MOCKINGBIRD - Definition

Operation Mockingbird is the name of a CIA project that may or may not have existed. It has been mentioned in several books and web sites, but its existence has not yet been determined. Some believe the operation is merely an urban legend or a conspiracy theory.

According to proponents, Operation Mockingbird began in the late 1940s under the direction of Frank Wisner. The project's alleged goal was to manipulate American media by making covert payments to reporters. Journalists were encouraged to pass along intelligence they came across in their work and to support American policies in their writings. Reportedly, Allen Dulles, Richard Helms and Philip Graham were involved in the operation.

References

• "Katherine the Great: Katherine Graham and the Washington Post by Deborah Davis, Harcourt Brace Jovanovitch, 1979. This book makes many claims about Katherine Graham, then owner of the Washington Post, and her cooperation with Operation Mockingbird.
• "Private Censorship -- Killing 'Katharine The Great'" by Eve Pell, The Nation, November 12, 1983. This article alleges the previously mentioned book was shelved for years under enormous pressure by the Washington Post.
• Disinfopedia - Operation Mockingbird (http://www.disinfopedia.org/wiki.phtml?title=Operation_Mockingbird). This site compiles many of the allegations made regarding Operation Mockingbird on the web.