PR Watch, Second Quarter 2006, Volume 13, No. 2

Fake TV News: Executive Summary

by Diane Farsetta and Daniel Price

Over a ten-month period, the Center for Media and Democracy (CMD) documented television newsrooms' use of 36 video news releases (VNRs) -- a small sample of the thousands produced each year. CMD identified 77 television stations, from those in the largest to the smallest markets, that aired these VNRs or related satellite media tours (SMTs) in 98 separate instances, without disclosure to viewers. Collectively, these 77 stations reach more than half of the U.S. population.

Flack Attack

In this issue of PR Watch, we bring you several excerpts from the Center for Media and Democracy’s groundbreaking report, “Fake TV News: Widespread and Undisclosed.” Co-authored by CMD Senior Researcher Diane Farsetta and Research Consultant Daniel Price and released in early April, the report documents television stations’ use of video news releases (VNRs), “news” segments funded by and scripted for paying clients.

The Best War Ever: Lies, Damned Lies and the Mess in Iraq

by Sheldon Rampton and John Stauber
Available in bookstores everywhere and at www.prwatch.org on September 14th

Sheldon Rampton and John Stauber told us so. The first authors to expose the blatant deceptions that got us into the Iraq War reveal how the same lies have led us toward defeat.

Fake TV News: Findings - Prescription Strength Spin

by Daniel Price

The following articles describe two of the 36 video news releases (VNRs) tracked by the Center for Media and Democracy. To view footage of these VNRs and how television stations incorporated them into their newscasts, or to learn about the other 34 fake news segments documented by CMD, see www.prwatch.org/faknews/findings/vnrs.

Fake TV News: Findings - Advice from a Store-Bought Expert

video news releases

by Daniel Price

At holiday time, a seemingly-impartial consumer advocate shills for three corporations in the guise of offering shopping advice

On December 2, 2005, WPGH-53 in Pittsburgh, PA, ran a holiday feature on the best and worst high-tech gifts for children. In it, technology expert and " Internet Mom" Robin Raskin warned parents about two potentially dangerous items on the market while praising four that are safe and fun for kids.

CMD in the News

The Center for Media and Democracy is at the forefront of exposing manipulative PR and propaganda. Here are just a few examples of recent media coverage of CMD staff and programs:

Fake TV News: Findings -- Corporations

video news releases

by Diane Farsetta

Nearly all of the clients behind the video news releases (VNRs) tracked by the Center for Media and Democracy (CMD) -- 47 of 49 -- were corporations. (The other two were professional associations.) Those 47 corporations were responsible for 34 of the 36 VNRs documented in the " Fake TV News" report.

Televison Stations Respond . . . And it's Worse Than You Think

video news releases

by Diane Farsetta

One news director says, "I have been instructed by corporate not to talk to you."

Hours after the Center for Media and Democracy released our "Fake TV News" report on television stations' widespread and undisclosed use of corporate video news releases (VNRs), a major organization of broadcast news executives issued its response.

Congresspedia: Citizen Journalists Take On Congress

by Conor Kenny

On April 26, 2006, the Center for Media and Democracy launched a new experiment in citizen journalism: Congresspedia, the " citizens' encyclopedia on Congress," housed at www.congresspedia.org. Congresspedia is built on our collaborative SourceWatch website and uses the same wiki model to enable anyone to contribute their own research on members of the U.S. Congress, major legislation and Washington DC scandals.