Activists Urge FCC to Investigate (broadcasters airing govt-produced news)

[DeepModem Mom]

Activists Urge FCC to Investigate VNRs
Broadcasting & Cable, 3/21/2005 4:16:00 PM

Two media activist groups Monday filed a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission asking the agency to investigate broadcasters that air government-produced news reports without identifying their source.

The complaint was filed amid ongoing controversy over the Bush administration's use of prepackaged video-news releases to promote the White House's public-policy agenda.

The releases sometimes feature government spokespeople posing as TV reporters that stations can use as canned footage for their news reports. Critics say the practice misleads viewers because they are under the impression the information is being delivered by an objective reporter rather than a paid government official.

The complaints were filed by Free Press, a group opposing media consolidation and seeking more public interest obligations on broadcasters, and by the Center for Media and Democracy, publisher of PR Watch, a newsletter tracking practices of the public relations industry....

***

"Both the Bush administration and local broadcasters must be held accountable for this betrayal of the public trust," said Josh Silver, executive director of Free Press. "The FCC needs to take quick action to investigate and eradicate news fraud and enforce the existing laws against payola. Congress must enact new laws that will stop government-funded fake news from airing without a disclaimer."...


http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA512110.html?display=Breaking+News&referral=SUPP

[truthisfreedom]

1. nice that this issue is still around.

even though it's buried by the social security propaganda/braindead morality distraction.

[Robbien]

2. Everyone can help by signing the petitions

that will also tell Congress and the FCC to toughen and enforce laws against "covert propaganda" and demand that broadcasters come clean with viewers about using government-produced news.

Free Press: Stop News Fraud
http://www.freepress.net/action/fakenews

Start Change Now: Stop Fake News
http://www.stopfakenews.org/

[DeepModem Mom]

3. Thanks, Robbien!

[libpunkmom]

4. Probably NOT going to happen

One of the 1st things that Porter Goss is brought up in the Senate Armed Forces Committee Hearing on the 17th was that the CIA has very serious concerns regarding "media leaks". And that these "leaks" have "made it easier for our enemies".. When the new Intel Czar is confirmed, this is going to be one of the first items up.. When you add this to that fact that Goss also stated in the same hearing that it was also going to be brought up to the new Intel Czar that there should be more provisions added (kinda like with the Patriot Act) to the Intelligence Reform and Terrorist Prevention Act of 20004, you can pretty much guarantee an even bigger clamp on the media..

[pinniped]

5. The POS Pet Terminator was busted making propaganda too.

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2005/03/19/BAGA2BRRJ61.DTL

SACRAMENTO
Videos on policy called illegal
Legislature's lawyer says governor's team misused public funds

Saturday, March 19, 2005

Sacramento -- Legislative lawyers have concluded that the Schwarzenegger administration's use of news-like video segments about its proposed policies were unauthorized attempts to shape public opinion.
--
click link for more.

Goebbels is in his blood, he can't help it.

[DeepModem Mom]

6. Maybe just the filing of this complaint will make broadcasters think...

twice about airing these videos, especially without making their source clear to viewers. Thanks to these two groups, and see Robbien's post #2 for links to petitions of support.

[Trillo]

7. "enforce the existing laws against payola"

I think this is one core issue: the corporate media is being granted a taxpayer subsidy. This in turn creates an anti-competitive issue for independent organizations.

If the government produces a piece of news (forget that it's 'fake' for the moment), then as a taxpayer, don't I own that news? Shouldn't it be distributed back to me directly, and first, with no additional charge? Giving it to the corporate media who in turn charge subscribers fees to access their channels so we can view media that we already own is outrageous.

Since the corporate media is being subsidized with taxpayer funds, doesn't this in turn become an anti-competitive reality for independent news sources that don't take any subsidy? (It costs more to gather and report real news, than to parrot existing news, whether fake or not)