"Mr Rove asked Sherry Lansing, the Paramount Pictures studio chief and one of the most influential women in Hollywood, to round up other film and television studio heads for this weekend's meeting. Forty senior Hollywood executives, the men and women who decide which films the studios make, will get together with White House representatives over brunch at the Peninsula Hotel in Beverly Hills. "

"Jack Valenti, of the Motion Picture Association, who with Jonathan Dolgen, the head of Viacom, and Ms Lansing is helping to organise the event, described those invited as " a high-powered crowd, top people from the top companies". Among those who have accepted are Sumner Redstone of Viacom and RupertMurdoch, chairman and chief executive of The News Corporation, parent company of The Times. "

"Tomorrow's meeting will build on the sentiments expressed in a similar forum in Hollywood last month, which concluded that the film industry needed guidance from Washington about how to help. Last month's meeting was attended by actors and writers as well as Hollywood executives. Tomorrow's goes right to the top, bringing together a group of movie moguls who can ensure that what is agreed will reach the screens. "

"The film-makers are careful not to use the word propaganda when talking about what may be expected of them, although the wording on the invitation amounts to the same thing. It praises Hollywood's ability "to

communicate, educate and inspire" and asks how these talents can best be used to combat terrorism. "

this was first published in The Times (in London) two days ago. i hope there was some protest to the government using mass media to gain support for this absurd war.

Obviously, they didn't get it the first time. We need to protest against this meeting.

Better get that resume ready, Leni R (1902-)...