AP reveals foreign group’s donation, trains journalists as climate change ‘activists
The Associated Press and KR Foundation: A Covert Partnership?
The Associated Press (AP) has recently received a substantial donation from a foreign donor with a hidden agenda. The donor, the KR Foundation, aims to turn journalists into “community activists on climate change.” Surprisingly, the AP has been tight-lipped about this partnership.
In December 2022, the Danish nonprofit KR Foundation contributed $300,000 to the AP, as stated in their annual report. Despite claiming transparency, the AP only added the KR Foundation to its list of philanthropic supporters this month, according to a review by the Washington Free Beacon.
This is not the first time the AP has received funding from left-wing charities. These philanthropies, which support controversial causes such as court-packing and defunding the police, have poured millions of dollars into the AP in recent years, as Free Beacon reported.
The KR Foundation sees media outlets as powerful tools to shape the climate policy narrative. They fund media organizations to significantly influence public opinion on climate change. The AP’s Global Scholars Network will benefit from the KR Foundation’s grant, which extends until December 2024.
While the AP claims to maintain editorial independence, its climate reporting aligns closely with the KR Foundation’s beliefs. Recent AP stories have praised negotiators seeking a “phase-out of fossil fuels” to save a “planet in peril” from dangerous warming. Another article questioned how humans brought the climate to the brink of disaster.
Notably, major charitable organizations like the Hewlett Foundation and Rockefeller Foundation have also funded the AP’s “sweeping climate journalism initiative” to integrate climate coverage into all aspects of their reporting.
The KR Foundation supports numerous organizations as part of its coordinated effort to phase out fossil fuels. Their initiatives include public pressure campaigns to remove U.S. banks from fossil fuels and advocating for the early retirement of existing oil and gas infrastructure.
In 2018, the KR Foundation awarded over $488,000 to the Children’s Radio Foundation to train radio journalists in Africa as community activists on climate change. They also back bans on oil company advertisements and aim to pressure major organizations to sever ties with fossil fuel companies.
The AP has faced criticism for its liberal bias. AllSides, a media bias tracker, changed the AP’s rating from “center” to “leans left” due to biased story selection. The AP recently prohibited its reporters from labeling Hamas as a terrorist organization. In December, the AP received backlash for describing Israel’s response to Hamas’s invasion as “among the most destructive” military campaigns “in recent history.”
Both the AP and KR Foundation declined to comment on this matter.
What are the ethical concerns surrounding the AP’s lack of transparency regarding its partnership with the KR Foundation?
Highlighted the urgent need for action on climate change, promoting the foundation’s agenda. This raises concerns about the AP’s objectivity and journalistic integrity.
Moreover, the AP’s lack of transparency regarding the KR Foundation partnership raises questions about its commitment to journalistic ethics. It is crucial for news organizations to disclose any potential conflicts of interest that may influence their reporting. By failing to acknowledge the influence of the KR Foundation, the AP is compromising its credibility as an unbiased news source.
The covert nature of this partnership also undermines the AP’s responsibility to provide balanced and objective climate reporting. Journalists should strive to present multiple perspectives and consider the diverse range of opinions surrounding complex issues like climate change. However, the AP’s alignment with the KR Foundation’s agenda suggests a potential bias in their reporting.
The influence of philanthropic organizations on the media is not a new phenomenon. However, the increasing trend of left-wing charities funding news organizations raises concerns about the independence and objectivity of the press. The public relies on the media to provide accurate and impartial information, and the presence of hidden agendas threatens the credibility of news outlets like the AP.
To rebuild trust with its audience, the AP must demonstrate greater transparency and disclose its sources of funding. Journalists have a responsibility to act as watchdogs, holding powerful organizations accountable and ensuring the public receives unbiased information. By accepting donations from organizations like the KR Foundation without disclosure, the AP risks compromising its reputation and the trust of its readership.
The partnership between the AP and the KR Foundation highlights the need for greater scrutiny of the relationship between media outlets and philanthropic organizations. News organizations must actively assess the potential conflicts of interest that arise from such partnerships and take steps to mitigate their influence on reporting. Only through transparency and accountability can the media maintain its crucial role in informing the public and promoting democratic discourse.
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