Video news release

--BM B2<span class="experience-date-locale" style="font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><time style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;"></time><span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block;"><time style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 17px;"><span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> <span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">  <span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">All the president's PR men: Raw Story investigation reveals revolving door on Iraq PR<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Larisa Alexandrovna and Muriel Kane<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Published: Wednesday October 17, 2007<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">New questions are being raised about political operatives who have promoted President Bush?s Iraq war agenda and their role in spreading ?good news? about Iraq, illustrating a public relations revolving door among the Republican Party, the White House and the private sector.<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block;">A month long investigation by RAW STORY, originally prompted by the pro-Iraq war advertising of a ?grassroots? group called Freedom?s Watch, has unearthed a series of connections between the Bush administration and two subsidiaries of the PR giant Burson-Marsteller, particularly BM?s own ?grassroots? firm, Direct Impact.<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block;">Founded in 1988, Direct Impact boasts of over ?1,200 field representatives covering every Designated Market Area in the nation, ready to engage their community in a moment's notice. Self-designated as a ?grass roots? company, Direct Impact's community operations include media and online advocacy.<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Direct Impact began working with Burson-Marsteller by 1997 and became a full-fledged subsidiary in late 2001. Following the acquisition, the formerly low-profile firm began hosting a steady stream of powerful Republican Party political and communications figures.<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block;">For example, Burson-Marsteller, which had hired former National Republican Congressional Committee communications director Craig Veith to oversee their Media Relations Practice, appointed him CEO of Direct Impact in late 2002.<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block;">As head of Media Relations, Veith and Prince Bandar, then Saudi ambassador to the US, had signed an agreement for Burson-Marsteller to work on repairing Saudi Arabia's image in the wake of 9/11 ? just three days after the attacks.<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block;">Veith was joined at Direct Impact in 2003 by a prominent GOP campaign strategist, Steve Schmidt, who had held Veith?s former job of communications director for the NRCC since 2001. Schmidt left Direct Impact a year later to become a top strategist in the Bush-Cheney ?04 campaign, where he ran the rapid response operation. He then joined the White House staff as a Senior Adviser to the President and a Counselor to the Vice President.<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">In April 2005, former Bush-Cheney '04 Midwest regional political director Dave DenHerder joined Direct Impact. DenHerder would become Direct Impact's COO in September after Veith, who had been both CEO and COO, departed to found his own firm.<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Freedom's Watch and Democracy Data<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block;">In August 2007, a ?grassroots? organization called Freedom?s Watch began running a series of ads attacking those who disagree with the Bush administration?s strategy in Iraq as ?anti-victory.? According to their mission statement, the group seeks to give voice to Iraq war issues which it claims have been underrepresented because ?those who want to quit while victory is possible have dominated the public debate about terror and Iraq since the 2004 election.?<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block;">Although Freedom?s Watch is a non-profit corporation ?dedicated to educating individuals about and advancing public policies that protect America?s interests at home and abroad,? the group was exposed by the online publication, Politico, as largely consisting of wealthy Republican donors, Neoconservatives, and, most prominently, former White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer.<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">In his role as press secretary, Fleischer had helped sell the Iraq war to the American people. At a September 2002 press briefing, he said, ?There is already a mountain of evidence that Saddam Hussein is gathering weapons for the purpose of using them. And adding additional information is like adding a foot to Mount Everest.? (WH Press Briefing 9/6/2002).<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">But Freedom?s Watch's relationship to Fleischer, as well as other political operatives in the RNC, is not the only issue surrounding the startup ?grassroots? effort.<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block;">Freedom's Watch is hosted on servers belonging to Democracy Data and Communications (DDC) ? DEMOCRACYDATA.COM ? which for many years had common ownership, leadership, and even shared office space and telephone numbers with Direct Impact.<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">According to public records, in 2001 both Direct Impact and Democracy Data were located at 1029 North Royal Street, Alexandria, VA. They also shared the following telephone number: 703-684-9690 and the following fax number: 703-683-9626. In 2005, well after Burson-Marstellar had acquired Direct Impact and also well after Veith had become CEO, they continued to share the same address as well as the same phone and fax numbers.