How Forbes.com destroyed its own reputation and became a biotech industry propaganda rag

Tuesday, February 09, 2016 by: Ethan A. Huff, staff writer
Tags: Forbes, biotech propaganda, reputation loss

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(NaturalNews) If you've ever wondered how Forbes Inc., which owns Forbes.com and Forbes magazine, ended up as the corporate publishing arm of Monsanto and the chemical industry, look no further than the entity's origins.

A complete history of how Forbes was founded, and more importantly why it was founded, is available at TruthWiki.org. And one important fact you need to know is that Forbes has always been a capitalism-at-all-costs propaganda outlet.

Founded by Bruce Charles Forbes, a financial columnist for the Hearst family of newspapers, Forbes has always worshiped money, no matter the source. In the beginning, it was about staying on the forefront of technology; today, it's about pushing things like genetically-modified organisms (GMOs) and crop chemicals – anything to make a buck!

It's unfortunate, but true. Anyone looking for honest journalism should know that Forbes isn't exactly the best choice, or even a choice when it comes to honesty and transparency. And here are a few solid reasons why:

1) Forbes lets its advertisers write its 'news.' Forbes has had many an identity crisis over the years, including during and after the dot-com boom and bust when it lost significant clout and cash flow. Consequently, it has since resorted to all sorts of schemes to bring in the dough, including allowing its advertisers to write news stories.

In addition to hiring on some 2,500 different writers specifically assigned to push the company's pet agendas, Forbes now grants access to its advertisers to publish posts and editorials in exchange for corporate payoffs.

"Forbes lets advertisers publish blog posts directly on its website with other editorial content on 'AdVoice' to help keep the magazine afloat (AdVoice brings in about 10% of Forbes' digital revenue), along with propaganda newsletters and other subscription investment online marketing hooks," explains TruthWiki.org.

2) Forbes hires industry shills to push biotechnology. GMO labeling is a hot topic these days, and Forbes sees this controversy purely in terms of dollar signs. Recognizing that the biotechnology industry is a multi-billion dollar enterprise, Forbes has taken to capitalizing on the issue by pushing it on readers.

Shill pieces like "How Biotech Will Help Achieve Zero Hunger" and "Why University-Industry Collaborations in Biotechnology Matter" are just a few of the many propaganda articles that Forbes has published over the years in favor of GMOs and crop chemicals.

Forbes has intentionally blurred the lines between hybridization and gene modification to confuse the public about what GMOs actually are. Forbes also ignores science showing that GMOs and crop chemicals are harmful, both to humans and the environment.

Former Forbes writer Jon Entine is a perfect example of what Forbes is all about, as this industry-connected scam artist was held up by Forbes as a "journalist," when in reality he's a corporate hack who's supported by corporations like Syngenta and Monsanto.

"Entine, who has multiple, well-documented ties to biotech companies Monsanto and Syngenta (two of the Big 6), plays a key role in the GMO propaganda group and web front known as the ACSH – 'American Council on Science and Health' – a thinly-veiled corporate front group that holds an apologetic stance regarding virtually every health and environment hazards produced by modern industry," explains TruthWiki.org.

"Entine knowingly and repeatedly publishes false and fictitious information in mainstream publications including Forbes.com, and his posts are often retracted after being challenged on their lack of factual basis."

3) Forbes goes ballistic on Consumer Reports for warning about GMO soy milk. Forbes also goes on the offense whenever anyone challenges its corporate dogma. As you may recall, the propaganda outlet aggressively denounced Consumer Reports magazine for warning readers that most of the soybeans grown in the U.S. are GMO, which means much of the soy milk people drink is also GMO.

For more on the sordid history of Forbes, visit: TruthWiki.org

Sources for this article include:

Truthwiki.org