Faux News Expands Beyond Fox…

…at least according to this report:

Federal authorities are actively investigating dozens of American television stations for broadcasting items produced by the Bush administration and major corporations, and passing them off as normal news. Some of the fake news segments talked up success in the war in Iraq, or promoted the companies’ products. [...]

The report, by the non-profit group Centre for Media and Democracy, found that over a 10-month period at least 77 television stations were making use of the faux news broadcasts, known as Video News Releases (VNRs). Not one told viewers who had produced the items. [...]

One example cited by the report was a Hallowe’en segment produced by the confectionery giant Mars, which featured Snickers, M&Ms and other company brands. While the original VNR disclosed that it was produced by Mars, such information was removed when it was broadcast by the television channel – in this case a Fox-owned station in St Louis, Missouri.

I’m oh so surprised that Republicans would actually act in collusion with corporate interests to disseminate propaganda. H/T to Mike N.

posted May 29th, 2006 by Stephen Gordon
  • Devious David

    You’d just love my local news.

  • Timothy West

    this is the natural result of >95% of the domestically produced media owned by 5 global media companies. ( and their practical monopoly kept in place by what else? but government.

  • error

    I’m confused. I thought the MSM was a bunch of liberal wackos? Now I find out they’re a bunch of right-wing wackos?

  • Stephen Gordon

    MH,

    Is there a significant difference?

  • error

    Good point.

  • http://www.hannity.com Sean Hannity

    Fox News – Fair and Balanced. We report, you decide.

  • http://www.fauxnews.com Bill O’Reilly

    Don’t forget the No Spin Zone.

  • http://www.psychopolitik.com b-psycho

    SMH. Lazy-asses can’t make their own propaganda so they buy it from someone else…

    LOL@LibertyMix coming out the same day as “The Omen”, btw. Clever.

  • http://iliketocomplain.blogspot.com Chris Monnier

    > I’m confused. I thought the MSM was a bunch of liberal wackos? Now I find out they’re a bunch of right-wing wackos?

    The MSM is a bunch of pro-government wackos.

  • http://www.tom-hanna.org tom Hanna

    For years newspapers have published press releases from businesses verbatim, often going so far as to stick a reporters name at the top. How exactly is this not the equivalent done with video?

  • error

    It depends on what you do with it, I suppose. Once upon a time, I used some B-roll provided by Verizon in a piece critical of them. I imagine they were none too happy. :)

  • http://www.helpmeimpeachbush.com Help Me Impeach Bush

    I wrote a brief article on this topic, The Bush Administratino’s Use of Covert Propaganda Against Americans that contains some links to the relevant GAO reports. The comments generated by the article also contain a bunch of other links on the topic.

    Another instance in which the GAO determined the Bush administration to be spreading what they called “covert propaganda” was the whole Armstrong Williams debacle. I also wonder if the Jeff Gannon fiasco wasn’t their doing.

  • http://imnotparanoiditstrue.blogspot.com/ Ryan B.

    does this really surprise anyone? I mean truth in news reporting that would have surprised me. Any news you get from any outlet is propaganda, facts are just there to be used ny who wants to put their spin on them. wasn;t there a story a few weeks back about the truth not being required by law in news reports. and on the impeach Bush you have my support has he gone far enough to be brought up on war crimes yet?

  • http://www.frankworley.com Frank Worley

    I’m not sure what the big deal is. Honestly, how is this different from taking a regular press release or a pre-produced sound bite for radio and using it in news casts. Having worked in Radio and a little TV news, I’ve actually seen anchors take parts of press releases – work a little pen and paper magic and read them on air with only minor changes.

    For those who care to know, remember this:

    With very few exceptions, nothing ever becomes news unless someone WANTS it to become news. -Me

    We have been spoon fed for some time.

    Frank