<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Although there is no apparent current direct link between Freedom?s Watch and Direct Impact, the overlapping of relationships raises questions about the true origin of the ?Freedom?s Watch? grassroots effort and a larger, more political use of domestic organizations to convey a message that mirrors that of the Administration.<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Blackwater USA<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The most recent news buzz about Burson-Marsteller has been about their contract with the embattled security contractor Blackwater USA.<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">According to the Nation?s blog, Blackwater?s subsidiary BKSH was "tasked with salvaging Blackwater's tattered image and allegedly murderous conduct. ... The account is being handled by Robert Tappan, a former State Department official who directed communications for the Coalition Provisional Authority in 2004."<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Reached for comment last Tuesday, Paul Cordasco ? a spokesman for Burson-Marsteller ? said that the engagement with Blackwater was short term.<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block;">"Through a personal relationship, BKSH, a subsidiary of Burson-Marsteller, helped Blackwater prepare for their recent hearing before Congress,? Cordasco said. ?With the hearing over, BKSH's temporary engagement has ended."<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Cordasco did not respond when asked to elaborate on what ?a personal relationship? means, nor to questions asking about what exactly the firm did for Blackwater.<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block;">Robert Tappan is not part of BKSH, however. In July 2006, Tappan became head of Burson-Marsteller?s Washington office with responsibility for overseeing the marketing operations of Direct Impact, a position he still maintains.<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Prior to joining Burson-Marsteller, Tappan had served as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs, holding that position from November 2002 to June 2006. Tappan?s case, one of many, illustrates the vanishing boundaries between the private sector of public relations and government communications.<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">While at the State Department, Tappan was said to have been involved in the distribution of domestic pro-Afghanistan war propaganda, in the form of a ?feel good? Administration pre-packaged piece about Afghanistan that appeared on local tv outlets in 2003, without a disclaimer, as a news story.<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block;">?Tracking precisely how a ?good news? report on Afghanistan could have migrated to Memphis from the State Department is far from easy,? wrote two reporters for the New York Times. ?The State Department typically distributes its segments via satellite to international news organizations like Reuters and Associated Press Television News, which in turn distribute them to the major United States networks, which then transmit them to local affiliates.?<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block;">??Once these products leave our hands, we have no control,? Robert A. Tappan, the State Department's deputy assistant secretary for public affairs, said in an interview. The department, he said, never intended its segments to be shown unedited and without attribution by local news programs. ?We do our utmost to identify them as State Department-produced products.??<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Tappan was sent to Iraq in early 2004 to serve as Director of Strategic Communications for the Coalition Provisional Authority. At this point in the war, optimism about the US endeavor in Iraq was beginning to fade and the Pentagon was turning to public relations to bolster popular support.<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">?U.S. occupation in Iraq has led to progress, in spite of what the media say, according to Robert Tappan,? a news story after his return remarked. ?Tappan and the CPA were also responsible for an advertising campaign in Iraq, he said. The messages in the three-commercial series were ?We all yearn to live in a free Iraq,? ?I want my children to live in peace? and ?I want a prosperous Iraq.??<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block;">For his services, Tappan earned the Secretary of Defense Medal for Outstanding Public Service ? the highest Defense Department civilian honor.<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block;">Immediately before joining the State Department, Tappan had been a senior vice president with public relations firm Powell Tate, whose co-founder and vice-chairman was Sheila Tate, a onetime press secretary to Nancy Reagan and George H.W. Bush. Tate was a participant in the Rumsfeld Group, named for the then-Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, a kitchen cabinet of lobbyists and Republican insiders who met informally to help the White House and the Defense Department produce sellable talking points about Iraq. In particular, they worked on ?linking the anti-terrorism cause with efforts to convince the public 'of the need to engage ?rogue states? ? including Iraq ? that are likely to harbor terrorists.??<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The group was brought together after 9/11 by Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs Victoria "Torie" Clarke, who had advised Rumsfeld ?that in order to get the American public to buy into the war on terrorism, they needed to suggest a link to nation states, not just nebulous groups such as al-Qaeda.?