TV stations still can’t resist pre-packaged video news

Local television stations are again coming under fire from media watchdogs and the Federal Communications Commission for using so-called video news releases during their newscasts without full disclosure. A video news release, or VNR, is basically a press release in video form. Just as news organizations are inundated every day with press releases from government agencies, consumer groups and corporations, television stations receive the equivalent in video form. While there is nothing inherently wrong with reporting a story based on a press release, many television stations are using the VNRs alone in lieu of original reporting. What’s more alarming, these stations are airing these videos without revealing the origin of the footage to viewers. “Viewers are accustomed to watching news programs with an uncritical eye and only put their filter on when commercials start. VNRs take full advantage of this tendency and do a direct attack,” says Matthew Felling, a director of Center for Media and Public Affairs, a Washington, D.C., media watchdog group. Although television stations and big broadcasters all say they have rules in place that prohibit using VNRs without disclosure, it appears that many outlets only pay lip service to the rules. The latest damning news comes from another watchdog, the Center for Media and Democracy, a Wisconsin-based organization that tracked 36 video news releases for 10 months and found 77 television stations that used some or all of the footage without identifying the source. The stations cited range from small broadcasters to those owned by big media companies, including Viacom Inc., News Corp. and outlets owned by newspaper publishers New York Times Co. and Tribune Co. Source: Joe Flint, The Wall Street Journal

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