Operation Mockingbird

This article is about the alleged CIA program to influence the press. For the CIA wire tapping operation, see Project Mockingbird. For an overview of CIA influence on the media, see CIA influence on public opinion.

Operation Mockingbird is an alleged large-scale program of the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) that began in the early years of the Cold War and attempted to manipulate domestic American news media organizations for propaganda purposes. According to author Deborah Davis, Operation Mockingbird recruited leading American journalists into a propaganda network and influenced the operations of front groups. CIA support of front groups was exposed when an April 1967 Ramparts article reported that the National Student Association received funding from the CIA.[1] In 1975, Church Committee Congressional investigations revealed Agency connections with journalists and civic groups.

In 1973, a document referred to as the "Family Jewels"[2] was published by the CIA containing a reference to a different operation named "Project Mockingbird", which was the name of an operation in 1963 which wiretapped two syndicated columnists, Robert Allen and Paul Scott, "from March 12 to June 15, 1963".[3] They had published articles based on classified material.[4] The document does not contain references to "Operation Mockingbird".[5]

  1. ^ Onis, Juan de (1967-02-16). "Ramparts Says C.I.A. Received Student Report; Magazine Declares Agency Turned Group It Financed Into an 'Arm of Policy'". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-02-21.
  2. ^ "The Family Jewels | CIA FOIA (foia.cia.gov)". Cia.gov. Retrieved 2021-06-19.
  3. ^ James A. Wilderotter (1975-01-03). "Memorandum: CIA Matters" (PDF). National Security Archive. Retrieved 2007-06-22.
  4. ^ Freedom of information act - "Family Jewels" document from CIA.gov Mirror at Archive.org
  5. ^ Rothschild, Mike (22 June 2021). The Storm Is Upon Us: How QAnon Became a Movement, Cult, and Conspiracy Theory of Everything. Melville House. ISBN 978-1-61219-929-0.