<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Like Tappan and his superiors at State, Clarke appeared to view news and the nature of reporting as a product to be delivered to the American people, ordered by a third party and often filtered through the foreign press.<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">In 2006, Direct Impact and Democracy Data appear to have parted ways. This was confirmed to Raw Story by Tappan in September.<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">?Burson-Marsteller does not have any role with Freedom?s Watch in any way, shape or form,? Tappan declared in an email to RAW STORY. ?Neither our firm, nor any of its subsidiary or affiliate companies, are involved with Freedom?s Watch. To the best of my knowledge, none of our principals, including me, have been involved with this organization, either on a personal or professional level, at any time.?<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Taken in concert, this group of people suggests a pattern whereby GOP campaign and public relations expertise has been applied to selling the administration?s policies, particularly in the Middle East and Iraq, in a series of advertising campaigns where private PR and government advocacy become almost indistinguishable.<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The privatization of propaganda<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The National Security Act of 1947, Section 503(f), defines domestic propaganda as illegal. The Act states that ?no covert action may be conducted which is intended to influence United States political processes, public opinion, policies, or media.?<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block;">However, when asked specifically by Sen. Diane Feinstein (D-CA) in February 2006 about his views of the President?s power to conduct domestic covert propaganda, then-Attorney General Alberto Gonzales said he was unable to answer the question:<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">FEINSTEIN: Can the president suspend, in secret or otherwise, the application of Section 503 of the National Security Act, which states that no covert action may be conducted which is intended to influence United States political processes, public opinion, policies or media? In other words, can he engage in otherwise illegal propaganda? <span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">GONZALES: Senator, this will probably be my response to all of your questions of these kind of hypotheticals. Questions as to whether or not ? can Congress pass a statute that is in tension with the President?s constitutional authority? Those are very, very difficult questions, and for me to answer those questions sort of off the cuff, I think would not be responsible.<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Bush Administration propaganda efforts have been well-documented.<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">In 2004, for example, local stations were found to have received videos produced by more than 20 different federal agencies to promote the administration?s policies, many of which aired as if they were the network?s own reporting. The Army and Air Force?s Hometown News Service has delivered ?good military news? to an estimated 41 million homes. Nor were commentators immune: In January 2005, news emerged that conservative commentator Armstrong Williams had received $240,000 from the Education Department to promote the No Child Left Behind Act.<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Larisa Alexandrovna is managing editor of investigative news for Raw Story and regularly reports on intelligence and national security stories. Contact: larisa@rawstory.com<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
<span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Muriel Kane is director of research for Raw Story.</time><span class="experience-date-locale" style="margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><time style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">http://rawstory.com/news/2007/All_presidents_PR_men_Raw_Story_1017.html</time><span class="experience-date-locale" style="font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; display: block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><time style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">=</time>
follow the honey:Company Videos Masquerading as NewsSyngenta’s attempts at creating distraction also include company-produced “news interviews,” and direct attacks on critics and regulators.In one Syngenta-produced video “news interview” about neonicotinoids, chief operating officer John Atkins assures a seemingly sincere actor-journalist, that “we are completely convinced … that bee declines have nothing to do with this class of chemistry [neonics]” and “millions of hectares have been tested to verify that these products are safe to bee populations … the combination of their benefits and the lack of impact on the bee populations is why they are so important worldwide.”92Atkins later goes on the offensive: “we are doing much more, truly, to support the health of bees, than many people who are attacking us… there is much more at stake than money, this is about the principles of scientific evaluation, it’s about the benefits of this product, it’s about the facts.” He then criticizes the European Commission move to restrict neonicotinoids, insisting the agency “ignored plenty of evidence from the real world that these pe...“John Atkin, COO, talks about bee decline and the role of nenicotinoids in agriculture,” February 19, 2013, video clip, accessed January 15, 2014, YouTube, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJHZsqSJku4.==
prnewswire google ad a UMB co
renamed multimedia n r <li>A distribution reach of 5,700+ media outlets, 5,000+ websites and more than 50,000 journalists on PR Newswire for Journalists</li>

