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# Media Matters for America
- URL: https://www.whiteroseintelligence.com/media-matters-for-america/
- Published: 1999-01-02T19:45:00.000Z
- Updated: 2025-01-19T01:03:58.000Z
- Author: Liam Sturgess
- Tags: Profiles, #docs, #organization
**Media Matters for America** is an American non-profit media organization based in Washington, D.C.
## History
Media Matters was founded in May 2004 by David Brock with help from the Center for American Progress (CAP), which provided office space for the organization.[\[1\]](#fn1)[\[2\]](#fn2)[\[3\]](#fn3) Brock was formerly a high-profile conservative media commentator "who conducted the first major excavation of President Clinton's personal life." His December 1993 article "triggered the chain reaction that led to the Monica Lewinsky investigation."[\[4\]](#fn4) He then "made a sharp left turn" around 2001.[\[5\]](#fn5)
It received "more than $2 million in donations from wealthy liberals," and partnered with the Tides Foundation in order to benefit from its charitable infrastructure.[\[6\]](#fn6) Brock also formed a sister organization in August 2004 called the Media Matters Action Network,[\[7\]](#fn7)[\[8\]](#fn8) "under a section of the tax code that allows some lobbying and campaign work."[\[9\]](#fn9)
Byron York of the *National Review* described the organization as part of a "constellation of groups" that had "come together on the left in the last year or so, all aimed at electing a Democratic president" in the 2004 presidential election, which also included America Coming Together, the Center for American Progress, [MoveOn](https://www.whiteroseintelligence.com/MoveOn) and others.[\[6:1\]](#fn6)
Hillary Clinton claimed to have "helped start and support" Media Matters and the Center for American Progress.[\[10\]](#fn10) Sidney Blumenthal, former Bill Clinton aide and Clinton Foundation employee, served as a paid consultant for Media Matters.[\[11\]](#fn11)
In November 2010, Brock founded [American Bridge 21st Century](https://www.whiteroseintelligence.com/American-Bridge-21st-Century) as a super PAC associated with Media Matters. Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, the eldest daughter of Robert F. Kennedy, was tapped to Chair the organization.[\[12\]](#fn12)
The Media Matters Action Network cooperated with American Bridge 21st Century to directly engange in the 2012 presidential election, including running television ads.[\[12:1\]](#fn12)
Media Matters was described as having "helped lay the groundwork" for Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign.[\[11:1\]](#fn11)
### COVID-19
Media Matters received between $1 million and $2 million in COVID-19 relief loans through the Paycheck Protection Program.[\[13\]](#fn13)
On August 7, 2023, Media Matters published an article titled "[Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s super PAC is paying thousands of dollars to a fringe outlet that posts anti-Black, anti-LGBTQ, and election denial content](http://archive.today/2023.08.08-172217/https://www.mediamatters.org/diversity-discrimination/robert-f-kennedy-jrs-super-pac-paying-thousands-dollars-fringe-outlet)." The piece, written by Eric Hananoki, criticized [Robert F. Kennedy Jr.](https://www.whiteroseintelligence.com/Robert-F-Kennedy-Jr) for being associated with Creative Destruction Media, and [American Values 2024](https://www.whiteroseintelligence.com/American-Values-2024) for spending $6,500 in advertising funds with the company.[\[14\]](#fn14)
## Organization
Media Matters has been a client of [Message Global](https://www.whiteroseintelligence.com/Message-Global)[\[15\]](#fn15) and Trilogy Interactive.[\[16\]](#fn16)
### Personnel
| Name | Position | Notes |
| ------------- | -------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------ |
| Eric Hananoki | Senior Investigative Reporter[\[17\]](#fn17) | Midwest Values PAC, The Al Franken Show[\[18\]](#fn18) |
### Funding
Media Matters for America does not transparently disclose its donors, but information on some donors has been made available through other forms of lawful disclosure.
A significant amount of its funding comes from members of the [Democracy Alliance](https://www.whiteroseintelligence.com/Democracy-Alliance).[\[19\]](#fn19)[\[20\]](#fn20)
Media Matters for America has been funded by:[\[2:1\]](#fn2)[\[21\]](#fn21)[\[6:2\]](#fn6)
- Bren Simon
- Gail Furman
- George Soros[\[22\]](#fn22)
- James Hormel
- Leo Hindery Jr.
