Sunday, August 17, 2014

A Resource Exposing Walmart's Spin

Center for Media and Democracy launches new SourceWatch resource to fact check Walmart’s publicity campaigns:

WASHINGTON - In response to the increasing media interest around the business practices of America's largest employer and retailer, the Center for Media and Democracy is launching a new web resource on Walmart that fact checks the company’s advertisements and statements. Using the model of AlecExposed.org, Walmart’s profile in SourceWatch details Walmart’s employee pay and policies, its PR on veterans, its lobbying and political contributions, environmental impact and its spin on domestic sourcing. The site also includes a section analyzing the impact that the company’s business practices on shoppers.

“Walmart likes to say it is committed to supporting families, communities, and our economy, but the facts often tell a different story,” said Lisa Graves, Executive Director at the Center for Media and Democracy. “This new resource gives reporters and consumers the information they need to understand the true nature of Walmart’s business practices and the effect the company’s decisions have on U.S. manufacturing, workers, and other aspects of our economy.”
This new resource is being launched shortly before a manufacturing summit hosted by Walmart in Denver. The website includes information highlighting the company’s role in off-shoring and raises important questions about the company’s current manufacturing commitment.

"Previous reporting on Walmart’s manufacturing practices has included little critical evaluation of the company’s practices,” said CMD’s Mary Bottari, who previously served as a trade analyst for Public Citizen’s Global Trade Watch. “Walmart is America's largest importer of retail goods. Walmart’s push for expanded free trade agreements and relentless pursuit of cheap goods has fueled a global race to the bottom in wages and working conditions. Walmart's trade with China alone is responsible for the loss of at least 200,000 U.S. jobs.”

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