even been pondering a response. There's no need however as Kurt Cobb has at least tackled one theme of API's Energy Tomorrow effort. I found Mr. Cobb via Common Dreams yet his own blog "Resource Insights" is here. His Clever and Deceptive: The Oil Lobby’s New Ads makes sense to me. I note API is pushing back against "The 'Idle' Oil Field Fallacy".

As I've done this post I've seen an Exxon ad that was slick. Liz Cheney is now on MSNBC defending Dad's closed door energy policy. No mention was made of Big Oil being at the table. Andrea Mitchell (Mrs. Alan Greenspan) let her do a Tim Russert remembrance and then she claimed the White House policy was never a secret. Liz said you can go to the White House website and see the policy so how can it be a secret. She claims the Cheney task force started with conservation. I recall conservation being a personal virtue to Dead Eye Dick. In fact, number one through three of the four involved drilling or using oil shales.

I couldn't help but think of the film The Corporation while reading on this latest example of corporate propaganda. I would have sworn that I'd posted on the documentary yet can't find it if I did. Another project ...

The image above was located via Jim Hightower. I can't figure out a more appropriate credit. The ability of the powerful to craft and then spread a message seems rather a given. I'll suggest between the corporate media and the off the chart profits Big Oil has plenty of opportunities to distribute their propaganda. Being able to produce and put out slick ads is just a small piece of their power. It will be hard for the corporate media to call them on their misrepresentations I'd think. John Gunn

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