Using Online Videos for Agitation and Propaganda

By Neil Maghami

Summary: A veteran Hollywood producer of shoddy made-for-TV movies is the latest propagandist for crude left-wing politics. Unfortunately, he’s developed some very ef- fective methods using the latest technology— video and the Internet—to stir up trouble. And he’s rethinking how nonprofi ts can deliver political messages.

ovement conservatives like to think ideas are important. They Mcompile reading lists of books they have (or should have) read: Tocqueville and the Federalist Papers, Hayek and Fried- man and Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations. “Ideas have consequences” is a conservative slogan. By comparison, books and ideas don’t seem to matter much to the modern Left. Academic leftists may continue to read Marx and babble about postmodernism, and a few Two left-wing propagandists: (at right) of Brave New liberal pundits cite John Maynard Keynes to Films poses with media magnate Arianna Huffington in 2009. defend stimulus spending, but most radical activists don’t need arguments to believe life kind of information torpedo that will sink a should be fair, with everyone equal and Dick rival’s chance of victory. November 2011 Cheney in jail. The era of serious political debate about means and ends, rights and Online videos are one such weapon. In an CONTENTS responsibilities is long gone. age when attention spans are short, when the spoken word is more powerful than the Brave New Films These days what counts is marketing the written word, and when images and music are message. Political activists, conservatives Page 1 more persuasive than arguments and ideas, as well as liberals, focus on using modern political and issue campaigns have discovered technology to spread the word and prompt Briefl y Noted online video. Activists are producing video people to action. They look for new political Page 8 messages for your computers, iPhones and campaign wonder-weapons, for just the right OrganizationTrends

iPads. And Internet-savvy philanthropists The Propaganda Portfolio also can be emailed to a friend or posted to are funding their productions. A group called Brave New Films is a media the viewer’s Facebook page along with a pioneer in the production of short online personal endorsement, an invitation to sign It makes sense. So many people go online for political videos. Unwaveringly left-wing, an antiwar petition, and a chance to record basic information (Google, Wikipedia), for it’s not waiting to be hired by political one’s thoughts on an online blog. The truly consumer purchases () and rentals candidates and their consultants. Instead, committed can host a screening of the full- (Netfl ix), for feedback about everything from it promotes nonstop the political causes it length hour-long documentary in their local medical conditions, the reputation of doctors believes in. communities. and dentists, and the quality of hotel rooms— why not harness the power of the Internet to Consider “,” a 2009 Brave New Films rejects President Obama’s mold political opinions? Imagine partisan documentary produced by Brave New Films plan to gradually wind down the American “surround sound” videos that mesmerize the that argues for an immediate pullout of U.S. military presence. It urges viewers to donate viewer and drown out rebuttals. troops from Afghanistan. As every fi lmmaker to its affi liated Brave New Foundation in knows, documentaries are a hard sell. The- order to “drive public and insider opinion Editor: Matthew Vadum aters must be secured for limited dates and against the war until the administration audiences persuaded to see a fi lm according brings our men, women, and tax dollars Publisher: Terrence Scanlon to a fi xed schedule. Most documentaries are home.” Arianna Huffi ngton says the videos Organization Trends lucky to be shown at a few fi lm festivals. “should be required viewing for everyone is published by Capital Research Center, a non-partisan education and in the White House, the Congress, and the research organization, classifi ed by Brave New Films not only has solved these Pentagon.” the IRS as a 501(c)(3) public charity. logistical problems but it’s created new Address: audiences for its fi lm. It released “Rethink Another Brave New Films online project is 1513 16th Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20036-1480 Afghanistan” in multiple segments online called “War Costs.” This website combines and for free. The fi lm’s website provides a videos on the Defense Department budget Phone: (202) 483-6900 Long-Distance: (800) 459-3950 series of two to four-minute video segments. and the cost of the Afghanistan war with They have topical names like “Nato forces in online petitions urging Congress to cut the E-mail Address: [email protected] Afghanistan can’t deny they killed civilians defense budget to protect Social Security in Sangin anymore,” “Stop Drone Attacks and Medicare. The warcosts.com website Web Site: http://www.capitalresearch.org Outside of War Zones,” and “How many also provides tips on how to write an op-ed more troops have to die before politicians piece or letter to the editor supporting the Organization Trends welcomes let- ters to the editor. end this war?” The online fi lm clips can documentary’s thesis. Reprints are available for $2.50 pre- be watched immediately and all at once or paid to Capital Research Center. singly at the viewer’s convenience. They In an article on the website, Brave New 2 November 2011 OrganizationTrends

