[Vision2020] Bush 'planted fake news stories on American TV'

[Chasuk]

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/article621189.ece

 Bush 'planted fake news stories on American TV'
By Andrew Buncombe in Washington
Published: 29 May 2006

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.

Investigators from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) are
seeking information about stations across the country after a report
produced by a campaign group detailed the extraordinary extent of the
use of such items.

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.

"We know we only had partial access to these VNRs and yet we found 77
stations using them," said Diana Farsetta, one of the group's
researchers. "I would say it's pretty extraordinary. The picture we
found was much worse than we expected going into the investigation in
terms of just how widely these get played and how frequently these
pre-packaged segments are put on the air."

Ms Farsetta said the public relations companies commissioned to
produce these segments by corporations had become increasingly
sophisticated in their techniques in order to get the VNRs broadcast.
"They have got very good at mimicking what a real, independently
produced television report would look like," she said.

The FCC has declined to comment on the investigation but investigators
from the commission's enforcement unit recently approached Ms Farsetta
for a copy of her group's report.

The range of VNR is wide. Among items provided by the Bush
administration to news stations was one in which an Iraqi-American in
Kansas City was seen saying "Thank you Bush. Thank you USA" in
response to the 2003 fall of Baghdad. The footage was actually
produced by the State Department, one of 20 federal agencies that have
produced and distributed such items.

Many of the corporate reports, produced by drugs manufacturers such as
Pfizer, focus on health issues and promote the manufacturer's product.
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.

Bloomberg news service said that other companies that sponsored the
promotions included General Motors, the world's largest car maker, and
Intel, the biggest maker of semi-conductors. All of the companies said
they included full disclosure of their involvement in the VNRs. "We in
no way attempt to hide that we are providing the video," said Chuck
Mulloy, a spokesman for Intel. "In fact, we bend over backward to make
this disclosure."

The FCC was urged to act by a lobbying campaign organised by Free
Press, another non-profit group that focuses on media policy.
Spokesman Craig Aaron said more than 25,000 people had written to the
FCC about the VNRs. "Essentially it's corporate advertising or
propaganda masquerading as news," he said. "The public obviously
expects their news reports are going to be based on real reporting and
real information. If they are watching an advertisement for a company
or a government policy, they need to be told."

The controversy over the use of VNRs by television stations first
erupted last spring. At the time the FCC issued a public notice
warning broadcasters that they were obliged to inform viewers if items
were sponsored. The maximum fine for each violation is $32,500
(£17,500).

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.

Investigators from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) are
seeking information about stations across the country after a report
produced by a campaign group detailed the extraordinary extent of the
use of such items.

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.

"We know we only had partial access to these VNRs and yet we found 77
stations using them," said Diana Farsetta, one of the group's
researchers. "I would say it's pretty extraordinary. The picture we
found was much worse than we expected going into the investigation in
terms of just how widely these get played and how frequently these
pre-packaged segments are put on the air."

Ms Farsetta said the public relations companies commissioned to
produce these segments by corporations had become increasingly
sophisticated in their techniques in order to get the VNRs broadcast.
"They have got very good at mimicking what a real, independently
produced television report would look like," she said.

The FCC has declined to comment on the investigation but investigators
from the commission's enforcement unit recently approached Ms Farsetta
for a copy of her group's report.

The range of VNR is wide. Among items provided by the Bush
administration to news stations was one in which an Iraqi-American in
Kansas City was seen saying "Thank you Bush. Thank you USA" in
response to the 2003 fall of Baghdad. The footage was actually
produced by the State Department, one of 20 federal agencies that have
produced and distributed such items.

Many of the corporate reports, produced by drugs manufacturers such as
Pfizer, focus on health issues and promote the manufacturer's product.
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.

Bloomberg news service said that other companies that sponsored the
promotions included General Motors, the world's largest car maker, and
Intel, the biggest maker of semi-conductors. All of the companies said
they included full disclosure of their involvement in the VNRs. "We in
no way attempt to hide that we are providing the video," said Chuck
Mulloy, a spokesman for Intel. "In fact, we bend over backward to make
this disclosure."

The FCC was urged to act by a lobbying campaign organised by Free
Press, another non-profit group that focuses on media policy.
Spokesman Craig Aaron said more than 25,000 people had written to the
FCC about the VNRs. "Essentially it's corporate advertising or
propaganda masquerading as news," he said. "The public obviously
expects their news reports are going to be based on real reporting and
real information. If they are watching an advertisement for a company
or a government policy, they need to be told."

The controversy over the use of VNRs by television stations first
erupted last spring. At the time the FCC issued a public notice
warning broadcasters that they were obliged to inform viewers if items
were sponsored. The maximum fine for each violation is $32,500
(£17,500).