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Free Press has an important Action Alert on Video News Releases (VNRs) which are another way that corporate propaganda gets put out as news on publicly owned airwaves.
From the Action Alert:
Despite an ongoing investigation, corporate propaganda continues to
infiltrate local TV newscasts with disguised product advertisements
posing as genuine news reports. This represents a breach of the trust
between broadcasters and their viewers.
Take action to stop fake news today. Demand that the Federal Communications Commission investigate, strengthen disclosure requirements and punish station owners that air fake news.
The default text in the action form has more information on the significance of the issue:
If my local television station is airing fake TV news -- corporate or government "video news releases" (VNRs) -- I want to know.
That's why I support the FCC's proposed fines for several VNRs that were aired without disclosure. Thank you for taking that first step. But more must be done to ensure the public's right to know.
The Center for Media and Democracy just reported on new instances of VNRs being aired without disclosure. Together with Free Press, CMD has already filed complaints on more than 100 TV stations that passed off VNRs as real news. These stations violated the FCC's sponsorship identification rules and failed to serve the public.
(As is always the case, it is better to write your own text if you can come up with something to say.)
Democracy Now has done an excellent job of covering the VNR issue. It is just another example of how the alternative media does a much better job of covering what is going on in the country.
VNRs are more commonly run on stations in small media markets. If you watch a local news show regularly, here are some hints that msy are watching an unattributed VNR.
1) You don't recognize the "reporter."
2) The "news story" seems too favorable to a product or policy.
3) The accent of the person is from another part of the country.
4) The style of the shooting of the video is different than what you usually see on that station.
Take Action Now!
action taken..hope it doesn't just get deleted. And yeah Dem Now has done a terrific job on this issue and so many others. Imagine if DEM NOW has its one hr nightly on any of the 3 major networks..omg the country would be revolutionized in a matter of a year or two..the power of good information has that effect on people.