Films founder Robert Greenwald explains that America’s fi scal crisis is an opportunity to reduce the armed forces. “The debt limit crisis that’s consumed Washington, D.C. created an unexpected silver lining: the fi rst opportunity in a decade to make real cuts to our runaway military budget,” Greenwald writes with Derrick Crowe, political direc- tor of Brave New Foundation and a former spokesman for House minority leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and the national offi ce of the Children’s Defense Fund. “If we seize this opportunity, we can make big strides toward correcting a broken foreign policy that’s made our weapons, not our ideals, the most prominent face of America abroad,” they write.

The Brave New Films series of videos “Sick for Profi t: Where Do Our Premiums Go?” profi le the CEOs of the fi ve largest health in- surance companies who “are making millions at the expense of your health.” As a narrator reports the stock options and salaries of the company executives, the videos show photos of their mansions. These are contrasted with interviews of people who describe the prob- lems they face obtaining insurance coverage for their sick children.

The pie-in-the-sky “Power Without Pe- troleum” campaign demands that America pursue a “clean-energy economy” and end all domestic drilling for oil. The videos here promote “green jobs,” the idea that subsidized wind and solar energy projects will substitute Senate nominee Carly Fiorina. It appeared Some Brave New Films video productions for coal mining and oil drilling to produce during her campaign to unseat California have no purpose but derision. Brave New the jobs needed to cut unemployment and senator Barbara Boxer. As for the petition PacMan is a silly online video that mocks grow the economy. campaign that accompanied the video series Sarah Palin, Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh “Lieberman Must Go,” it generated 43,000 and Bill O’Reilly. Modeled on the popular There is a “War on Greed” video series signatures and 4,000 phone calls to the Senate 1980s video game, PacMan players capture with such self-explanatory titles as “Stop Democratic Steering Committee, urging it the head of a conservative commentator, Starbucks,” “Stop Rush Limbaugh” and to strip the Connecticut Independent of his which triggers an audio clip. A sarcastic “Who’s Keeping Burger King Workers in committee chairmanship. Limbaugh says, “How’s that hoax and change Poverty?” “The Real Carly” campaign is working for you?” a series of online videos about Republican November 2011 3 OrganizationTrends

