167:. In this campaign, Fenton organized an attack on the use of Alar, a growth regulator which was used in the production of about 1/12th of apples in the U.S. The NRDC claimed that Alar was toxic to babies, and studies showed that very large dosages caused a small rate of cancer in research animals. Fenton's campaign was very successful, resulting in a huge decline in apple consumption. Farmers and industry groups claimed that the scare was unfounded or at least largely overstated. Reaction to the scare led to the proliferation of
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consumer habits for some time, using extremely limited resources. While the company's work on Alar and other projects has been labeled propaganda, Fenton replied that "I would never say something that wasn’t true about it; that would undermine my ability to be successful. However, any reporter would write a lead paragraph that stresses the most dramatic aspects of the story."
59:. As of 2014, the firm was headquartered in New York with offices in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Washington. According to Fenton, around 20% of the company's work was with for-profit concerns in areas such as corporate social responsibility and sustainability. Bill Werde, editorial director of
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around the United States. David Fenton stated that FC's goal was to create so many repetitions of NRDC's message that average
American consumers would hear it from many different media outlets in a short time. The story then would achieve a life of its own and continue to affect policy and
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In the 1990s, the
Chicago Tribune alleged that the company used Command Trust, an organization of women who had survived toxic breast implants to generate huge amounts of publicity in British tabloids and talk shows. This was refuted by Command Trust founder and breast implant survivor
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The company was founded by David Fenton and Robert
Pollock in 1982. In 1984, Fenton and Pollock split the company, with Fenton retaining the New York office and Pollock the Washington office. In 2014, the company was sold to Craig J. Leach and James Marcus, who were the principals of
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Fenton specializes in public relations for not-for-profit organizations, and serves nonprofit, government, education and philanthropy clients dedicated to social justice and equity. Their client list includes foundations and advocacy organizations such as the
120:,' funded by the Rockefellers Environmental Grantmakers Association, as well as campaigns for the Sandinistas in Nicaragua, Andreas Papandreau of Greece, and the People's Republic of Angola.
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In 1991 apple growers filed a highly publicized lawsuit against Fenton
Communications and others for their role in the Alar Scare.
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in 1982. They describe themselves as the "largest public interest communications firm in the country", and maintain offices in
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propaganda machine". Clint
Murchison described several of the company's campaigns as "less than honorable", including an
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232:"Putting the Progressive in PR; David Fenton Has Moved Past Partisan Battles to Confront an Old Foe – Nuclear Power"
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Fenton has been described as an umbrella for several nonprofit organizations which it cofounded, including
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477:. Vol. 65, no. 17. Washington, D.C.: Human Events Publishing, Inc. p. 7.
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46:. The CEO of Fenton is Valarie De La Garza. She succeeded Ben Wyskida as CEO in 2021.
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The firm has represented numerous
Marxist governments and organizations including the
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615:"How a PR firm executed the Alar scare". Wall Street Journal. October 3, 1989.
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435:"Vocus Inc. Supplies Fenton Communications with Web-based Software"
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652:"Farmers, hurt by alar scare, sue environmental group, cbs"
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471:"Fenton Communications: The Far-Left's Propaganda Machine"
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software to facilitate their public relations campaigns.
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This United States corporation or company article is a
163:(NRDC), was involved in what came to be known as the
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364:"New Owners for an Agency That Markets for a Cause"
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370:. New York. December 16, 2014. Archived from
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513:"Global Governance: Why? How? When?"
339:"MARKET-HUNTING IN PROGRESSIVE P.R."
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205:"Fenton Communications - Who We Are"
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469:Scarborough, Rowan (May 11, 2009).
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627:"The PR wizard who stopped Alar"
337:Mohr, Charles (April 21, 1984).
129:Death Penalty Information Center
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230:Weeks, Linton (31 May 2007).
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565:. Washington, D.C.: Examiner
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159:In 1989, FC, along with the
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316:"Fenton Communications"
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118:Ancient Forest Campaign
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374:on December 30, 2014.
104:American conservative
20:Fenton Communications
585:"Philanthropy notes"
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211:on February 9, 2006
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344:. p. 5
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136:Sandinistas
36:Los Angeles
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396:2021-08-10
301:2021-08-10
192:References
165:Alar Scare
114:far-left's
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215:April 16,
106:magazine
97:web-based
61:Billboard
57:Collegium
487:ProQuest
445:ProQuest
50:History
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415:Fenton
411:"Work"
390:Fenton
144:Angola
81:RAICES
42:, and
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