This Week in the Media

October 10 - 17 October

Each week McSpotlight will be updated on how the world's press has covered McLibel, McDonald's and multinationals in general.

SQUALL
UK; Autumn 1996

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McSpotlight review

SQUALL
UK; Autumn 1996

McBELLY DANCING
Word reaches Squall that Capt. Dan, mainstay of the McLibel Support Campaign, was seen Egyptian belly dancing at WOMAD festival. Dan, once a corporate lawyer with Lovell White Durrant hasn't looked back since leaving the shipping litigation department to help the McLibel Two expose McDonald's. Dan now sleeps on the floor of the McLibel Support Campaign office with what he describes as the "most minimal of belongings". A year's subsciption to Squall for any photographs of the Captain in his "most minimal" Egyptian bikini, banging it to the bazouki.

Guardian
UK; 14th October 1996

Winners and Losers in the week ahead:

IT'S LOOKING GRIM FOR McDONALD'S

In 1990 the fast-food giant served libel writs on Dave Morris and Helen Steel after they distributed a leaflet allegedly maligning the firm. The McLibel trial is now well into its second year, and the self-styled anarchists have given up their jobs to conduct their own defence. On Wednesday there is a Worldwide Day of Action, including a picket of McDonald's head office in Finchley, north London.

Canal Plus
France; 16th October 1996

There was a 4 minute item on TV in France about McLibel, McSpotlight and McDonald's. The nightly live TV show "Nullepart Ailleurs" at 6.30pm on Canal Plus had a discussion between presenters about all of this based around the fact that it was the World Day. They displayed McLibel T-shirts and stickers.

Die WochenZeitung (WoZ)
Switzerland; October 11, 1996

Britannien: Der weltgroesste Hamburger-Konzern wird vor Gericht geroestet McDonald's: Ein Konzern haut sich in die Pfanne Erfolgreicher Rekordversuch: Der Fast-food-Multi McDonald's zerrte zwei Leute vor Gericht. Nun machen sie ihm dort den Prozess, und das seit ueber zwei Jahren.

Adbusters
Canada; Winter 1996

McDONALD'S MORALE CRUMBLING

[Article about McDonald's growth rate, their link-up with Disney, McLibel & McSpotlight]

But like a supernova which burns brightest and hottest just before it explodes and collapses in on itself, McDonald's may be experiencing a final stage of rapid expsansion before it implodes under the weight of international public condemnation. The catalyst for this disintegration may well turn out to be the McLibel 2.

Last Week in the Media

3 October - 9 October - Viz and McDonald's; McMunchies and McLibel trial becomes the longest civil case in British history - Guiness Book of Records
26 September - 2 October - How we met, Helen Steel and Dave Morris, in the Independent.
19 September - 25 September - Big Mac Chews Out Little Mrs Munchie.
12 Septmeber - 18 September - Adopt-A-Store and SLAPPS.
22 August - 11 September - Mark Thomas' regular site to hang out: McSpotlight.
7 August - 21August - Big Mac in big trouble over late openings.
18 July - 6 August - Last year, 96% of Americans ate at McDonald's; more than half the American population lives within a three-minute drive of a McDonald's...
4 July - 17 July - How corporations are "flame-broiled" on the Net.
27 June - 3 July - The second anniversary of the McLibel Trial is celebrated in style.
20 June - 26 June - Squall reveals how McDonald's is "gobbling the rainforests".
13 June - 19 June - The New Statesman runs a very positive article on McSpotlight
30 May - 12 June - McDonald's 'used police sources' in McLibel case, reports the Independent
23 May - 29 May - Red Pepper exposes Japanese racist myths about 'healthy' McDonald's food
16 May - 22 May - A quiet week: 'An American Cowboy in London' profiles McLibel witness Howard Lyman
9 May - 15 May - 'McMyths about McJobs': Strange Spectator article defends low-paid work for young people
2 May - 8 May - Busy week, with McLibel featured on satirical TV show and analysis of McDonald's stranglehold over the UK
24 April - 1 May - Highlight of the week: George Monbiot's Guardian on the absurdities of Britain's libel laws
16 April - 23 April - Howard Lyman causes a storm on the Oprah Winfrey Show when Oprah pledges to give up burgers
5 April - 15 April - A quiet week, but with interesting legal analysis from Legal Action
16 March - 4 April - The BSE in beef crisis explodes, the media is saturated with McDonald's decision to ban British beef
9 March - 15 March - Sensational five-page colour feature in the UK's Guardian Weekend on the McLibel Trial and McSpotlight
2 March - 8 March - The world's press takes an interest in McSpotlight - articles in USA Today, Observer and Legal Action
24 February - 1 March - Lots of mentions for McLibel. McSpotlight makes 'Global Hero' for March 1996
17 - 23 February - Great headlines, media people: 'Big Mac's Critics Connect On Line', 'Burger Giant Under McSpotlight'...
11 - 16 February - Our first week - not much press. Little did they know...

Other This Weeks

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This Week's Campaigning

This Week at McDonald's