Other video campaigns are oddly parochial. As the founder of Brave New Films—the Canal” [mom discovers chemical dumping], The “Stop Kennedy Smears” campaign was name is an ironic reference to Aldous “Redeemer” [quest to release reformed Black aimed squarely at Hollywood entertainment Huxley’s novel Brave New World—Robert Panther from prison] and “Steal This Movie” industry insiders. “The Kennedys” is an Greenwald no doubt sees himself as speak- [aging radical activist exposes past FBI eight-hour television miniseries that dramati- ing truth to power. According to his website, spying]. Greenwald’s production company cally reenacts episodes in the personal lives of Greenwald churns out these movies to fi ll the limitless the Kennedy clan. Brave New Films assailed hours available on TV. the program and launched a petition drive “is a producer, director and political urging The History Channel and Showtime activist. Greenwald is the founder and It’s only been since 2000 that Greenwald to refuse to show it. When the series eventu- president of Brave New Films, a new made the jump to negotiating rights and ally aired in April 2011 on the lesser-known media company that uses moving im- raising money to produce political documen- cable ReelzChannel it got so-so reviews ages to educate, infl uence, and empower taries. In 2000 he was executive producer for its portrayal of such well-documented viewers to take action around issues that of “Unprecedented: The 2000 Presidential stories as the marital infi delities of John F. matter… In total, Brave New Film’s short Election,” and in 2004 he was co-producer Kennedy. Joel Surnow, the fi lm’s executive videos have been viewed over 56 million of “Uncovered: The War in ” and “Out- producer (and creator of the hit TV series times in the past two years, inspired foxed: ’s War on Journal- “24”) blamed members of the Kennedy fam- hundreds of thousands of people to take ism.” The latter documentary attracted ily (thought to include Caroline Kennedy and action and forced pressing issues into the considerable notice because it criticized Maria Shriver) for privately pressuring The mainstream media.” channel reporting and charged History Channel’s parent companies, A&E News Corp., the parent media conglomer- Television and The Walt Disney Company, While he is certainly a creative entrepreneur ate, with blurring the line between corporate to prevent its showing. Brave New Films of the new media, Greenwald is no computer interests and journalistic integrity. The fi lm coordinated the public campaign against geek working on a shoestring budget. He said Murdoch’s control of his news media the series, circulating petitions and rounding is a well-connected Hollywood ultra-liberal empire compromised the public’s right to up historians to denounce the fi lm as sordid who uses his power to reshape political know and replaced unbiased reporting with and untrue. perceptions. Greenwald’s website observes, public relations “spin.” “Prior to his documentary work, Greenwald Who’s Behind Brave New Films? produced and/or directed more than 55 televi- “” is a professionally produced Brave New Films is the brainchild of “a sion movies, miniseries and feature fi lms … fi lm, but its heavy-handed commentary and 64-year-old fi lm director, Robert Greenwald, He has been honored for his activism by the sinister soundtrack make it easy to ridicule. and his small band of 20-something assis- ACLU Foundation of Southern California; Like the fi lms of , it suggests tants.” That’s how hailed the Liberty Hill Foundation; the Los Angeles that “the power structure” manipulates public the producers of a series of videos attacking chapter of the National Lawyers Guild; Phy- opinion and that the practices of corporate Senator John McCain in June 2008. The story sicians for Social Responsibility; Consumer America are comparable to those of organized explained that the videos were a cheap and Attorney’s Association of Los Angeles; Los crime. Veteran documentary fi lmmaker Da- highly effective way to shape voter percep- Angeles Alliance for a New Economy and vid Hoffman has observed that such fi lms are tions. Greenwald’s work was “potentially the Offi ce of the Americas.” “just too easy to make.” Tedious diatribes, upending the way American presidential they repeat left-wing dogma under the guise campaigns are fought.” Reported the Times: Greenwald is well known as an executive pro- of fearlessly telling “truths.” “Mr. Greenwald’s McCain videos, most of ducer of Hollywood made-for-TV movies. which portray the senator as contradicting Over four decades he has produced such fi lms Documentaries like “Outfoxed” never himself in different settings, have been as “Portrait of a Stripper,” “How to Murder a make money at the box offi ce. According viewed more than fi ve million times — more Millionaire,” and “Trump Unauthorized.” As to one estimate, “Outfoxed” cost an esti- than Mr. McCain’s own campaign videos if to do penance for his sins, he also produces mated $200,000 to make and grossed about have been downloaded on YouTube.” political consciousness-raising made-for-TV $466,000 over three weeks in August 2004. movies such as “Lois Gibbs and the Love But that’s not the point. Like Greenwald’s 4 November 2011 OrganizationTrends two-minute videos against Sen. McCain, they aim to poison public opinion against their enemies. In the case of Brave New Films, the enemies include the oil industry, supermarkets, Rudy Giuliani, Karl Rove, Burger King, Starbucks, Wal-Mart, the Koch brothers, and critics of the Kennedys.

Funding the Brave New Enterprise Greenwald’s Brave New Films is regis- tered with the IRS as a 501(c)(4) advocacy organization, which means that while the organization is tax-exempt, contributions to it are not. The organization’s board members are Greenwald, entertainment executive Danny Goldberg, Progressive Majority president Gloria Totten, plaintiffs’ attorney Guy Saperstein, and Jane Fonda ex- husband Tom Hayden. The group reported contributions of just over $1,000,000 in 2009 and total revenues of about $1.465 million. In 2010, Brave New Films reported just $257,000 in contributions and $850,000 in total revenues.

