Video News Releases

An Ethical Look at Fake News

by Diane Farsetta — October 17, 2007 - 9:56am
  • Topics: Journalism, Video News Releases, Ethics, Fake TV News, Public Relations

    • "I love Red Cross, but I don't trust them completely when they're the ones shooting the video," explained journalism professor and Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) ethics committee member Jerry Dunklee.

    Dunklee was speaking at SPJ's recent convention, on a panel titled "Paid and Played: The Ethics of Using Video News Releases." His remarks focused on the ethical issues raised by VNRs. Center for Media and Democracy (CMD) executive director John Stauber and Jim Bayse of the firm Wiley Rein, which represents the Radio-Television News Directors Association, were also on the panel.

    Much of the VNR debate is currently focused on legal and policy issues: speculation over what the Federal Communications Commission really meant by fining Comcast for five undisclosed VNRs, and what the agency is likely to do next. But it's also important to address the ethical implications of VNRs. Dunklee did so by relating sometimes abstract guidelines to real-world situations he faced as a reporter and news director in cable and broadcast television.

    Want To Know Fake News When You See It?

    by Diane Farsetta — October 11, 2007 - 9:40am

    The Center for Media and Democracy (CMD) today reported on three recent instances where a single television station aired entire, pre-packaged video news releases (VNRs).

    Main Source: 
    Center for Media and Democracy, October 11, 2007

    Know Fake News: Summary

    by Diane Farsetta — October 10, 2007 - 4:18pm

    Diane Farsetta, Center for Media and Democracy
    October 11, 2007

    In Brief

    Despite mounting pressure from the public and the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC), television stations continue to air sponsored public relations videos without disclosure. The Center for Media and Democracy (CMD) identified three recent instances where a single television station aired video news releases (VNRs), which are sponsored segments designed to mimic genuine news reports.

    Who's Driving This Thing?

    WGTU-29 Cultivates News Viewers for John Deere

    by Diane Farsetta — October 9, 2007 - 3:57pm
    Clients: John Deere
    Release Date: September 2007
    Aired By: 1 station
    Disclosed By: 1 station

    The alert for a video news release (VNR) titled "A Tractor That Drives Itself" helpfully offers the following news hook: "Reduced tillage involves less fuel consumption when a tractor runs over the field fewer times and saves indirectly by reducing fertilizer requirements."

    Original John Deere VNR WGTU-29 11PM newscast
    D S Simon Productions September 21, 2007
    Voiced by publicist Uncut, voiced by publicist

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    You are missing some Flash content that should appear here! Perhaps your browser cannot display it, or maybe it did not initialize correctly.

    WGTU-29 Provides the Fake Play-By-Play

    Story on High-Definition Systems Lacks Clarity

    by Diane Farsetta — October 9, 2007 - 1:19pm
    Clients: Harris Corporation
    Release Date: September 2007
    Aired By: 1 station
    Disclosed By: No stations

    Lori Puckett's job title at WGTU-29 (Traverse City / Cadillac, Mich.) is Production & Promotions Manager, but she also anchors the television station's evening news show. WGTU's website credits Puckett for her "creative and unique advertising concepts."

    Original Harris Corporation VNR WGTU-29 11PM newscast
    D S Simon Productions September 18, 2007
    Voiced by publicist Uncut, voiced by publicist

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    You are missing some Flash content that should appear here! Perhaps your browser cannot display it, or maybe it did not initialize correctly.

    Time for WGTU-29 To Go Back to School

    Station Lends News Viewers to Capital One

    by Diane Farsetta — October 8, 2007 - 4:01pm
    Clients: Capital One
    Release Date: August 2007
    Aired By: 1 station
    Disclosed By: No stations

    What are teenagers interested in? Music, friends, video games ... and discussing financial matters with their parents.

    Original Capital One VNR WGTU-29 11PM newscast
    MultiVu August 24, 2007
    Voiced by publicist Uncut, voiced by publicist

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    You are missing some Flash content that should appear here! Perhaps your browser cannot display it, or maybe it did not initialize correctly.

    TV "Expert" Doesn't Disclose His Fellow Travelers

    by Diane Farsetta — October 8, 2007 - 12:48pm

    Florida's Broward County paid a travel writer $10,000 to mention Fort Lauderdale, "during a summer media tour that took him to 16 news stations in 37 days," reports the Miami Herald. Joel Widzer "seemed to have little trouble finding stations willing to interview him and air the footage of Fort Lauderdale's coral reefs and spas that the public relations firm, Plus Media, provided producers. A follow-up report ...

    Main Source: 
    Miami Herald, October 7, 2007

    Press release: October 5 Fake TV News Debate Heats Up

    by Diane Farsetta — October 2, 2007 - 5:15pm
  • Topics: Journalism, Video News Releases, Fake TV News, Lobbying

    • Contact:
    John Stauber, (608) 279-4044
    Diane Farsetta, (608) 260-9713


    Fake TV News Debate Heats Up

    Public Debate Between CMD and Broadcast Lobbyist Comes After First-Ever FCC Fines

    Four More Fines for Fake News: FCC Says VNRs Are "Valuable Consideration"

    by Diane Farsetta — October 1, 2007 - 7:53pm
  • Topics: Video News Releases, Corporations, Fake TV News, Marketing, Media, Public Relations, U.S. Government

    • The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has announced four more fines against Comcast, for its cable channel CN8 having aired multiple video news releases (VNRs) without disclosure. But the bigger story is the FCC's reasoning behind the fines.

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