Accuracy in Media

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'''Accuracy in Media (AIM)''' is a [[conservative]] "[[Propaganda|media]] [[Conservative bias|watchdog]]" organization founded in 1969 by [[Federal Reserve]] [[economics|economist]], staunch anti-[[communist]], and unhinged [[John Birch Society|Bircher]] nutcase Reed Irvine {{lived|1922|2004}},<ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A58852-2004Nov17.html Reed Irvine's obituary] in the ''[[Washington Post]]''</ref> currently run by his son, Don. It was one of the first watchdog groups set up to fight "[[liberal media]] bias," making it something like the older but still ragingly crazy brother of [[Brent Bozell]]'s [[Media Research Center]]. While its content tends to be less fluffy than your average Bozell material, AIM is notorious for pushing quite a lot of [[Wingnut|its own insanity]].

==Crankery==
*AIM was one of the biggest pushers of [[Vince Foster]] [[conspiracy theories]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20081017101218/https://aim.org/special-report/death-of-vince-foster-part-1/ Here they are still going at it in 2004.]</ref> They launched an FOIA suit against the National Park Service in 1999, in an attempt to get hold of some pictures of Foster, and lost.<ref>[http://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=11482765709041317956&hl=en&as_sdt=2&as_vis=1&oi=scholarr AIM v. National Park Serv.]</ref> In a 1999 interview with [[Richard Mellon Scaife]] (who conveniently happens to be a funder of AIM<ref>''Conspiracy Theories in American History'', ed. Peter Knight, p. 645 [http://books.google.com/books?id=qMIDrggs8TsC&pg=PA645&lpg=PA645&dq=accuracy+in+media+scaife&source=bl&ots=tfajO_wiw8&sig=DXOoMtyfc9S1cZQXsYOKSzURYZk&hl=en&ei=HvT6TdrdBoPogQf4oPXxCg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CB4Q6AEwATgK#v=onepage&q=accuracy%20in%20media%20scaife&f=false]</ref>), Scaife pushed the Foster conspiracy theory along with the "Clinton body count list," a staple on the chain e-mail forward circuit.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20081010233759/http://www.aim.org/media-monitor/scaife-dispels-myths-in-kennedy-interview/ Scaife interview] and [[Snopes]] [http://www.snopes.com/politics/clintons/bodycount.asp on the Clinton body count.]</ref>
*They also push conspiracy theories revolving around a [[socialist]] [[New World Order|world government]], enacted through the [[United Nations]]<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20090617183419/http://www.aim.org/aim-report/the-plan-for-socialist-world-government/ The Plan for a Socialist World Government]</ref> and a [[North American Union]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20080905130030/http://www.aim.org/press-release/accuracy-in-media-exposes-north-american-union-conspiracy/ Accuracy in Media Exposes North American Union "Conspiracy"]</ref> [[AIDS]] in Africa is apparently a "manufactured crisis" perpetuated by the UN.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20081026222453/http://www.aim.org/media-monitor/the-post-and-the-phony-aids-crisis/ The Post and the Phony AIDS Crisis]</ref> These conspiracies also often involve [[George Soros]], somehow.
*They promote [[Intelligent Design]], even citing that bastion of [[science|scientific]] integrity the [[Discovery Institute]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20080115235216/http://www.aim.org/briefing/silencing-science/ Silencing Science]</ref>
*[[Anti-environmentalism|Anti-environmentalist]] conspiracy theories and [[denialism]] are popular topics, including myths about [[DDT]] and [[Rachel Carson]],<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20081026222623/http://www.aim.org/media-monitor/al-gore-and-rachel-carson/ Al Gore and Rachel Carson]</ref> as well as [[global warming]] denial.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20091214031443/http://www.aim.org/aim-column/climategate-the-green-dragon-and-the-end-of-christianity/ Climategate, the Green Dragon, and the End of Christianity]</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20080222094538/http://www.aim.org/aim-report/bush-promotes-hillarys-global-policies/ Bush Promotes Hillary's Global Policies]</ref>
*Anti-[[gay]] [[bigotry]], including [[homosexual recruitment]] conspiracies.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20081027141520/http://www.aim.org/media-monitor/homosexual-recruitment-in-schools/ Homosexual recruitment in schools]</ref>
*[[Birtherism]], of course, and they're still going at it.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20110528035102/http://www.aim.org/guest-column/let-them-eat-birth-certificates/ Let Them Eat Birth Certificates]</ref>
*Cliff Kincaid, director of their Center for Investigative Journalism, is also the president of America's Survival, another UN-conspiracy mongering organization.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20000416021139/http://www.usasurvival.org/bio.html Kincaid's bio at America's Survival.] See also the [https://www.splcenter.org/resources/reports/cliff-kincaid-takes-liberal-media-gays/ SPLC report on Kincaid.]</ref>
*Their article on CASA De Maryland<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20110924041217/http://www.aim.org/special-report/casa-de-maryland-the-illegal-immigrants-acorn CASA de Maryland: The Illegals’ ACORN]</ref> is illustrated with what [[Poe's Law|looks like a parody]] of a 1960s-1970s conspiracy theorist flow chart.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20111117232243/http://www.aim.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/CASA-de-Maryland-Radical-Connections-FINAL.pdf CASA de Maryland: A Case Study in Subversion and Public Corruption at the Highest Levels]</ref>

==Accuracy in Academia==
In 1985, Reed Irvine founded Accuracy in Academia (AIA) to counter the bias of "[[liberal academia]]" and fight oppressive [[political correctness]]. Yes, AIA is just as batshit insane as its parent organization. It exists to "inform" students about such dangers as [[creeping Sharia]] in the classroom<ref>[http://www.academia.org/shariah-schools/ Shariah Schools]</ref> and the PC [[War on Christmas]],<ref>[http://www.academia.org/politically-correct-christmases-past-present/ Politically Correct Christmases Past & Present]</ref> and to hector professors they don't like.

==External links==
*[http://www.aim.org/ Accuracy in Media]
*[http://www.academia.org/ Accuracy in Academia]
*[http://www.conservativeuniversity.org/ Conservative "University"] – a [[PragerU]] clone
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20081202121107/http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/groups/accuracy-media AIM at Right Wing Watch]
*[http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Accuracy_in_Media AIM entry] at [[SourceWatch]]

==References==
{{reflist|2|80%}}

[[Category:Anti-LGBT bigots]]
[[Category:Birtherism]]
[[Category:Chickenhawks]]
[[Category:Conspiracy theorists]]
[[Category:COVID-19 denialists]]
[[Category:Crank magnetism]]
[[Category:Denialist organizations]]
[[Category:Global warming denialists]]
[[Category:Homophobes]]
[[Category:Misnomers]]
[[Category:Pseudoscience promoting organizations]]
[[Category:War on science]]
[[Category:Webshites]]

Categories: Anti-LGBT bigots, Birtherism, Chickenhawks, Conspiracy theorists, COVID-19 denialists, Crank magnetism, Denialist organizations, Global warming denialists, Homophobes, Misnomers, Pseudoscience promoting organizations, War on science, Webshites