Distributing videos online is not expensive, but producing documentary fi lms and the public campaigns against the fi lm’s targets does require added funding. Brave New Films appears to rely on the Brave New Foundation (also known publicly as Dreamcatchers), a mainly media production, have been about $3 in Afghanistan Awareness and Advocacy” registered 501(c)(3) public charity located million. The Foundation board of directors campaign. The Arcadia, Calif.-based Baytree at the same street address as Brave New consists of Greenwald, United Farm Workers Foundation gave $25,000 for ”general sup- Films – 10510 Culver Boulevard in Culver co-founder Dolores Huerta, entertainment port”, while the Houston, TX-based Lotus City, California. The foundation’s mission industry fi nancier Irene Romero, labor law- Foundation gave $50,000 for “operational “is to champion social justice issues by using yer Madeline Janis, activist law professor support”. In 2010 the Tides Foundation gave a model of media, education and grassroots Lawrence Lessig, and Nation editor Katrina the Foundation nearly $14,000. Greenwald volunteer involvement that inspires, empow- vanden Heuvel. has boasted that the Foundation has “3,000 ers, motivates and teaches civic participation small-dollar donors” and that its list of large and makes a difference.” Brave New Foundation receives substantial donors includes television producer Norman grants from major foundations: In 2009, Lear, who gave $1,000. In its 2010 annual report Brave New Founda- the Public Welfare Foundation approved tion reported about $3.2 million in income, a $175,000 grant for “media strategies for Brave New Films is a member of a network- including $1.665 million in foundation health & safety workplace reform.” The ing group known as the Media Consortium, grants and $875,000 in major gifts. The Stephen M. Silberstein Foundation commit- which counts some 40 left-wing media outlets foundation’s 2009 IRS Form 990 reports ted $75,000 to “champion social justice by such as Nation magazine, AlterNet, and the $1.449 million in contributions and grants using media.” The Park Foundation in Ithaca, Center for Independent Media. The Consor- and total revenue of $3 million. Expenses, N.Y. gave $25,000 to support the “No War tium’s sponsor is the San Francisco-based November 2011 5 OrganizationTrends

