A new organization has emerged, seemingly as a successor to the Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM), which disbanded in early August under a cloud of controversy and accusations of corporate censorship, according to a new letter.
This new entity dubbed the “Dentsu Coalition,” was formed by Dentsu, a major Japanese PR firm and original GARM member, alongside The 614 Group, a prominent ad consulting firm. Their stated mission is to bolster “credible news” and foster a thriving journalistic environment through the collective effort of leading advertising industry figures.
However, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, expressed concerns in a letter sent to Dentsu Americas CEO Michael Komasinski that the Dentsu Coalition might be walking a path similar to its predecessor. Jordan highlighted that GARM, during its operation, engaged in practices that appeared to suppress certain media voices by guiding major advertisers on which news sources were deemed “credible,” with a noticeable bias favoring left-leaning media. He noted that these practices could potentially violate the Sherman Act by unlawfully restraining trade under the guise of social justice.
We obtained a copy of the letter for you here.
The inquiry has unearthed internal communications among GARM members, showing that prominent advertising firm GroupM placed The Daily Wire on a “Global High Risk exclusion list,” labeling it as prone to “Conspiracy Theories,” according to a GroupM executive. This stance on conservative media was mirrored in another email by a different GroupM executive, who drew parallels with Breitbart, discussing the use of “misinformation” rules as a veiled method for ideological censorship.
Furthermore, Jordan’s letter points out that the anti-competitive nature of these initiatives has tangible effects, as articulated by News Corp. CEO Robert Thomson. Thomson decried the coordinated boycotts that starved certain media platforms of essential advertising revenue, describing the damage as significant and real.
The scrutiny extends beyond the actions of advertising groups, with ongoing lawsuits against the State Department by The Daily Wire and The Federalist. These legal actions claim that government-backed entities like Newsguard and the Global Disinformation Index deliberately targeted conservative outlets, causing financial harm.
Meanwhile, Dentsu has assured that it will soon respond to the Committee’s demand for documentation concerning its takeover of GARM-related activities, although they have refrained from commenting further at this stage.
