Bush 'planted fake news stories on American TV' By Andrew Buncombe in Washington Published: 29 May 2006 Federal authorities are actively investigating dozens of American television stations for broadcasting items produced by the Bush administration and major corporations, and passing them off as normal news. Some of the fake news segments talked up success in the war in Iraq, or promoted the companies' products. Investigators from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) are seeking information about stations across the country after a report produced by a campaign group detailed the extraordinary extent of the use of such items. The report, by the non-profit group Centre for Media and Democracy, found that over a 10-month period at least 77 television stations were making use of the faux news broadcasts, known as Video News Releases (VNRs). Not one told viewers who had produced the items. "We know we only had partial access to these VNRs and yet we found 77 stations using them," said Diana Farsetta, one of the group's researchers. "I would say it's pretty extraordinary. The picture we found was much worse than we expected going into the investigation in terms of just how widely these get played and how frequently these pre-packaged segments are put on the air." Ms Farsetta said the public relations companies commissioned to produce these segments by corporations had become increasingly sophisticated in their techniques in order to get the VNRs broadcast. "They have got very good at mimicking what a real, independently produced television report would look like," she said. The FCC has declined to comment on the investigation but investigators from the commission's enforcement unit recently approached Ms Farsetta for a copy of her group's report. The range of VNR is wide. Among items provided by the Bush administration to news stations was one in which an Iraqi-American in Kansas City was seen saying "Thank you Bush. Thank you USA" in response to the 2003 fall of Baghdad. The footage was actually produced by the State Department, one of 20 federal agencies that have produced and distributed such items. Many of the corporate reports, produced by drugs manufacturers such as Pfizer, focus on health issues and promote the manufacturer's product. One example cited by the report was a Hallowe'en segment produced by the confectionery giant Mars, which featured Snickers, M&Ms and other company brands. While the original VNR disclosed that it was produced by Mars, such information was removed when it was broadcast by the television channel - in this case a Fox-owned station in St Louis, Missouri. Bloomberg news service said that other companies that sponsored the promotions included General Motors, the world's largest car maker, and Intel, the biggest maker of semi-conductors. All of the companies said they included full disclosure of their involvement in the VNRs. "We in no way attempt to hide that we are providing the video," said Chuck Mulloy, a spokesman for Intel. "In fact, we bend over backward to make this disclosure." The FCC was urged to act by a lobbying campaign organised by Free Press, another non-profit group that focuses on media policy. Spokesman Craig Aaron said more than 25,000 people had written to the FCC about the VNRs. "Essentially it's corporate advertising or propaganda masquerading as news," he said. "The public obviously expects their news reports are going to be based on real reporting and real information. If they are watching an advertisement for a company or a government policy, they need to be told." The controversy over the use of VNRs by television stations first erupted last spring. At the time the FCC issued a public notice warning broadcasters that they were obliged to inform viewers if items were sponsored. The maximum fine for each violation is $32,500 (£17,500). Federal authorities are actively investigating dozens of American television stations for broadcasting items produced by the Bush administration and major corporations, and passing them off as normal news. Some of the fake news segments talked up success in the war in Iraq, or promoted the companies' products. Investigators from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) are seeking information about stations across the country after a report produced by a campaign group detailed the extraordinary extent of the use of such items. The report, by the non-profit group Centre for Media and Democracy, found that over a 10-month period at least 77 television stations were making use of the faux news broadcasts, known as Video News Releases (VNRs). Not one told viewers who had produced the items. "We know we only had partial access to these VNRs and yet we found 77 stations using them," said Diana Farsetta, one of the group's researchers. "I would say it's pretty extraordinary. The picture we found was much worse than we expected going into the investigation in terms of just how widely these get played and how frequently these pre-packaged segments are put on the air." Ms Farsetta said the public relations companies commissioned to produce these segments by corporations had become increasingly sophisticated in their techniques in order to get the VNRs broadcast. "They have got very good at mimicking what a real, independently produced television report would look like," she said. The FCC has declined to comment on the investigation but investigators from the commission's enforcement unit recently approached Ms Farsetta for a copy of her group's report. The range of VNR is wide. Among items provided by the Bush administration to news stations was one in which an Iraqi-American in Kansas City was seen saying "Thank you Bush. Thank you USA" in response to the 2003 fall of Baghdad. The footage was actually produced by the State Department, one of 20 federal agencies that have produced and distributed such items. Many of the corporate reports, produced by drugs manufacturers such as Pfizer, focus on health issues and promote the manufacturer's product. One example cited by the report was a Hallowe'en segment produced by the confectionery giant Mars, which featured Snickers, M&Ms and other company brands. While the original VNR disclosed that it was produced by Mars, such information was removed when it was broadcast by the television channel - in this case a Fox-owned station in St Louis, Missouri. Bloomberg news service said that other companies that sponsored the promotions included General Motors, the world's largest car maker, and Intel, the biggest maker of semi-conductors. All of the companies said they included full disclosure of their involvement in the VNRs. "We in no way attempt to hide that we are providing the video," said Chuck Mulloy, a spokesman for Intel. "In fact, we bend over backward to make this disclosure." The FCC was urged to act by a lobbying campaign organised by Free Press, another non-profit group that focuses on media policy. Spokesman Craig Aaron said more than 25,000 people had written to the FCC about the VNRs. "Essentially it's corporate advertising or propaganda masquerading as news," he said. "The public obviously expects their news reports are going to be based on real reporting and real information. If they are watching an advertisement for a company or a government policy, they need to be told." The controversy over the use of VNRs by television stations first erupted last spring. At the time the FCC issued a public notice warning broadcasters that they were obliged to inform viewers if items were sponsored. The maximum fine for each violation is $32,500 (£17,500). http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/article621189.ece/ ------------------------------------------- Well done, you dominate all branches of government, won two elections, and the most watched news network in the country is your lapdog. And you still need to do stuff like this, isn't that pathetic?
