John Stauber

John Stauber is an esteemed American progressive writer hailing from the small town of Marshfield in Wisconsin. Growing up in a conservative Republican household, his perspective shifted dramatically during the Vietnam War, becoming an anti-war and environmental activist while still a high school student at Marshfield High School.

Stauber has made significant contributions to understanding government propaganda and the influence of private interests in the public domain. He has co-authored five books shedding light on these themes. His work includes examining the manipulation of science by industries in "Trust Us, We're Experts", exploring the history and current scope of the public relations industry in "Toxic Sludge is Good for You", and predicting the emergence of mad cow disease in the United States in "Mad Cow USA".

In later works, Stauber and his co-author Sheldon Rampton critiqued the Bush administration's use of propaganda in the Iraq War in "Weapons of Mass Deception", and the perceived monopoly of power by the Republican Party in "Banana Republicans". Their book "The Best War Ever: Lies, Damned Lies, and the Mess in Iraq" further expanded on these themes.

Outside his publishing work, Stauber is also the founder and former executive director of the Center for Media and Democracy. This organization sponsors initiatives such as PR Watch and SourceWatch. These efforts have seen him work with numerous public interest, consumer, family farm, environmental, and community organizations at all levels across the country. He continues to contribute to the Center's quarterly newsmagazine, PR Watch, and serves on the Liberty Tree Board of Advisers.

His tireless work for the public good has led to appearances on C-SPAN and seen him listed among the recipients of the prestigious Orwell Award.