- Marcy Carsey
- Mark Buell
- Mel Simon
- [MoveOn](https://www.whiteroseintelligence.com/MoveOn)
- New Democratic Network
- Peter Lewis
- Steve Bing
- [Steven and Michele Kirsch Foundation](https://www.whiteroseintelligence.com/Steven-and-Michele-Kirsch-Foundation)[\[23\]](#fn23)
- Susie Thompkins Buell
- Tides Foundation
## External links
- [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Media%5FMatters%5Ffor%5FAmerica)
- [InfluenceWatch](https://www.influencewatch.org/non-profit/media-matters-for-america/)
- [Website](https://www.mediamatters.org/)
- [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Media%5FMatters%5Ffor%5FAmerica)
### Further reading
- August 11, 2023: "[Who’s Behind Media Matters?](https://www.whiteroseintelligence.com/blog/whos-behind-media-matters/)" by [Liam Sturgess](https://www.whiteroseintelligence.com/Liam-Sturgess), published by *The Kennedy Beacon*
---
1. Hiatt, B. (2019, July 28). *The 24/7 Fight Against Fox News.* Rolling Stone. [↩︎](#fnref1)
2. Rutenberg, J. (2004, May 3). *New Internet Site Turns Critical Eyes and Ears to the Right.* New York Times. [↩︎](#fnref2) [↩︎](#fnref2:1)
3. Thrush, G. (2006, June 6). *Switching allegiances.* Newsday. [↩︎](#fnref3)
4. Kurtz, H. (1998, March 10). *David Brock: The Genuine Article?* Washington Post. [↩︎](#fnref4)
5. Horowitz, J. (2011, March 22). *Media Matters boot camp readies liberal policy wonks for the camera’s close-up.* Washington Post. [↩︎](#fnref5)
6. York, B. (2004, May 28). *David Brock is Buzzing Again.* National Review. [↩︎](#fnref6) [↩︎](#fnref6:1) [↩︎](#fnref6:2)
7. District of Columbia Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs. (2023, June 8). *MEDIA MATTERS ACTION NETWORK.* OpenCorporates. [↩︎](#fnref7)
8. Suozzo, A. (2013, May 9). *MEDIA MATTERS ACTION NETWORK - Form Form 990-O for period ending Dec 2004.* ProPublica. [↩︎](#fnref8)
9. Clark, C. S. (2010, September 4). *Media Matters Stakes Claim As High-Volume Watchdog.* National Journal. [↩︎](#fnref9)
10. Todd, C. (2007, November 15). *Calling out Media Matters’ bias.* NBC News. [↩︎](#fnref10)
11. Confessore, N., & Schmidt, M. S. (2015, May 18). *Clinton Friend’s Memos on Libya Draw Scrutiny to Politics and Business.* New York Times. [↩︎](#fnref11) [↩︎](#fnref11:1)
12. Luo, M. (2010, November 23). *Effort for Liberal Balance to G.O.P. Groups Begins.* New York Times. [↩︎](#fnref12) [↩︎](#fnref12:1)
13. Bikales, J. (2020, July 7). *Here are the major media companies that received coronavirus relief loans.* The Hill. [↩︎](#fnref13)
14. Hananoki, E. (2023, August 7). *Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s super PAC is paying thousands of dollars to a fringe outlet that posts anti-Black, anti-LGBTQ, and election denial content.* Media Matters for America. [↩︎](#fnref14)
15. *What*. Message Global. Retrieved August 5, 2014, from [↩︎](#fnref15)
16. *Clients*. Trilogy Interactive. Retrieved February 19, 2010, from [↩︎](#fnref16)
17. *Eric Hananoki.* Media Matters for America. Retrieved June 25, 2023, from [↩︎](#fnref17)
18. *Eric Hananoki.* LinkedIn. Retrieved August 8, 2023, from [↩︎](#fnref18)
19. Fuchs, H. (2021, September 23). *The most powerful network of Democratic donors has a new president.* POLITICO. [↩︎](#fnref19)
20. Kroll, A. (2013, May 6). *Inside the Democracy Alliance, the Liberal Answer to the Koch Donor Network.* Mother Jones. [↩︎](#fnref20)
21. Steinberg, J. (2008, November 1). *An All-Out Attack on “Conservative Misinformation.”* New York Times. [↩︎](#fnref21)
22. Shear, M. D. (2010, October 20). *Soros Donates $1 Million to Media Matters.* The Caucus. [↩︎](#fnref22)
23. Kirsch, S. T., Kirsch, M. van B., & Gwynn, K. *2005-2006 Annual Report.* Kirsch Foundation. Retrieved April 19, 2022, from [↩︎](#fnref23)