Media

Fake News as Free Speech

by Diane Farsetta — May 10, 2005 - 3:05pm

PR Week reports on the video news release industry's response to Senator Byrd's one-year measure and the Truth in Broadcasting Act, both of which require disclaimers for pre-packaged "news" segments.

Main Source: 
PR Week (sub. req'd.), May 9, 2005

No Fake News!

On April 6, 2006, the Center for Media and Democracy (CMD) released a multi-media report titled, "Fake TV News: Widespread and Undisclosed." It provides the most extensive account to date of how corporate-funded video news releases (VNRs) -- fake TV news -- are routinely aired by newsrooms, without disclosure, as though they were independently-gathered reports.

One Small Step Towards Full Disclosure

by Diane Farsetta — May 5, 2005 - 1:01pm

For one year, U.S. government agencies will be banned "from issuing video news releases that do not clearly identify" the government as the source of the footage. Congressional members "agreed to include the measure in an emergency spending bill," which is why the restriction expires after one year.

Main Source: 
Reuters, May 3, 2005

One-Party State Media

by Diane Farsetta — May 3, 2005 - 1:02pm

"The Republican chairman of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting is aggressively pressing public television to correct what he and other conservatives consider liberal bias," reports the New York Times.

Main Source: 
New York Times, May 2, 2005

The Free Press and the Fake Press

by Diane Farsetta — May 3, 2005 - 11:46am

On World Press Freedom Day, Amnesty International celebrates "the mighty blog" as having "profound implications for press freedom and human rights." The organization states, "People in Iran and China have used blogs to expose violations by their governments and provide the outside world with i

Main Source: 
Inter Press Service News Agency, May 2, 2005

Disclosure for Video (but Not the Radio) Stars

by Diane Farsetta — April 29, 2005 - 12:54pm

Senators John Kerry and Frank Lautenberg introduced the Truth in Broadcasting Act; a Senate Commerce committee hearing is expected in early May.

Main Source: 
Broadcasting & Cable (sub. req'd.), April 28, 2005

Screaming Nielsen and Count Astroturf

by Diane Farsetta — April 28, 2005 - 11:59am

"A case study posted on the website of [Washington] DC-based Glover Park Group (GPG) has caused a PR snafu," reports PR Week.

Main Source: 
PR Week (sub. req'd.), April 27, 2005

Do You Hear What I Hear?

by Diane Farsetta — April 27, 2005 - 1:53pm

In its "PR Toolbox" section, PR Week asks how audio news releases (ANRs) can avoid "the recent controversy that's surrounded video news releases." Ryan McKenna of the radio PR firm North American Network suggests not using the word "reporting," for starters (advice the USDA's

Main Source: 
PR Week, April 25, 2005

Firm Opens New Blogistan Embassy

by Diane Farsetta — April 26, 2005 - 2:06pm

Following similar interest from media moguls and PR firms, the consulting firm Issue Dynamics, Inc. "has launched a formal Blogger Relations Practice and a companion website, http://www.bloggerrelations.com." According to its press release, IDI has already provided "blogger relations" services to "Fortune 50 corpo

Main Source: 
Issue Dynamics, Inc. press release, April 26, 2005

Knowing Who Butters Their Bread

by Bob Burton — April 26, 2005 - 1:48am

The Federal Communications Commission's warning that broadcasters should disclose the origin of some video news releases (VNRs) has the fake news business in a lather.

Main Source: 
PR Week (sub. req'd.) April 25, 2005
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