Video News Releases

NEWS RELEASE: New Report Catches More TV Stations Airing Fake News

by John Stauber — November 13, 2006 - 10:30pm
  • Topics: Activism, Journalism, Video News Releases

    • NEWS RELEASE - TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2006

    Contact:
    Diane Farsetta or Daniel Price, CMD, (608) 260-9713
    Craig Aaron, Free Press, (202) 265-1490 x 25

    New Investigation Catches More TV Stations Airing Fake News

    'Still Not the News' report names 46 stations airing VNRs, including 10 already under FCC investigation

    The Video News Release Industry's Next Statement to the FCC

    by Bob Burton — October 24, 2006 - 3:03pm
  • Topics: Advertising, Journalism, Video News Releases, Ethics, Media, Public Relations, U.S. Government

    • Recently a new lobby group, the National Association of Broadcast Communicators (NABC), was launched to try to convince federal regulators, media policy wonks and the general public that they shouldn't worry about television stations airing undisclosed video news releases (VNRs).

    New FCC Filing: Broadcasters of Fake News Make False Claims about VNR study

    by Diane Farsetta — October 17, 2006 - 2:21pm
  • Topics: Journalism, Video News Releases, U.S. Government
    • Free Press and Center for Media and Democracy respond to smears from RTNDA and NABC

    Groups urge FCC to continue investigation into corporate propaganda

    In an October 16, 2006, letter to the Federal Communications Commission, Free Press and the Center for Media and Democracy refuted spurious claims made by the Radio-Television News Directors Association (RTNDA) and the National Association of Broadcast Communicators (NABC), a new consortium of broadcast PR firms, about the FCC's ongoing investigation into corporate-funded "fake news" on local TV stations.

    Accuracy of Report on Video News Releases Affirmed: CMD Issues Full Rebuttal of RTNDA Claims

    by Diane Farsetta — October 9, 2006 - 1:34pm
  • Topics: Journalism, Video News Releases, Corporations

    • The Center for Media and Democracy (CMD) released a full rebuttal of claims made against its April 2006 report, "Fake TV News: Widespread and Undisclosed." The report tracked television stations' use of video news releases (VNRs). The report documented 77 television stations airing VNRs or related materials; not once did stations disclose the client behind the segment. Recently, the Radio-Television News Directors Association (RTNDA), through the law and lobby firm Wiley Rein & Fielding, issued a critique of CMD’s report that misrepresented and distorted the substance of the report. CMD's full, point-by-point rebuttal of RTNDA's critique is available online at: www.prwatch.org/node/5282.

    Rebuttal of the Radio-Television News Directors Association's "Fake TV News" Report Critique

    by Diane Farsetta — October 9, 2006 - 12:07pm
  • Topics: Journalism, Video News Releases, Corporations

    • On October 5, 2006, the Wiley Rein & Fielding law and lobby firm filed an appeal with the U.S.

    Medical Journal's Spin Doctors Promote Controversial Studies

    by Diane Farsetta — September 14, 2006 - 4:27pm

    Writing on her blog "Honest Medicine," Julia Schopick points out that the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) used video news releases (VNRs) to promote two studies that later proved controversia

    Main Source: 
    Honest Medicine blog, July 30, 2006

    TV Newsrooms Air the Darndest Things

    by Diane Farsetta — September 13, 2006 - 5:24pm

    Should "viral" videos, produced and placed online by marketers but circulated by amused viewers, be labeled as advertising?

    Main Source: 
    Advertising Age, September 11, 2006

    What Media Democracy Looks Like: Testifying in Milwaukee

    by Diane Farsetta — September 13, 2006 - 8:44am
  • Topics: Activism, Video News Releases, Media, Race / Ethnic Issues, U.S. Government

    • "Media democracy" is a term that everyone defines a little differently.

    Is it quality reporting that not only informs about local, national and international issues, but also facilitates citizen involvement? Is it having the diversity of our communities represented among media owners? Is it giving local programmers access to the airwaves? Is it holding broadcasters to the terms of their freely-granted licenses? Is it ensuring a variety of news and cultural media offerings?

    Sept 7 in Milwaukee: Future of Media FCC Hearing

    by Diane Farsetta — September 6, 2006 - 9:00am

    Tell the FCC: No fake news!

    Do you want more quality journalism? Are you concerned about the consolidation of media ownership? Is your community fairly represented in the media? Tell the U.S.

    Main Source: 
    Center for Media and Democracy, September 6, 2006
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