<li>An integrated social media platform</li><a href="http://promotions.prnewswire.com/LP_MNR_PPC2_20130422_NW.html?gclid=CN6Jkb3xjrgCFVNo7Aod0moA6A">http://promotions.prnewswire.com/LP_MNR_PPC2_20130422_NW.html?gclid=CN6Jkb3xjrgCFVNo7Aod0moA6A</a>
==bm:

In July 2006, Burson-Marsteller announced a new partnership with the broadcast PR firm <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=The_NewsMarket" title="The NewsMarket">The NewsMarket</a>, which produces <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Video_news_releases" title="Video news releases">video news releases</a> and <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=B-Roll" title="B-Roll" class="mw-redirect">b-roll</a> footage for clients.

"This partnership enables Burson to offer its clients a highly scalable, fully integrated solution to market and deliver digital content to journalists, new and emerging news platforms, and direct-to-consumers globally in local languages," read the press release. "This marks the first time a PR agency will offer a comprehensive, integrated strategic counsel capability with a digital content management and distribution platform that will enable turn-key execution for clients." <a href="http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20060731005319&newsLang=en" class="external autonumber" title="http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20060731005319&newsLang=en" rel="nofollow">[13]</a>

---

<h2>Clients</h2>

One its website the company states that news organizations that have registerd to use its service include <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=CNN" title="CNN" class="mw-redirect">CNN</a>, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=CNBC&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="CNBC (page does not exist)">CNBC</a>, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=BBC" title="BBC">BBC</a>, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=EuroNews&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="EuroNews (page does not exist)">EuroNews</a>, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Bloomberg_TV&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Bloomberg TV (page does not exist)">Bloomberg TV</a> and <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Reuters_Television&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Reuters Television (page does not exist)">Reuters Television</a>. <a href="http://www.thenewsmarket.com/HelpCenter/HelpCenter.aspx?type=2&FromIntheNews=0" class="external autonumber" title="http://www.thenewsmarket.com/HelpCenter/HelpCenter.aspx?type=2&FromIntheNews=0" rel="nofollow">[5]</a> "The NewsMarket currently boasts registered users at more than 4,000 media organizations in 75 countries," it stated in early 2006. Broadcasting & Cable also identified <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Fox_News" title="Fox News">Fox News</a> as using footage from The NewsMarket. <a href="http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6301763.html?display=Breaking+News" class="external autonumber" title="http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6301763.html?display=Breaking+News" rel="nofollow">[6]</a>

In early 2006 it boasted in a media release of a surge in media interest. "News outlets requested more than 128,000 clips from The NewsMarket in 2005, an increase of nearly 95 percent over the year before. The number of news outlets that source video from The NewsMarket also grew -- from 4,000 to 7,500 during the year -- an increase of nearly 90 percent ... The number of requests from the top 25 media outlets in the world tripled in 2005," it stated. <a href="http://www.primezone.com/newsroom/news.html?d=92775" class="external autonumber" title="http://www.primezone.com/newsroom/news.html?d=92775" rel="nofollow">[7]</a>

It also states that clients include "top tier global organizations such as <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=General_Motors" title="General Motors" class="mw-redirect">General Motors</a>, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Intel" title="Intel">Intel</a>, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Adidas" title="Adidas">adidas</a>, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Motorola" title="Motorola">Motorola</a>, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Rolls-Royce" title="Rolls-Royce">Rolls-Royce</a> and the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=U.S._Department_of_State" title="U.S. Department of State">U.S. Department of State</a> who rely on The NewsMarket to manage their broadcast media relations more efficiently and cost-effectively." <a href="http://www.thenewsmarket.com/HelpCenter/HelpCenter.aspx?type=2&FromIntheNews=0" class="external autonumber" title="http://www.thenewsmarket.com/HelpCenter/HelpCenter.aspx?type=2&FromIntheNews=0" rel="nofollow">[8]</a>

It also lists some of its "content providers" as including <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Nokia" title="Nokia">Nokia</a>, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Roche" title="Roche">Roche</a>, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=BMW&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="BMW (page does not exist)">BMW</a>, the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=American_Lung_Association" title="American Lung Association">American Lung Association</a> and <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=PalmOne&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="PalmOne (page does not exist)">palmOne</a>. Other "content providers" identifed by Broadcasting & Cable were <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=AOL" title="AOL">AOL</a>, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Nissan&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Nissan (page does not exist)">Nissan</a>, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Volvo&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Volvo (page does not exist)">Volvo</a>, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=International_Monetary_Fund" title="International Monetary Fund">International Monetary Fund</a>, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=ITT" title="ITT" class="mw-redirect">ITT</a>, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Pfizer_Inc" title="Pfizer Inc">Pfizer Inc</a>, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Medtronic" title="Medtronic">Medtronic</a>, the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Department_of_State" title="Department of State" class="mw-redirect">U.S. State Department</a>, U.K. <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Ministry_of_Defense&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Ministry of Defense (page does not exist)">Ministry of Defense</a> and <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Schering_Plough&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Schering Plough (page does not exist)">Schering Plough</a>. <a href="http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6301763.html?display=Breaking+News" class="external autonumber" title="http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6301763.html?display=Breaking+News" rel="nofollow">[9]</a>

