Still more political donations from KSTP’s corporate parent, Hubbard Broadcasting, Inc.: this time, $25,000 to Minnesota’s Future, the anti-Mark Dayton group run by Norm Coleman benefactor Jeff Larson.
Minnesota’s Future has promised a $1 million advertising blitz in the campaign’s final days. The Star Tribune’s Rachel Stassen-Berger notes the group “falsely claimed DFL gubernatorial candidate Mark Dayton proposed an email tax in one of their previous ad(s).”
KSTP-TV’s political reporter Tom Hauser also called the email tax claim an “outright falsehood” in a September “Truth Test.” But Hauser found other claims true, and gave the ad an overall “C-” grade.
Empowered by new Supreme Court rules allowing corporate donations for direct candidate advocacy, HBI has earlier donated $100,000 to MnForward, another anti-Dayton group. The newsroom has added disclaimers whenever Hauser reviews one of MnForward’s ads, and it looks like they’ll have to do it again — potentially often — for Minnesota’s Future.
St. Paul-based HBI also donated $10,000 earlier this week to Pro Jobs Majority, which backs Minnesota legislative candidates.
Fox9’s New York-based owner, News Corp., has donated $1 million to the Republican Governor’s Association. This week, MPR reported that the RGA gave $1 million to Minnesota’s Future for the campaign-ending fusillade.
Thanks for highlighting these donations. I don’t know how anyone can take HBI seriously as a broadcaster any longer. It is just another right wing propaganda organ like News Inc. trying to blind the people from truth and justice and the American Way.
They should also have a disclaimer when reporting on Tom Horner – according to campaign finance reports Stanley Hubbard gave $2,000 to him earlier this year.
Kingstad,
When you finish making out that MPR donation check, have another glass of Kool-Aid.
Doesn’t sound like BD Maginnis has a real defense for HBI.
As an MPR member who enjoys Kool-Aid, I approve of this message.
I agree that HBI and other media organizations should stay as far away from politics as possible. Does that make their employees all evil and biased? No. Tom Hauser is a solid reporter as is Pat Kessler. One leans right and the other left. I have no problem with either and I doubt either has an agenda.
Since we are on the subject, Mr Brauer I’d love your take in a column about the NPR dust up this week. For those who hate media bias and mixing politics with news, this is a great topic for discussion.
I think that KSTP should show a disclaimer notice before each of their news programs and their news program promos that involve politics.