Title's misleading but this is the stuff we were talking about in the media bias thread. Broadcasting newsreleases as news.
FCC investigating Bush's mouthpiece, wow that's rich. $32,000 is no more than pocket change. Hey at least Janet Jackson's boobs are real, natural, and not mind altering.
Pat Tillman? Jessica Lynch? Iraqi unmanned balloons that would deliver wmd to US. Tony blair claimed in 45 minutes Sadam could attack Britain. What was the name of he black columnist Armstrong Williams? who was paid to write bogus opinion pieces about the beauties of the "No Child Left Behind Act" BTW any evidence that it was more than a reshuffling of the chairs on the Titanic and a pr success with a catchy name? The guy from Houston who was put in charge turned out to be a fraud who had phonied up his stats to get superintendant of the year award. It makes you wonder if Novak, Friedman, Judith Miller or some of the others were paid to write pro-war pieces.
AGAIN... VNR's are NOT FAKE. Thats completely misleading. They are REAL newstories with real & correct information put out by Federal agencies. This is no different than when a station runs a package from Reuters or CNN.(which is VERY COMMON in smaller TV markets where there is not as much local newsworthy material. Smaller stations often do not have the manpower/equipment/money do produce a lot of content, so they often have to supplement them with stories/packages from other sources. CNN/Reuters/AP all charge fee's for their use, but anything government produced is free to EVERYONE. If I wanted to use NASA footage for and educational video (and I have before) all I have to do is either take a satellite feed in, or have a Government archive dub the footage for me (for a small dubbing fee) and send the video to me. VNR's have been produced for YEARS...gosh, even under CLINTON. (gasp, horror). This is just another case of someone trying to make the current president look bad, for no reason at all. I've worked in broadcasting for 12yrs now, and this is nothing new at all. AGAIN, the information is correct and true. The only problem they have, is that some news station are failing to put a mark on them that says where the story came from.
And that's a pretty big failing. Especially when they are commercially produced and include product placements. Or if they address policy matters, and are produced by those with a stake in the policy.
When they are presented as news and they don't hold up to supposed journalistic standards(two sources to verify) then then they are indeed fake news. They might have real information but they aren't real news stories. I don't care whether Clinton did it, or anyone else. That isn't relevant.
I don't think these make the president look bad. He's not forcing anyone to run them. The story makes the news stations look bad. (the title to the article is wrong...I agree). The president's office should issue news releases. Nothing wrong with issuing them on video. The news station should either take bits of the news release in presenting their story...or, at minimum, identify what they are broadcasting. Presenting it as news (with a presumption of impartiality) is misleading.
I think most of the blame belongs with the news stations. However some of the blame does lie with the production where they have actors portraying news reporters, and delivering the news release as if it were an actual news story.
I agree that this has been going on forever. Anyone else remember the "news stories" about atomic weapons tests, civil defense and the like, back in the '50's and early '60's? As I recall, however, and perhaps someone else may recall this better than I (it's been a hell of a long time, lol!), there was a clear disclaimer somewhere that this was a government production, although it might have been missed if one wasn't paying close attention. Keep D&D Civil.
so when the corporations provide full disclosure, who are they providing it to, the stations. sounds like the stations are more to blame. interesting though, they say its usually stations in small towns with nothing to report. which reminds me of the thread about the family in iowa who was kicked out of the buffet for wasting food. I was thinking why is this news. why don't this small stations just pick up more national news?
Probably a mixture of higher licencing fees in a partnership, cost cutting measures, smaller tv viewership, and reduced outlets from synergized corporations. The government's handing these stories out for cheap. No IP or plagarism issues either.
[Off Topic...maybe...maybe no] I just don't think Jr. can help himself anymore. -------------------------- Bush Caught In Lie About Snow Resignation On May 25th, President Bush said that Treasury Secretary John Snow had not given him any indication that he was leaving soon: In fact, not only had Snow indicated he was leaving, President Bush had already settled on his replacement. Today, Tony Snow said that Hank Paulson was offered the job on May 20 and accepted a day later: Later in the briefing, Tony Snow essentially admitted that Bush misled the public, claiming it was necessary to protect the market: http://thinkprogress.org/2006/05/30/bush-snow-lie/
