[Infowarrior] - FCC Questions TV Stations on Œ Fake News ¹

[Richard Forno]

FCC Questions TV Stations on ŒFake News¹

>From Associated Press, August 16, 2006
http://www.freepress.net/news/17117

The Federal Communications Commission has mailed letters to the owners of 77
television stations inquiring about their use of video news releases, a type
of programming critics refer to as ³fake news.²

Video news releases are packaged news stories that usually employ actors to
portray reporters who are paid by commercial or government groups.

The letters were sparked by allegations that television stations have been
airing the videos as part of their news programs without telling viewers who
paid for them.

FCC Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein said Tuesday the letters ask station
managers for information regarding agreements between the stations and the
creators of the news releases. The FCC also asked whether there was any
³consideration² given to the stations in return for airing the material.

³You can¹t tell any more the difference between what¹s propaganda and what¹s
news,² Adelstein said.

The probe was sparked by a study of newsroom use of material provided by
public relations firms. The study, entitled ³Fake TV News: Widespread and
Undisclosed,² was compiled by the Center for Media and Democracy, a
Wisconsin-based nonprofit organization that monitors the public relations
industry.

When stations air video news releases, they are required to disclose to
viewers ³the nature, source and sponsorship of the material that they are
viewing,² according to the FCC.

The rules were prompted by payola scandals of the past, in which
broadcasters accepted money from companies to hype their products without
labeling the effort as advertising.

Diane Farsetta, senior researcher with the Center for Media and Democracy
and co-author of the study, said that did not appear to be the case in the
study but that ³the main reason is economy. These are free stories that are
given to stations that are continually under-resourced.²

Farsetta said despite the publicity, stations are continuing to air releases
without disclosure.

Stations that received the letters have been given 60 days to respond. If
the FCC decides they have violated the rules, punishment could include fines
or license revocation.