News Sites Took Nearly $1 Million From Consultant Pushing Power Companies' Agenda: Report

According to the report,"Matrix sought to ensure much coverage was secretly driven by the priorities of its clients. Payments flowed as the utilities in Florida and Alabama fought efforts to incorporate more clean energy in electric grids—a fight they are still waging."

Alabama Power—which operates a coal-fired plant holding the dubious distinction of being the nation'sof CO2 emissions—received"overwhelmingly positive coverage" in the three Alabama sites linked to Matrix during the seven-year period. Meanwhile, Terry Dunn, a Republican elected in 2010 to the Alabama Public Service Commission said that, after winning his race, he was approached by a fossil fuel industry lobbyist who made him a promise. He could keep his roughly $100,000 per year job on the body that controls energy prices for years to come if he"remained a team player."

Dunn—who ran on a pledge to compel Alabama Power executives to open their financial books and publicly answer questions—demurred, and soon found himself the target of what appeared to be a concerted smear campaign.

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In the Southeast, power company money flows to news sites that attack their criticsLocal news has withered in many parts of the country. An investigation by NPR and FloodlightNews reveals that in Alabama and Florida, newly created media outlets with ties to power companies are filling the void and shaping public opinion. FloodlightNews News should inform not shape opinion. One’s world view and their own makeup shapes their opinion about the news that informs them. FloodlightNews How much did Delta pay wabenews for this wildly biased spin-job about a disaster where millions of bees burned to death? FloodlightNews It's essential to express accurate information from renewable energy & climate experts like mzjacobson , KHayhoe , ayanaeliza & MichaelEMann out into local news; especially if 'power companies are filling the local void & shaping public opinion', for their own gains.
Source: NPR - 🏆 96. / 63 Read more »

In the Southeast, power company money flows to news sites that attack their criticsAlabama Power and Florida Power & Light hired the consulting firm Matrix to help shape their fortunes. Matrix funded six sites that covered politics, filling a void left by the decline of local news.
Source: KPBSnews - 🏆 240. / 63 Read more »