Foundation for National Progress, which is The Koch Brothers: Brave New Films’ Agitpop is a public relations outfi t that best known for its fi nancial support for the Latest Target engages in what it calls “guerilla market- far-left magazine Mother Jones. A June 2011 blog post on Brave New Films’ ing” and “net-roots subvertising.” Headed website telegraphed the nonprofi t’s latest by John Sellars, president of the notorious Liberal foundations supporting the work target for smear-by-documentary: the phi- Ruckus Society, it has a client list that of the Consortium frequently channel their lanthropists David and . ranges from the leftist activists at MoveOn. contributions through the Foundation for org, True Majority, the Rainforest Action National Progress (2009 income: $9.2 mil- The post, by Anne Landman of the leftist Network, and Amnesty International to the lion). In 2010 George Soros’s Open Society Center for Media and Democracy, blames the ostensibly nonpartisan Rock the Vote and Institute announced a two-year, $200,000 condition of U.S. politics on “a sophisticated United Cerebral Palsy. corporate echo chamber propaganda strategy commitment to the Consortium through funded primarily by the Koch brothers for the the Foundation for National Progress. The It’s unclear whether Brave New Films and purpose of turning business-friendly, fringe Agitpop have generated as much public pres- Surdna Foundation earmarked $100,000 to right-wing ideas into mainstream policy argu- sure as they anticipated with their anti-Koch the Consortium, as did the Wyncote Foun- ments. The echo chamber strategy is very campaign. However, senior dation, which contributed $70,000. Both real, and has been perfected by corporate vice president and general counsel Mark grants were made through the Foundation interests over the last several decades. It Holden noted in a letter to New York Times for National Progress. involves carefully selecting and fi ne-tuning a public editor Arthur Brisbane that a Times message that resonates with the populace, and May 4, 2011 story, “Liberal Group’s Video The link to Soros shows how Brave New then arranging to get that message repeated Assails Koch Brothers” appeared to be less Films and its online videos participate in his over and over through a variety of credible a news report on the video than a concerted foundation-funded campaigns to infl uence media sources.” campaign to give the video publicity. U.S. politics. For at least a decade and a half Brave New Films in Context George Soros has been interested in creating Because David and Charles Koch believe You could grow numb watching Brave New documentaries “to advance his goal of tilting in the power of ideas and in the need to de- Films’ video output and wonder about the America to the left,” as a Capital Research fend free markets, they have dared to fund underlying meaning of its messages and the Center report observed. (See “George Soros, think tanks and policy institutes—including political strategy behind it. Movie Mogul” by Rondi Adamson, Founda- Capital Research Center. Their readiness to support the dissemination of ideas has led tion Watch, March 2008.) A $2 million Soros In 2009, the Media Consortium published Documentary Fund was launched in 1996, Greenwald to add them to his list of online “The Big Thaw: Charting a New Future and in 2001 it merged with Robert Redford’s video targets. for Journalism.” This paper, available on Sundance Institute to create “The Sundance the Internet, has received little attention. Fund to Support International Documentary “” is the latest eight- That’s a shame, because it holds the key to Projects.” Gara LaMarche, former director of part video documentary that Brave New understanding how the political Left plans U.S. programs for the Open Society Institute, Films is screening online. The group pro- to use tax-exempt media outlets like Brave notes: “Nonfi ction fi lm can spur awareness claims, “This new campaign will be like none New Films to expand its power using new and action, sometimes touching audiences ever done before.” Besides releasing each media. beyond the reach of other methods.” Movies issue-focused segment of the documentary individually, Greenwald promises “a fl urry “Big Thaw” argues that fundamental changes “teach us about the world, what is happening of action around them. This campaign will in the mass media business model pose more to our fellow travelers on the globe—what live in fi lm, online actions, grassroots ef- than a problem in how newspapers and is happening to us—and what we might do forts, community gatherings, ground actions, television stations will make a profi t. Such about it.” multi-media coverage, artistic components factors as the rise of the Internet, changes in and collaboration with the larger commu- consumer preferences for receiving news, Why add Hollywood producers to an already- nity that is ready to take action. We have and producer methods for delivering news massive Soros network of radical fi lmmakers, the wonderfully talented AgitPop onboard represent an unprecedented opportunity. activists and liberal foundation offi cials? to help expose the Koch brothers, and will For the so-called progressive movement, Because, as columnist James Hirsen has be working with many other progressive they are the Left’s opportunity to enhance observed, entertainment industry producers organizations to increase the shared impact its political power. have skills that others don’t. of this effort.” Through so-called “independent media” 6 November 2011 OrganizationTrends such as Brave New Films, the Left is po- goes online with anti-McCain or anti-Koch his political opponents as much as possible. sitioning people like Robert Greenwald videos and encourages viewers to comment, The way he edits and posts his videos online to shape political messaging. People like petition and take action, it is organizing and urges his viewers to take action is inno- Greenwald are “community organizers” for an online militia much as when the Sierra vative and creative. But don’t expect him the digital age. Club summons its hundreds of thousands of to encourage thoughtful refl ection, offer up members to press Congress to enact radical ideas or make a persuasive argument. The “Independent media outlets could environmental policies. Left is way beyond that. borrow tactics from other groups. Change.org [another activist In this way, Robert Greenwald’s goal is not Neil Maghami, a frequent contributor to website] is already mobilizing to produce an informative leftwing docu- Capital Research Center publications, most communities around blogging mentary. It is to energize an online political recently wrote about the environmentalist and journalistic content. What if community. This is “virtual community war against nuclear power ( Green Watch, independent media organizations organizing,” and it costs a fraction of the time June 2011). built more robust membership and money required for direct mail, phone programs that can support their calls, and print advertisements. OT work and be activated for social action? When visitors to the Brave New Films webpage can volunteer to be “Distribution According to “Big Thaw,” the journalist- Advocates” for the nonprofi t’s videos, they as-community-organizer can make a big are mobilizing themselves to circulate Brave difference: New Films’ content “through their Facebook page, MySpace page, blog, YouTube channel, “Traditional journalists often do and posting to other blogs.” not like to mix community orga- nizing with journalism because These advocates may even become online it can contaminate the credibility snoops who will agree to “write comments of the reporting. However, as on blogs, monitor other people’s comments the competitive landscape shifts about Brave New Films, and alert Brave New from scarcity to abundance of Films of notable comments.” information and voices, the ability to ‘cover’ the news objectively is The goal is to build up the Left’s power base no longer the most valuable key using nonprofi ts funded by foundation grants. competency. Building active The method is the techno-wizardry of Brave communities among users is ex- New Films’ “community organizing.” ponentially growing in value. Please consider contributing Conclusion early in this calendar year to The study points to the Sierra Club, Robert Greenwald is one snarling, angry the Capital Research Center. which has 716,000 dues paying guerilla warrior. He and his backers disdain members, all of whom receive its conservative politics and the conservative We need your help in the free magazine. Whatever infl uence media. That’s their right as Americans. “No current diffi cult economic the magazine loses because of its one questions [an] artist’s right to speak, climate to continue our im- perceived bias is more than made up organize, contribute to political causes and portant research. for by the strong-arm tactics of the insert political messages into his creative Sierra Club organization. productions,” wrote CRC researchers Brian Your contribution to advance Tubbs and Robert James Bidinotto in “The “If community building becomes Hollywood Left” – John Kerry’s Most our watchdog work is deeply a new competitive advantage [for Loyal Constituency” (Foundation Watch, appreciated. media outlets seeking viewership/ September 2004). readership], then declaring a per- Many thanks. spective may become more valu- Greenwald’s political documentaries are able than seeking objectivity.” continuations of his made-for-TV movies. Terrence Scanlon They manipulate emotional responses to President In other words, when Brave New Films shape political perceptions and to damage November 2011 7 OrganizationTrends Briefl yNoted

