Why is Newsweek Lobbying for the Oil Industry?

Published November 05, 2009 @ 10:46AM PT

I guess the oil industry really can buy whatever it wants.

Newsweek, a magazine that presents itself as unbiased and independent, got caught this week accepting money from oil industry lobbyists and in exchange co-sponsoring a thinly veiled lobbying event on Capitol Hill.

Yesterday TPM Muckraker reported that Newsweek is partnering with the American Petroleum Institute (API) -- the lobbying arm of the oil industry -- to host a panel discussion entitled “Climate and Energy Policy: Moving?” featuring lawmakers, the American Petroleum Institute’s CEO, and Newsweek’s Senior Washington Correspondent.

In case you don’t know much about API they are a giant in the lobbying world and have spent millions of dollars just this year to try to prevent the US from enacting energy policy reform or addressing climate change.

Now API wants to host “policy forums” with their CEO and members of Congress in Washington, D.C. – and that’s fine; it’s exactly what lobbyists do.

The problem is that API is paying Newsweek to co-host the event in order to make it look like an unbiased “discussion” and not an industry-backed lobbying effort. What sort of “discussion” about climate change happens at an event sponsored by the oil industry where the only confirmed panelist is the CEO of the biggest oil lobby?

Newsweek should know better. Offering their sponsors the chance to slap the Newsweek name on any event in exchange for money just reeks of bias and casts suspicion on the independence of Newsweek’s journalism.

We’ve started a petition here on Change.org asking Newsweek to cancel the event entirely, and it’s already gaining momentum. Take action and send a letter to the magazine right now.

Taking money from oil lobbyists and co-hosting lobbying events masquerading as “policy discussions” is clearly an abuse of public trust and an unacceptable business practice.

Photo credit: Spentrails

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Comments (12)

Newsweek continues to be a brothel for the oil industry and much more. Thank you for initiating action against this propaganda publication. Rev. Bookburn - Radio Volta

Posted by Rev Bookburn on 11/05/2009 @ 03:50PM PT
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You're joking, right? Last time I looked Newsweek was a FOR PROFIT mag. Your rhetoric even sounds like the old Pravda stuff. If you read through the Magazine you'll notice lots of advertisements. Hello.

Posted by James Thompson on 11/08/2009 @ 01:21PM PT
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Just what I thought. No answer. Thanks for proving my point. I am going to link this page to all of my social networking sites so everyone can see. WHERE ARE THE PROTESTERS NOW? My question has NOTHING to do with Newsweak.

Posted by Marvin Gill on 11/08/2009 @ 02:38PM PT
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Comment is for "Rev Bookburn"

Posted by Marvin Gill on 11/08/2009 @ 02:40PM PT
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We can, and should, hold the press to a higher degree of accountability than your typical mag - they are the Fourth Estate, after all. Granted, Newsweek is not the NY Times, but the last time I checked the first syllable in its title is "News".

Posted by Dallas Hodgson on 11/09/2009 @ 12:06AM PT
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Give me a break! Your fourth estate has been so in the tank for the lefties the last few decades that it amazes me anyone has any respect for them...starting with the NYT and followed by the Alphabet TVstations, although I have noticed that as they edge closer to bankruptcy the Times hase started putting much of the real news on the third of fourth page rather than in section d.

Posted by James Thompson on 11/09/2009 @ 11:35AM PT
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I've long suspected Newsweek's reporters. For example Jonathan Alter who argued with Ed on The Ed Show about how he's FOR the public option BUT.

I accused him then of having a Rahmance Bromance, but apparently he received his payoff in other ways.

Let's face it, big oil owns coke, coke owns United Healthcare. It's not hard to spot the traitors in our media when they push something that is good for big corporations instead of the people.

Posted by CherokeeGirl for Change on 11/11/2009 @ 10:52AM PT
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I think it's hard to judge the merit of this without knowing exactly what will be discussed in the panel. As much as we might want to move away from fossil fuels, denying these companies the space to think about climate change is probably not helping them wean away from a dying business plan. Like it or not, at this moment we depend on oil a hell of a lot, and it won't help to make enemies. Let's have the conversation and fight with facts, not sentiments.

Posted by Michael Paone on 11/08/2009 @ 08:10AM PT
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I was just wondering now that you mention oil. Where are the "no blood for oil" protesters now? Why is it ok for Obama to have troops in Iraq and Afghanistan? I don't expect a sensible answer, just go ahead and blame the former president like always.

Posted by Marvin Gill on 11/08/2009 @ 01:02PM PT
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Hey - I'm right here. No blood for oil! Satisfied?

And you're right - you shouldn't expect a sensible answer because your question isn't sensible - it oversimplifies. The Vietnam War survived both Democratic and Republican administrations because neither party has a monopoly on political cowardice - particularly when one of the two parties is continually wrapping itself in the flag for propaganda purposes. Same goes for Iraq and Afghanistan, padawan.

Posted by Dallas Hodgson on 11/09/2009 @ 12:01AM PT
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Blame belongs to Bush for starting it. Blame belongs to Obama for keeping it going.

Posted by Donald Poling on 11/08/2009 @ 10:30PM PT
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Blame belongs to us, the American people, for allowing professional politicians to run our country rather than patriots who spend a few years in office seeking what is best for the people and not for their party or their own self interest.

The news industry is corrupt by nature the same as our elected Representatives. The longer they spend in Washington the more pockets our reps climb into. The last real reporters morphed into Gibson and Geraldo types...actors reading lines...but with feeling.

Posted by James Thompson on 11/09/2009 @ 11:51AM PT
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