Ethics & objectivity Sources & attribution News & news values Reporting & writing Fourth estate • Libel law Education & books Other topics
Advocacy journalism Alternative journalism Arts journalism Business journalism Citizen journalism Fashion journalism Investigative journalism Literary journalism Photojournalism Science journalism Sports journalism Video game journalism Video journalism Infotainment "Infotainers" and personalities News management Distortion and VNRs PR and propaganda "Yellow journalism" Press freedom Newspapers and magazines News agencies Broadcast journalism Online and blogging Alternative media
Journalist, reporter, editor, news presenter, photo journalist, Columnist, visual journalist
 v • d • e 
Accuracy In Media (AIM) is an American organization which monitors the news media in the United States. Founded in 1969 by Reed Irvine, at the time an economist with the Federal Reserve, AIM describes itself as "a non-profit, grassroots citizens watchdog of the news media that critiques botched and bungled news stories and sets the record straight on important issues that have received slanted coverage".
It commonly attacks what it sees as liberal bias in the media. Despite AIM's claim of political neutrality, some media watchdog groups, including self-described "progressive group" Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting, refer to it as a conservative organization.
AIM maintains many ties to conservative groups and is known for criticizing journalists with accusations of leftist bias, but rarely (if ever) levels claims of conservative bias against reporters or news organizations. Its positions on issues would also usually be classified as conservative: AIM editorialized in support of Nicaraguan Contra leaders such as José Francisco Cardenal. It also supported the Committee for a Free Afghanistan, a US group that backed Islamic fundamentalist Afghans who fought the Soviet invasion. Also supported are Augusto Pinochet, who was called a savior of Chile, and the group often quotes from The Epoch Times, a group that publishes information on Chinese human rights abuses.

History
AIM publishes a twice-monthly newsletter called the AIM Report, originally edited by Reed Irvine. These newsletters often encourage subscribers to write to people or organizations urging them to change their policies. This has become daily over the Internet and through e-mail with current AIM Editor Cliff Kincaid and AIM executive secretary and media analyst Roger Aronoff since 2000.

Publications
At CBS's meetings, Irvine frequently denounced Walter Cronkite as a Soviet dupe. At a 1986 meeting, Irvine requested that Cronkite be removed from the CBS board of directors for allegedly supporting unilateral disarmament.

Controversies
Critics say AIM's attacks on the media seem to have little to do with actual misrepresentation or inaccuracies in media accounts. They assert that Irvine and AIM is quick to attack groups that do not fit in the group's ideological niche. Donald Graham, the publisher of The Washington Post, alleges that Irvine tends to "throw around accusations about people being communists."
AIM has also been vigorously defensive of former Senator Joseph McCarthy, referring to his critics as "liars" and "communists," and defending his legacy, claiming that he never once fingered an innocent person in his accusations during the red scare he helped to fan. [5]

Criticism
Irvine claims that 75 percent of AIM's funding comes from contributors donating US$100 or less. Only three donors of the remainder are given by name: the Allied Educational Foundation, Shelby Cullom Davis, and billionaire Richard Mellon Scaife. Scaife gave $2 million to Accuracy in Media since 1977 -1997.
In December 2004, the American Institute of Philanthropy gave AIM a grade of "C+" for not-for-profit effectiveness. It noted that it would have awarded a grade of "A", but reduced the grade because AIM retains 4.1 years' worth of operating expenses in assets. It feels that AIM is in a poor position to ask donors for more funding when it is already cash-rich.

Vincent Foster conspiracy claims
On October 20, 2006, Accuracy in Media released a list of 27 questions to pose at the Fox News Executive meeting that will be attended by AIM editor Cliff Kincaid.