Evidence is mounting that suggests that ACORN is paying people to participate in the Occupy Wall Street protests. The SEIU-funded Working Families Party, a front group for ACORN, placed a want ad on the Craig’s List website in September recruiting activists to carry out “direct action,” a leftist term for tactics of provocation and sabotage. WFP organizer Nelini Stamp said the protests are aimed at “trying to change the capitalist system” and bringing “revolutionary changes to the states.”

Leaked emails reveal that Occupy Wall Street (OWS) organizer Harrison Schultz, who works at Atrinsic, a publicly traded corporation, called the burgeoning movement both “a revolutionary plan” and a “Corporate Funded Revolution.” Schultz wrote that corporate money may be needed after fi nancial support from radicals dries up. In fact George Soros has funded many of the left-wing groups participating in the nationwide OWS demonstrations through his Open Society Institute.

Radical labor organizer Stephen Lerner of SEIU, a prime architect of the Occupy Wall Street demon- strations, said he intends to terrorize the families of bank executives in their homes. At the left-wing Take Back the American Dream conference in Washington, D.C. last month, Lerner said he will send union goons to “visit” CEOs at their homes. He also told another recent gathering that it is neces- sary to demonize people like JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon in order to advance the social- ist agenda. “We’ve got to be clear on the human beings who are bad,” he said. Wealthy corporate leaders must be ostracized, he said. “How do we make it so politicians don’t even want their money because their money’s toxic, it’s dirty, it’s evil.”

Tea Party activists recently met with anti-corporate liberals at Harvard Law School to discuss the possibility of convening a new constitutional convention to deal with what they consider to be failures in the American system of government, Daily Caller reports. The Constitutional Convention Confer- ence (“ConConCon”) — was chaired by left-wing professor Lawrence Lessig and Tea Party Patriots co-founder Mark Meckler. “The Framers created a method for escaping from captured government: An Article V Constitutional Convention,” said a joint statement. “The conference’s lead organizers are both proponents and opponents of an Article V convention and we actively encourage the participa- tion of those who support a convention and those who oppose holding a convention at all.”

National Republicans have created the Congressional Leadership Fund, the fi rst GOP “Super PAC” focused exclusively on House races, the Politico reports. The new entity chaired by former Sen. Norm Coleman (R-Minn.), aims to compete with the Democratic House Majority PAC, which is backed by House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.). “We will counter efforts on the left including the House Majority PAC, unions and the ACORN-style groups,” said Brian Walsh, president of Congressional Leadership Fund. Former National Republican Congressional Committee chairman Tom Reynolds, American Action Network chairman Fred Malek, and former Rep. Vin Weber (R- Minn.) sit on the new fund’s board.

8 November 2011