Topic: Accuracy in Media
Last year, we noted that Accuracy in Media gave "Reed Irvine Accuracy in Media Awards" at last year's CPAC to Andrew Breitbart and Marc Morano -- two people not exactly known for, you know, accuracy in media. This earned us a shout-out from AIM at CPAC, as well as an offer of a hug from Breitbart.
Well, another CPAC is about to roll around, and AIM is once again handing out awards to people who are better known for inaccuracy:
Accuracy in Media will honor Tucker Carlson and Ken Timmerman for their outstanding contributions to journalism in a ceremony taking place at the 2011 Conservative Political Action Conference. The Reed Irvine Accuracy in Media Award is named for AIM’s founder, America’s first media watchdog.
“Accuracy in Media could not be more excited for the 2011 Reed Irvine Awards,” Chairman Don Irvine said. “We at AIM have been amazed at Mr. Carlson’s rapid success with the Daily Caller. The D.C. has inspired countless grassroots activists to search for and share accurate news. Ken Timmerman is a respected veteran journalist worldwide. We will be proud to honor his three decades of work covering national security issues.”
The Daily Caller has a record of pushing questionable or false claims. In fact, the very same day that AIM announced it was getting this award, Slate's Dave Weigel reports that the Daily Caller published an article claiming that one attendee at a recent liberal confab was a person who had actually died two years earlier.
As for Timmerman, we've noted that he served as a mouthpiece for former Rep. Curt Weldon's conspiracy theories about national security, failing to fact-check his claims as he was regurgitating them. Timmerman has also promoted the bogus claim that the closings of certain GM and Chrysler dealers while the manufacturers were in bankruptcy were motivated by how much money the dealers gave to Republicans. On top of that, Timmerman is a birther.
But AIM's definition of "accuracy in media" has nothing to do with facts and everything to do with pushing right-wing talking points, so it makes sense that Timmerman and the Daily Caller would be so honored.