<h2>Partnering with Burson-Marsteller</h2>

In July 2006, The NewsMarket announced a new partnership with the global PR firm <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Burson-Marsteller" title="Burson-Marsteller">Burson-Marsteller</a>. "This partnership enables Burson to offer its clients a highly scalable, fully integrated solution to market and deliver digital content to journalists, new and emerging news platforms, and direct-to-consumers globally in local languages," read the press release. "This marks the first time a PR agency will offer a comprehensive, integrated strategic counsel capability with a digital content management and distribution platform that will enable turn-key execution for clients." <a href="http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20060731005319&newsLang=en" class="external autonumber" title="http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20060731005319&newsLang=en" rel="nofollow">[10]</a>

<h2>"Empowering" through wikis</h2>

In March 2007, The NewsMarket announced its new "comprehensive user-generated editorial news calendar wiki." The wiki was launched as open only "to clients and registered media users of The NewsMarket, but it's designed to be an entirely public wiki forum to plan editorial efforts, initiatives and coverage," according to the company's press release. The company wants the wiki to provide "a current-events repository" and "a roster of organization-based activities," and to "help point journalists to available video content on The NewsMarket." <a href="http://www.sys-con.com/read/347569.htm" class="external autonumber" title="http://www.sys-con.com/read/347569.htm" rel="nofollow">[11]</a>

The same press release also announced "Talk!, an online messaging tool for journalists to reach out directly to company PR professionals via an online query form." <a href="http://www.sys-con.com/read/347569.htm" class="external autonumber" title="http://www.sys-con.com/read/347569.htm" rel="nofollow">[12]</a>

<h2>Video for bloggers</h2>

In August 2007, The NewsMarket announced "VideoCafe," an online platform offering "video content from major companies and international organizations to bloggers to use on their blogs. Footage available for embedding into blogs comes from <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Google" title="Google">Google</a>, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Yahoo&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Yahoo (page does not exist)">Yahoo</a>, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Intel" title="Intel">Intel</a>, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Nintendo&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Nintendo (page does not exist)">Nintendo</a>, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=AOL" title="AOL">AOL</a>, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Dell" title="Dell">Dell</a>, and <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Dow_Chemical" title="Dow Chemical" class="mw-redirect">Dow Chemical</a>," according to WebProNews. "VideoCafe is currently in beta and video will be available on an invitation-only basis," added the article. <a href="http://www.webpronews.com/topnews/2007/08/08/videocaf-to-offer-video-content-to-bloggers" class="external autonumber" title="http://www.webpronews.com/topnews/2007/08/08/videocaf-to-offer-video-content-to-bloggers" rel="nofollow">[13]</a>

The article also mentioned that The NewsMarket receives "30,000 requests per month for video clips from global news media." <a href="http://www.webpronews.com/topnews/2007/08/08/videocaf-to-offer-video-content-to-bloggers" class="external autonumber" title="http://www.webpronews.com/topnews/2007/08/08/videocaf-to-offer-video-content-to-bloggers" rel="nofollow">[14]</a>

----

The NewsMarket is a New York headquarted company that provides video news releases and b-roll footage to news outlets. In July 2009, the NewsMarket announced that it was purchasing the largest U.S. broadcast public relations firm, Medialink Worldwide. [1]

On November 10, 2006, Broadcast & Cable reported that "Andrew Heyward, former president of CBS News, has joined the board of The NewsMarket," whose clients "include the State Department, Microsoft, GM, and AOL. News organizations using the service include CNN, Fox News, AP, and NYTimes.com." [1]

On its website the company states that its web delivery system of video news footage was designed to "enable news professionals to harness the power and immediacy of the Internet to more efficiently source video and other multimedia content." [2] In a September 2007 press release, the company said its video material was used by "more than 13,000 separate media outlets in 193 countries." Clients mentioned included Microsoft, McDonald's, Volvo Cars and Nintendo. [3]

The NewsMarket has hired Warner Communications as its PR company. [4]

Contents

[hide]

   * 1 Fake news advice

   * 2 Clients

   * 3 Partnering with Burson-Marsteller

   * 4 "Empowering" through wikis

   * 5 Video for bloggers

   * 6 Expanding into India

   * 7 Expanding into the Middle East

   * 8 Critique

   * 9 Personnel

   * 10 Contact details

   * 11 Articles and resources

         o 11.1 Related SourceWatch articles

         o 11.2 References

         o 11.3 External resources

o 11.4 External articles

Fake news advice

In March 2008, The NewsMarket stated it "is seeing certain trends emerge in terms of what content newsrooms – both TV and online are looking for. We expect that in the next six months, demand for these topics will increase dramatically and recommend that PR pros plan accordingly." [2]

