Calling Out "Propaganda"
In a little noticed development Thursday, the Senate Commerce Committee approved the "Prepackaged News Story Announcement Act," legislation requiring "that all prepackaged, government-produced news stories - which are designed to be indistinguishable from those created by independent news organizations - include disclaimers notifying the audience that the government produced or funded the news segment." The bill will now be considered by the full Senate.
If you have no idea why such legislation is necessary, think back to last year, when the name Karen Ryan briefly became infamous in journalism circles. Ryan, who works in public relations, appeared in video news releases (vnr) from the Department of Health and Human Services in which she talked up the benefits of the then-new Medicare bill. In a flourish which certainly appeared intended to make a public relations product look like a journalistic one, she signed off at the end of the pieces with, “In Washington, I’m Karen Ryan reporting.”
A number of local news stations ran the vnrs as though they were actual, reported news stories. As the Hollywood Reporter pointed out, one such vnr "shows the president receiving a standing ovation while signing the Medicare bill into law. Another features a pharmacist telling an elderly customer that the new law 'helps you better afford your medications,' to the obvious delight of said senior."
If you have no idea why such legislation is necessary, think back to last year, when the name Karen Ryan briefly became infamous in journalism circles. Ryan, who works in public relations, appeared in video news releases (vnr) from the Department of Health and Human Services in which she talked up the benefits of the then-new Medicare bill. In a flourish which certainly appeared intended to make a public relations product look like a journalistic one, she signed off at the end of the pieces with, “In Washington, I’m Karen Ryan reporting.”
A number of local news stations ran the vnrs as though they were actual, reported news stories. As the Hollywood Reporter pointed out, one such vnr "shows the president receiving a standing ovation while signing the Medicare bill into law. Another features a pharmacist telling an elderly customer that the new law 'helps you better afford your medications,' to the obvious delight of said senior."
Author Thomas Friedman on Obama's Afghanistan plan and the war on terror.
