Media Matters document reportedly detailed plan to target Fox News staff

Liberal media watchdog group Media Matters once contemplated harassing Fox News employees with yard signs in their neighborhoods, hiring private investigators to dig into their personal lives and retaining a "major law firm" to study legal action against the network, according to a report Tuesday in the Daily Caller.

The report cited a September 2009 document from Media Matters contributor Karl Frisch to Media Matters bosses David Brock and Eric Burns.

It's unclear to what extent the organization, a 501(c)3 tax-exempt nonprofit group, followed through on the detailed suggestions, but they would appear to comport with Brock's early 2011 announcement that he planned to prosecute a "war on Fox."

The tactics floated by Frisch were likened to a "presidential-style campaign," one which he hoped would "discredit and embarrass the network."

He suggested hiring "trackers" to "stake out" events with Fox News employees, sending "anti-Fox News literature" to employees' homes and even convincing director Michael Moore to make a documentary about the network. Frisch also suggested establishing a "front group" of shareholders to target parent company News Corporation.

At least one of the ideas appears to have come to fruition -- a suggestion that Media Matters publish an anti-Fox News book under Brock's name. "The Fox Effect," co-written by Brock and the Media Matters organization, is due for release next week.

The 85-page document is the latest revelation in a Daily Caller series about Media Matters' campaign against Fox News.

The Daily Caller also reported that Media Matters for America had given Politico reporter Ben Smith a copy of the document a year ago and that he "curiously withheld" key parts of it.

A former Media Matters employee told the Daily Caller that several mainstream media reporters were known to reliably incorporate Media Matters items in their own reporting, including Politico.

Smith, the source said, would "take stories and write what you want him to write."

Politico frequently picked up Media Matters items in its articles, a rough list of which was reported last month.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2...z1mNpPzD1m

It is time to remove the tax exempt status for Media Matters as well as start an investigation as to why Eric Burns was having all those meetings with Valerie Jarrett.

The real bombshell here is the White House coordinating with MSM news organizations via Media Matters to propagandize and take down political opponents. Chavez would be proud.

Quote from Mad Scientist : Liberal media watchdog group Media Matters once contemplated harassing Fox News employees with yard signs in their neighborhoods, hiring private investigators to dig into their personal lives and retaining a "major law firm" to study legal action against the network, according to a report Tuesday in the Daily Caller. The report cited a September 2009 document from Media Matters contributor Karl Frisch to Media Matters bosses David Brock and Eric Burns. It's unclear to what extent the organization, a 501(c)3 tax-exempt nonprofit group, followed through on the detailed suggestions, but they would appear to comport with Brock's early 2011 announcement that he planned to prosecute a "war on Fox." The tactics floated by Frisch were likened to a "presidential-style campaign," one which he hoped would "discredit and embarrass the network." He suggested hiring "trackers" to "stake out" events with Fox News employees, sending "anti-Fox News literature" to employees' homes and even convincing director Michael Moore to make a documentary about the network. Frisch also suggested establishing a "front group" of shareholders to target parent company News Corporation. At least one of the ideas appears to have come to fruition -- a suggestion that Media Matters publish an anti-Fox News book under Brock's name. "The Fox Effect," co-written by Brock and the Media Matters organization, is due for release next week. The 85-page document is the latest revelation in a Daily Caller series about Media Matters' campaign against Fox News. The Daily Caller also reported that Media Matters for America had given Politico reporter Ben Smith a copy of the document a year ago and that he "curiously withheld" key parts of it. A former Media Matters employee told the Daily Caller that several mainstream media reporters were known to reliably incorporate Media Matters items in their own reporting, including Politico. Smith, the source said, would "take stories and write what you want him to write." Politico frequently picked up Media Matters items in its articles, a rough list of which was reported last month. http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2...z1mNpPzD1m

I was reading this the other day and I particularly enjoyed the Media Madders employees bragging about how MSNBC, Salon.com, the Washington Post and other left leaning news outlets gobbled up whatever Media Madders fed them and regurgitated it almost verbatim. Plus you gotta love the weekly meetings with the Obama WH and the talking points they took from Media Madders.