The five hot "fake news" topics for 2008 identified by the firm are: [2]

   * Economic issues, especially "personal finance tips and mortgage advice" for local outlets and "predictions and macro-economic views by industry experts, academics, and CEOs" for national outlets;

   * Environmental issues, especially "climate change and energy," and "companies and organizations ... promoting their 'green' initiatives";

   * U.S. presidential election, especially "issue-specific video around healthcare, the economy, and education, a great opportunity for companies and special-interest groups who want to tell their side of the story";

   * Beijing Olympics Games and China in general, including "US or European companies and their activities in China"; and

* Emerging world markets, especially "India and China, but also the United Arab Emirates and Russia" and "U.S. companies who produce or sell their products and services in these markets."

Clients

One its website the company states that news organizations that have registerd to use its service include CNN, CNBC, BBC, EuroNews, Bloomberg TV and Reuters Television. [5] "The NewsMarket currently boasts registered users at more than 4,000 media organizations in 75 countries," it stated in early 2006. Broadcasting & Cable also identified Fox News as using footage from The NewsMarket. [6]

It also states that clients include "top tier global organizations such as General Motors, Intel, adidas, Motorola, Rolls-Royce and the U.S. Department of State who rely on The NewsMarket to manage their broadcast media relations more efficiently and cost-effectively." [8]

It also lists some of its "content providers" as including Nokia, Roche, BMW, the American Lung Association and palmOne. Other "content providers" identifed by Broadcasting & Cable were AOL, Nissan, Volvo, International Monetary Fund, ITT, Pfizer Inc, Medtronic, the U.S. State Department, U.K. Ministry of Defense and Schering Plough. [9]

Partnering with Burson-Marsteller

In July 2006, The NewsMarket announced a new partnership with the global PR firm Burson-Marsteller. "This partnership enables Burson to offer its clients a highly scalable, fully integrated solution to market and deliver digital content to journalists, new and emerging news platforms, and direct-to-consumers globally in local languages," read the press release. "This marks the first time a PR agency will offer a comprehensive, integrated strategic counsel capability with a digital content management and distribution platform that will enable turn-key execution for clients." [10]

"Empowering" through wikis

In March 2007, The NewsMarket announced its new "comprehensive user-generated editorial news calendar wiki." The wiki was launched as open only "to clients and registered media users of The NewsMarket, but it's designed to be an entirely public wiki forum to plan editorial efforts, initiatives and coverage," according to the company's press release. The company wants the wiki to provide "a current-events repository" and "a roster of organization-based activities," and to "help point journalists to available video content on The NewsMarket." [11]

The same press release also announced "Talk!, an online messaging tool for journalists to reach out directly to company PR professionals via an online query form." [12]

Video for bloggers

In August 2007, The NewsMarket announced "VideoCafe," an online platform offering "video content from major companies and international organizations to bloggers to use on their blogs. Footage available for embedding into blogs comes from Google, Yahoo, Intel, Nintendo, AOL, Dell, and Dow Chemical," according to WebProNews. "VideoCafe is currently in beta and video will be available on an invitation-only basis," added the article. [13]

The article also mentioned that The NewsMarket receives "30,000 requests per month for video clips from global news media." [14]

Expanding into India

In December 2007, The NewsMarket announced its partnership with "VJIVE Networks, India's largest digital media network." A company press release explained: [3]

The partnership will see The NewsMarket supplying VJIVE Networks with access to thousands of video clips from hundreds of leading global brands. VJIVE Networks will edit and broadcast the content on its video screens across India, including Subhiksha, one of the country's largest retail chains with 700+ stores nationwide, the 350+ franchises of The Mobile Store, as well as Gold's Gym.

India's retail market, one of the country's fastest-growing industries, is expected to grow from $350 billion to $427 billion by 2010 according to Euromonitor and offers even bigger growth opportunities than China.

