Advertiser coalition for 'credible' news closes shop following House Judiciary GOP scrutiny

The reports of the Global Alliance for Responsible Media's resurrection are greatly exaggerated, and House Judiciary Committee Republicans appear to have played a key role in keeping advertising coalitions against ideologically disfavored publishers in the grave.

Dentsu Americas told Chair Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, it will not pursue the "Dentsu Coalition" with the 614 Group following concerns that it "constitutes any kind of effort to revive" GARM, shuttered by the World Federation of Advertisers two days after Elon Musk's X sued the two entities for antitrust violations, according to the first page of an Oct. 17 response letter posted by Judiciary GOP Monday night.

You can read the full letter here:

Dentsu already took down its Sept. 4 press release on the initiative with the 614 Group, whose announcement remains online. 

They called it "a groundbreaking coalition aimed at fostering substantial and sustainable investments in credible news" when "traditional monetization strategies have struggled under the weight of brand safety and suitability measures ... especially at critical times such as during the 2024 election cycle."

InsideRadio portrayed the new initiative as "likely the first of several potential solutions" for advertisers in the wake of GARM's shuttering. 614 Group CEO Rob Rasko pointedly said its aim was to "ensure that journalism not only survives but thrives by leveraging the collective power of the industry’s foremost players."

This line stood out to Jordan, who warned Dentsu Americas CEO Michael Komasinski Oct. 3 it looks like "a de facto reorganization of GARM" and asked for its documents and communications on or related to GARM or its reorganization.

The uncredited Dentsu Americas response letter, posted four days after it was sent, recognized "confusion" about the coalition's purpose and said it would not "pursue any other effort with similar aims." 

The committee GOP responded: "BIG WIN!"