A blistering critique of the largely hidden role played by the public relations industry in Australia, Inside Spin reveals how corporate and government spin doctors invisibly influence just about every news story we read, see and hear. Winner of the 2005 Iremonger Award for Writing on Public Issues.
Public relations professionals invisibly influence just about every news story we read, see and hear. Even more significant is what they manage to keep out of the news altogether.
Inside Spin is the first behind the scenes investigation of the billion dollar a year Australian PR industry. Bob Burton illuminates the hardball and soft tactics used by PR companies to smother dissenting viewpoints, mask sponsors, court journalists, attack corporate competitors and influence politicians. Through detailed case studies from both private and public sectors, he shows just how much PR filters what we see, hear and think about the organisations that affect our lives and shape our society.
Inside Spin is a searing expose of the influence industry and the deep-pocketed organisations they serve.
'While journalists surrender to the increasing mastery of the misinformation industry, media consumers will more often need to become their own gatekeepers. Bob Burton's Inside Spin is a comprehensive guidebook.'
Chris Masters, ABC TV Four Corners
'A punchy and passionate book that tells us things we need to know about both PR and journalism.'
Margaret Simons, author and journalist tricks that are deployed to manage, manipulate, cajole and control. This book is an important part of the process of skilling up the profession. What's more, it is a reminder of why we should bother.'
Andrew Dodd, The Walkley Magazine
About Bob Burton
Bob Burton is a freelance journalist and the managing editor of SourceWatch, an online wiki-based database on the global PR and lobbying industry. With New Zealander Nicky Hager he co-authored Secrets and Lies: The anatomy of an anti-environmental PR campaign.