Still Not the News: Video News Releases

From April to October 2006, the Center for Media and Democracy documented television newsrooms' use of selected video news releases (VNRs). While the number of VNRs tracked equals roughly two percent of the total offered to newsrooms over the six-month period, this report provides a detailed and representative survey of how VNRs are incorporated into newscasts.

Click on the links below to read more about each VNR, including the client(s) that funded it, the TV stations that aired it, and the techniques that each station used to incorporate the VNR into its newscast. You can also compare Quicktime videos of the original VNRs with selected newscasts that incorporated them.

	Oil Lobbyist's "News" Denies Inconvenient Truths TCS Daily
	WTOK-11's hot air misleads viewers
	Huey Lewis and the Fake News Oticon A/S
	Four stations remove the built-in disclosures on a hearing aid VNR
	Feed a Cold, Starve the Truth Matrixx Initiatives
	Two stations sneeze at built-in VNR notifications
	Mike Morris Gets His Big Break General Mills
	Two stations dress publicist up as reporter for Halloween
	Doctored News Siemens Oncology
	A publicist delivers a "health report" at two newscasts
	Would You Buy a Car From This Man? General Motors
	KMSP-9 helps rev up convertible sales
	"Life Insurance Is Like Money in the Bank!" Allstate
	An insurance company is in good hands with a VNR-friendly news team
	A Campaign for Hearts and Kidneys American College of Physicians
	KSFY-13 passively discloses, NY1 shows another side of medical VNR
	A Scanner Fakely Siemens Oncology
	Two stations praise brand-name medical technology
	Fake Newshounds with Worms Companion Animal Parasite Council
	Once again, WCTI-12 hosts hidden interests
	Yes, But Can It Protect You From Fake News? Trend Micro
	A Comcast station goes all out to push laptop security software
	Puppy Dog Tales Old Mother Hubbard
	A report on natural pet food has promotional byproducts
	Beware of Flood-Damaged Car Stories CARFAX.com
	Three stations fix up a promotional VNR and sell it as journalism
	Whose Byline Is It Anyway? CA
	One station is crystal clear on a VNR's source, the other one isn't
	WJAR-10 Gives Viewers a Shot in the Dark GlaxoSmithKline
	A station uses a flu vaccine VNR, but omits the disclosure and risk info
	Undisclosed Fake News Includes Hidden Interests American College of Physicians
	Three stations air a medical VNR, no questions asked
	Driven Into the Arms of Others Allstate
	KHSL-12 obliges an insurance company while KGO-7 fronts for three
	Kansas City Newsroom on Auto Play General Motors
	WDAF-4's safety segment is really a car ad
	I Want a New (Birth Control) Drug Barr Pharmaceuticals
	KYW-3 helps push brand-name pills
	News Flash: Art Fennell Loves Pancakes General Mills
	For Bisquick's birthday, CN8 gives away its viewers
	KLFY-10 Carries Water for Allstate Allstate
	A station pushes flood insurance over journalism
	Multiple Soundbites for Novartis Novartis
	A VNR touts a drug before FDA approval
	WAKA-8 Takes the Back Seat General Motors
	A station forgets to credit GM for a story on teen drivers
	The Morning-After Shills Barr Phamaceuticals
	Stations air a pharmaceutical company VNR without attribution
	This Just In: GM Loves Kids General Motors
	A KLFY-10 child safety segment is really a GM ad
	Signaling Support for Siemens Siemens AS
	Warning: Pilots and XETV-6 viewers may see red
	GM Gets a Free Ride in New York General Motors
	WPIX-11 adds soundtrack, but no disclosure, to fake news
	More Than Meets the Eye Advanced Medical Optics
	WYTV-33 promotes lens replacements
	Lost in Translation Siemens
	A Spanish-language newscast adapts a VNR but forgets the disclosure
	What's Sex Got To Do with It? Nelson's Rescue Sleep
	Two newsrooms sleep as a "hard sell" VNR airs
	Nice Shirt, But Where's the Label? Vivometrics
	WTIC-61 tries a corporate VNR on for size
	Bowls and Balls General Mills
	Football's Doug Flutie is a Wheaties flunky
	E! Gets an "F" For Non-Disclosure Victoria's Secret
	Entertainment network pushes "very sexy" makeup