Ban "Video News Releases" by the Govt.

[Eric J in MN]

From the Washington Post ("Administration Rejects Ruling On PR Videos; GAO Called Tapes Illegal Propaganda" by Christopher Lee, March 15, 2005):

The Bush administration, rejecting an opinion from the Government Accountability Office, said last week that it is legal for federal agencies to feed TV stations prepackaged news stories that do not disclose the government's role in producing them.

...White House spokesman Scott McClellan said yesterday that federal agencies have used video news releases for years. "As long as they are providing factual information, it's okay," he said.

...Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) said through a spokesman yesterday that he will try to attach language to an appropriations bill to clarify that taxpayer money cannot be spent on such productions. He and fellow Democratic Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (Mass.) wrote to President Bush yesterday asking him to pull back the new memos from Justice and the OMB.

To "clarify" in a new bill is enough.

Congress needs to create criminal and civil penalties against federal-government production of video-news-releases, with a 30 year statute-of-limitations. Make it a crime to spend govt. money on video news releases or to accept govt. money to produce video news releases.

An administration which tries to evade current law by saying it's not propaganda if it's factual won't respond to a mere clarification.

Most propaganda includes facts.

Federal agencies can communicate with the public through email, postal mail, speeches, their official websites, text press releases, conversations with people who call or visit their offices, and interviews with real journalists.

There is nothing desirable about the federal government producing video news releases or hiring public relations companies to produce video new releases..