Video news release

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Public relations person, using a fictitious name, appears in U.S. Government Transportation Security Administration video news release on airport security (screenshot)

A video news release (VNR) is a public relations or a propaganda technique whereby a video or radio program is produced, edited and distributed to various media outlets, with the intent to shape public opinion, or to promote and publicize individuals, commercial products and service; VNRs advocate a particular point of view, but give the impression of being objective, accountable news reporting and thus have also come to be known as "faux news" or "fake news."

Producers of VNRs submit video tape and provide satellite feeds to local and national television and radio stations, and cable networks (collectively, "media outlets"). VNR distributors include PR firms, advertising agencies, marketing firms, corporations, and U.S. government agencies.

While unbounded by recognized standards of journalistic ethics, the most widely used form of VNR is crafted in the style of a news report and used, in whole or in part, primarily, during news and public affairs programs; yet, almost without exception, no mention is made within these programs that the source of a particular story is, in fact, a VNR. A related technique is the satellite media tour.

VNRs are in wide use in the United States and appear on corporate and publicly owned media outlets.

Contents

1 Details
2 Media broadcasting of VNRs
3 Business production of VNRs
4 U.S. Government production and distribution of VNRs
5 VNRs and U.S. law
6 US commercial producers of VNRs
7 External links
8 Video and audio links
9 See also

Details

The typical "news report" style VNR will feature a paid actor playing the role of news correspondent; interviews with experts (who often have legitimate, if biased, expertise); so called "man on the street" interviews with "average" people; and pictures of celebrities, products, service demonstrations, corporate logos and the like, where applicable. In some cases the "man on the street" segments feature persons randomly selected and interviewed spontaneously, and in other cases actors are hired and directed by VNR producers to deliver carefully scripted comments. In addition, regardless of whether real people or professional actors appear, VNR producers and directors, unlike journalists, have complete discretion to excerpt and edit these "interviews" into short, self-serving 'sound bites' which best fit the particular aim or point of view the VNR makers seek to advocate.

Media broadcasting of VNRs

Commercial television stations and other media outlets often broadcast only portions of a VNR. Frequently the actor playing the part of news correspondent in the original VNR is removed, or "bumped" as it is known in VNR industry trade slang, and one of the media outlet's regular journalists, known to its audience, is substituted. For example, an interview with a leading executive or scientist from a pharmaceutical corporation -- an industry which was one of the early adopters of the VNR technique -- might be inter-cut with on-camera or spoken commentary from the media outlet's usual journalist.

In a report released on April 6, 2006, the Center for Media and Democracy listed detailed information on 77 television stations that it said had broadcast VNRs in the prior 10 months, and which VNRs had been broadcast. CMD said that in each case the television station actively disguised the VNR content to make it appear to be its own reporting, and that more than one-third of the time, stations aired the pre-packaged VNR in its entirety. [link]

Business production of VNRs

VNRs have been used extensively in business since at least the early 1980s. Corporations such as Microsoft and Phillip Morris, and the pharmaceutical industry generally, have all made use of the technique.

According to the trade-group Public Relations Society of America, a VNR is the video equivalent of a press release.[link] However, John Stauber, an observer and critic of the Public Relations business says, "These fellows are whistling past the graveyard, assuring themselves that this all is no big deal. There was no hint of shame, certainly no apologizing, just apparent disdain for having their business practices dissected on the front page of the New York Times. They are proud of their work." http://www.prwatch.org/node/3374

"PR Execs Undeterred by Fake News "Flap" Analysis by John Stauber on Wed, 03/16/2005" [link]

U.S. Government production and distribution of VNRs

During 2004 a scandal developed over the use of VNRs by the United States government and much debate, media coverage and analysis of the situation continues.

The New York Times, in a story titled "Under Bush, a New Age of Prepackaged TV News" reported, on March 13, 2005, "In all, at least 20 federal agencies, including the Defense Department and the Census Bureau, have made and distributed hundreds of television news segments in the past four years, records and interviews show. Many were subsequently broadcast on local stations across the country without any acknowledgement of the government's role in their production."[link]

In 2004, a controversy with the Bush administration emerged when a VNR financed by the Department of Health and Human Services was aired on a number of local news programs around the country, thinking it was conventional journalism when in fact, it was produced to promote the new Medicare plan. The Karen Ryan video, named so because of the on-screen "reporter," was ruled to be in violation of federal law by the General Accounting Office, the investigative arm of the U.S. government.

In October, 2004 it was further revealed that the Department of Education had hired the Ketchum public relations firm to produce a similar video news release using Karen Ryan as a "reporter" touting the No Child Left Behind program of the Bush administration.[link]

A website from the U.S. Census Bureau informs visitors: "U.S. Census Bureau Video News Feeds are available for creation of state-specific news reports. Targeted comments are provided by Census Bureau Redistricting Data Office Chief, Marshall Turner. Companion notification material includes references to websites for the newly released information. Please contact...Homefront Communications for hardcopies on Betacam SP and faxed/email notification copy."[link]

VNRs and U.S. law

In January 1948, the U.S. Information and Educational Exchange Act of 1948, also known as the Smith-Mundt Act, was passed by Congress and signed into law by U.S. President Harry Truman, placing international overseas information activities, including VOA, under an Office of International Information at the Department of State.[link]

In February 2005, the "Stop Government Propaganda Act" was introduced in the U.S. Senate. It was referred to the Judiciary Committee and no further action occurred. [link]

In April 2005, the Federal Communications Commission warned television stations that they could be fined for airing news stories provided by the government and by companies without disclosing who made them.

In May 2006, FCC chairman Kevin Martin ordered a review of airing of VNRs by television stations, following the April 2006 report by the Center for Media and Democracy. [link]

US commercial producers of VNRs

A number of public relations firms employ the VNR technique on behalf of their clients; there are a number of commercial production companies who specialize VNR production.

[DWJ Television], which claims to have aired the first VNR in the US in the early 1970s
[Running Pony Productions]
[Medialink]
[MultiVu] a service of PR Newswire
Homefront Communications
Karen Ryan
Ketchum Public Relations
[DS Simon Productions]
Hausman & Schott
News Broadcast Network
[VNR-1 Communications]

External links

[GAO decision - Matter of: Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services—Video News Releases, File: B-302710, May 19, 2004]
[(GAO B-303495) ONDCP VNRs constitute covert propaganda and violated the publicity or propaganda prohibition (pdf file)]
["Office of National Drug Control Policy--Video News Release, B-303495, January 4, 2005"}]
[New York Times] "Under Bush, a New Age of Prepackaged TV News" (subscription req.)
[PRwatch.org]-"The New York Times Catches on to VNRs"
[Sourcewatch, PR industry watch-dog group article on VNRs]
[U.S. Census Bureau offers what it calls "newsfeeds"]
[Profile of Karen Ryan]
[Karen Ryan Group]
[American Marketing Association's definition of VNR]
[Corporate Propaganda and Media Manipulation, January 26, 2003, By Royce Carlson}]
[Brand Propaganda, March 20, 2005, by Andy Lark]