I am just waiting for all of our left leaning friends here in the Podium to defend this…we probably will just be hearing crickets

Quote from horskj : I am just waiting for all of our left leaning friends here in the Podium to defend this…we probably will just be hearing crickets

I'm not familiar with Media Matters. I'm also not that familiar with the rules non-profits must follow. What exactly is the problem?

Quote from Mad Scientist : Liberal media watchdog group Media Matters once contemplated harassing Fox News employees with yard signs in their neighborhoods, hiring private investigators to dig into their personal lives and retaining a "major law firm" to study legal action against the network, according to a report Tuesday in the Daily Caller. The report cited a September 2009 document from Media Matters contributor Karl Frisch to Media Matters bosses David Brock and Eric Burns. It's unclear to what extent the organization, a 501(c)3 tax-exempt nonprofit group, followed through on the detailed suggestions, but they would appear to comport with Brock's early 2011 announcement that he planned to prosecute a "war on Fox." The tactics floated by Frisch were likened to a "presidential-style campaign," one which he hoped would "discredit and embarrass the network." He suggested hiring "trackers" to "stake out" events with Fox News employees, sending "anti-Fox News literature" to employees' homes and even convincing director Michael Moore to make a documentary about the network. Frisch also suggested establishing a "front group" of shareholders to target parent company News Corporation. At least one of the ideas appears to have come to fruition -- a suggestion that Media Matters publish an anti-Fox News book under Brock's name. "The Fox Effect," co-written by Brock and the Media Matters organization, is due for release next week. The 85-page document is the latest revelation in a Daily Caller series about Media Matters' campaign against Fox News. The Daily Caller also reported that Media Matters for America had given Politico reporter Ben Smith a copy of the document a year ago and that he "curiously withheld" key parts of it. A former Media Matters employee told the Daily Caller that several mainstream media reporters were known to reliably incorporate Media Matters items in their own reporting, including Politico. Smith, the source said, would "take stories and write what you want him to write." Politico frequently picked up Media Matters items in its articles, a rough list of which was reported last month. http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2...z1mNpPzD1m

About time, The left needs to start fighting the right-wing attack machine.

I find it ironic, that the article decries the left as going after individuals, yet later in the article they go directly after Ben Smith...

Partisan media outlet of questionable integrity targets partisan media outlet of questionable integrity.

News at 11.

Quote from loop610bob : Partisan media outlet of questionable integrity targets partisan media outlet of questionable integrity. News at 11.

Who is questioning the integrity of MM? An anonymous "former Media Matters employee"?

Quote from 124nic8 : Who is questioning the integrity of MM?

I am. I question the integrity of anyone who's a lobbyist, politician, part of the media in virtually any capacity, anyone who makes money via partisan politics, you know, basically the whole shebang.

Because rational, decent human beings don't want anything to do with a cesspool.

Quote from 124nic8 : Who is questioning the integrity of MM? An anonymous "former Media Matters employee"?

More importantly, are falafels involved?

The MSM and the White House were accomplices. This is the key.

Combined with the White House orchestrating protests against the opposition in cahoots with Union thugs, via Organizaing for America.

On top of the politicization of the US DOJ, especially the Civil Rights Division and particularly the Voting Rights Section.


Very serious degradation of American political system.

Quote from EscapeVelo : The MSM and the White House were accomplices. This is the key.

Oh please. Nothing new there. Go mumble about the Illuminati somewhere else.

Quote from loop610bob : I am. I question the integrity of anyone who's a lobbyist, politician, part of the media in virtually any capacity, anyone who makes money via partisan politics, you know, basically the whole shebang. Because rational, decent human beings don't want anything to do with a cesspool.

Media Matters is an issue/advocacy group, not part of the media. It's no different than, say, the American Family Association, the National Rifle Association, or the American Association of Retired Persons. They're organizations whose sole purpose is to advocate on behalf of a point of view, not to pretend to be impartial.

Only Fox News could try to make a scandal out of a headline akin to "National Rifle Association Found to be Pro-Gun!"