Video News Releases

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

by Diane Farsetta — October 9, 2006 - 2:34pm

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 - 1:07pm

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 - 5:27pm

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 - 6:24pm

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 - 9:44am

Topics: Activism, Video News Releases, Media, Race / Ethnic Issues, U.S. Government

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

FCC Commissioner Adelstein

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?

One thing's for sure -- what happened last Thursday in Milwaukee was media democracy in action. More than 300 people attended the Town Meeting on the Future of the Media, which was organized by the media reform group Free Press and co-sponsored by the Center for Media and Democracy. The event gave attendees the opportunity to tell Federal Communications Commission members Jonathan Adelstein and Michael Copps how well the media are serving their communities.

Sept 7 in Milwaukee: Future of Media FCC Hearing

by Diane Farsetta — September 6, 2006 - 10:00am

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

GM Tries To Drive Young Journalists

by Diane Farsetta — August 31, 2006 - 11:06am

"It seems what young student journalists would be 'learning' from this experience is how to take a free trip and meals from one of the company's larger corporations," wrote University of North Carolina business journalism professor Chris Roush. He had just received an email from one of General Motors' PR people, asking for help in promoting GM's "First College Journalists Event," in Las Vegas on September 9 and 10.

Main Source:

"Talking Biz News," University of North Carolina blog, August 30, 2006

Prez Press Room Retrofit Aiming at Message Control?

by Jonathan Rosenblum — August 29, 2006 - 2:37pm

Technological advances in a refurbished White House Press Room open the door (or wall, actually) to daily presidential video news releases, says Professor Robert Thompson of Syracuse University. "The equivalent of press releases could go out without interruption or analysis," Thompson said of the new "video wall" that likely will be added to the press room when it reopens next year.

Main Source:

The State (South Carolina) August 2, 2006

CMD's 'Fake TV News' Report Fuels FCC Investigation

by John Stauber — August 15, 2006 - 7:57am

The Washington Post reports, "The Federal Communications Commission has sent letters to 77 television broadcasters, asking whether their stations had properly labeled 'video news releases' ... before broadcasting them. ...

Main Source:

Washington Post, August 15, 2006

NEWS RELEASE: CMD Commends FCC Investigation of Fake TV News

by John Stauber — August 14, 2006 - 7:41pm

Topics: Video News Releases, Media, U.S. Government

For Immediate Release

Contact: Diane Farsetta or John Stauber, 608-260-9713

Center for Media and Democracy Commends FCC Investigation of Fake TV News

(Madison, WI 8/14/06) Diane Farsetta, senior researcher with the non-profit watchdog group Center for Media and Democracy, released the following statement regarding the announcement by the Federal Communications Commission of its investigation of the fake TV news scandal documented by CMD.