Still Not the News: Video News Releases
Submitted by Daniel Price on
From April to October 2006, the Center for Media and Democracy documented television newsrooms' use of selected video news releases (VNRs). While the number of VNRs tracked equals roughly two percent of the total offered to newsrooms over the six-month period, this report provides a detailed and representative survey of how VNRs are incorporated into newscasts.
Click on the links below to read more about each VNR, including the client(s) that funded it, the TV stations that aired it, and the techniques that each station used to incorporate the VNR into its newscast. You can also compare Quicktime videos of the original VNRs with selected newscasts that incorporated them.
| Oil Lobbyist's "News" Denies Inconvenient Truths TCS Daily WTOK-11's hot air misleads viewers |
| Huey Lewis and the Fake News Oticon A/S Four stations remove the built-in disclosures on a hearing aid VNR |
| Feed a Cold, Starve the Truth Matrixx Initiatives Two stations sneeze at built-in VNR notifications |
| Mike Morris Gets His Big Break General Mills Two stations dress publicist up as reporter for Halloween |
| Doctored News Siemens Oncology A publicist delivers a "health report" at two newscasts |
| Would You Buy a Car From This Man? General Motors KMSP-9 helps rev up convertible sales |
| "Life Insurance Is Like Money in the Bank!" Allstate An insurance company is in good hands with a VNR-friendly news team |
| A Campaign for Hearts and Kidneys American College of Physicians KSFY-13 passively discloses, NY1 shows another side of medical VNR |
| A Scanner Fakely Siemens Oncology Two stations praise brand-name medical technology |
| Fake Newshounds with Worms Companion Animal Parasite Council Once again, WCTI-12 hosts hidden interests |
| Yes, But Can It Protect You From Fake News? Trend Micro A Comcast station goes all out to push laptop security software |
| Puppy Dog Tales Old Mother Hubbard A report on natural pet food has promotional byproducts |
| Beware of Flood-Damaged Car Stories CARFAX.com Three stations fix up a promotional VNR and sell it as journalism |
| Whose Byline Is It Anyway? CA One station is crystal clear on a VNR's source, the other one isn't |
| WJAR-10 Gives Viewers a Shot in the Dark GlaxoSmithKline A station uses a flu vaccine VNR, but omits the disclosure and risk info |
| Undisclosed Fake News Includes Hidden Interests American College of Physicians Three stations air a medical VNR, no questions asked |
| Driven Into the Arms of Others Allstate KHSL-12 obliges an insurance company while KGO-7 fronts for three |
| Kansas City Newsroom on Auto Play General Motors WDAF-4's safety segment is really a car ad |
| I Want a New (Birth Control) Drug Barr Pharmaceuticals KYW-3 helps push brand-name pills |
| News Flash: Art Fennell Loves Pancakes General Mills For Bisquick's birthday, CN8 gives away its viewers |
| KLFY-10 Carries Water for Allstate Allstate A station pushes flood insurance over journalism |
| Multiple Soundbites for Novartis Novartis A VNR touts a drug before FDA approval |
| WAKA-8 Takes the Back Seat General Motors A station forgets to credit GM for a story on teen drivers |
| The Morning-After Shills Barr Phamaceuticals Stations air a pharmaceutical company VNR without attribution |
| This Just In: GM Loves Kids General Motors A KLFY-10 child safety segment is really a GM ad |
| Signaling Support for Siemens Siemens AS Warning: Pilots and XETV-6 viewers may see red |
| GM Gets a Free Ride in New York General Motors WPIX-11 adds soundtrack, but no disclosure, to fake news |
| More Than Meets the Eye Advanced Medical Optics WYTV-33 promotes lens replacements |
| Lost in Translation Siemens A Spanish-language newscast adapts a VNR but forgets the disclosure |
| What's Sex Got To Do with It? Nelson's Rescue Sleep Two newsrooms sleep as a "hard sell" VNR airs |
| Nice Shirt, But Where's the Label? Vivometrics WTIC-61 tries a corporate VNR on for size |
| Bowls and Balls General Mills Football's Doug Flutie is a Wheaties flunky |
| E! Gets an "F" For Non-Disclosure Victoria's Secret Entertainment network pushes "very sexy" makeup |