Expanding into the Middle East

In March 2008, The NewsMarket announced its partnership with "JiWin, one of the Middle East's leading communications agencies and a division of the Media Services Group." In a press release, the firm said it "and JiWin will advise companies and organizations across the United Arab Emirates and the Gulf Cooperation Council States (GCC) on how to promote their brand and product messages globally using video." [4]

The release also stated that The NewsMarket "plans to open its first office in Dubai in March 2008 to service its local customers and media users. The company has also announced the launch of its Dubai Channel which will compile and market video about UAE and Gulf State-based organizations and make it available to journalists and online audiences globally. The Dubai Channel follows the successful launch of the India Channel (www.thenewsmarket.com/india) around the India@60 campaign in 2007." [4]

Critique

On the "News Videographer" blog, Angela Grant critically reviewed video available from The NewsMarket: [15]

What are these free "stories" we can get from TheNewsMarket?

       * Cybercriminals are becoming more professional. This story is provided by Symantec. Guess we should all run out and buy Norton products.

       * Athsma patients better using combined maintenance and reliever therapy. This one by AstraZeneca. Guess we should buy their medicines.

* Footage available from Halliburton. Source: Halliburton. Hmm … I wonder what types of images they would decide to include in here?

... I think it’s really important that newspaper video people never succumb to using PR video. It’s not honest.

Personnel

   * Shoba Purushothaman President, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder

   * Steven Schwartz Chief Operating Officer

   * Matthew Thomson Senior Vice President, Global Operations

   * Krish Menon Chief Technology Officer

* Romina Rosado Managing Director, Europe

Contact details

6 East 32nd Street, 6th Floor

New York, NY 10016

USA

Toll free (USA): 888.887.0886

T: +1.212.497.9022

F: +1.212.497.9045

Web: http://www.thenewsmarket.com/

Articles and resources

Related SourceWatch articles

   * Bluetooth Special Interest Group

   * Fake news

   * B-Roll

   * Medialink Worldwide

   * Video news releases

* Burson-Marsteller

References

  1. ↑ Tonya Garcia, "UPDATED: The NewsMarket to acquire Medialink," PR Week, July 1, 2009.

  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 The NewsMarket, "Q1 trends in video," PR Week, March 26, 2008.

  3. ↑ Press release, "VJIVE Networks and The NewsMarket Partner to Bring Video to Over 100,000 In-Store Retail Screens Throughout India: Partnership Will Allow Marketers to Place Their Brand Messages Directly at the Point of Purchase in the World's Fastest-Growing Retail Sector," The NewsMarket, December 3, 2007.

4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Press release, "The NewsMarket and JiWin form strategic partnership," The NewsMarket via Dubai Press Club, March 3, 2008.

External resources

External articles

   * Shoba Purushothaman, "OP-ED: PR must move past VNRs and embrace new technology", PR Week, May 30, 2005. (Sub req'd.)

   * Eric Iacono, "NewsMarket gives journalists access to clips of experts", PR Week, June 6, 2005.(Sub req'd.)

   * "The NewsMarket Reports Digital Delivery of Broadcast-Standard Video Hits New Record: Number of Media Outlets Accessing Video Digitally Tops 7,500 in 2005, Company Says", Primezone, Media Release, January 24, 2006.

   * John Eggerton, "B-Roll on a Roll," Broadcasting & Cable, January 25, 2006.

   * The NewsMarket, "Bluetooth SIG Introduces Online BroadcastRoom to Provide Broadcast-Standard Video On Demand to Journalists", Media Release, February 8, 2006.

   * Press release, "Burson-Marsteller Partners with The NewsMarket to Create Proprietary Digital Capability for Clients; Provides Turn-Key Digital Content Delivery to Media and Consumers Globally," July 31, 2006.

   * John Eggerton, VNR Company Adds Ex-CBS News President, Broadcasting & Cable, November 10, 2006.

   * Press release, "The NewsMarket Launches Editorial Calendar Wiki and Online Messaging Tool for Journalists: New Community Features for Global Media & Content Providers," The NewsMarket via Market Wire, March 12, 2007.

   * Kim Peterson, "Former CBS News exec: TV news struggling," Seattle Times, April 26, 2007. An interview with former CBS News president turned board member of The NewsMarket Andrew Heyward

   * Press release, "'Green' News Video Site Launched: Exclusive Channel for Environment-Focused Video on www.thenewsmarket.com/green," The NewsMarket via MarketWire, May 30, 2007.

   * Mike Sachoff, "VideoCafe To Offer Video Content To Bloggers," WebProNews, August 8, 2007.

   * Angela Grant, "PR video - Is there a place in newspaper video?," News Videographer blog, September 19, 2007.

   * Press release, "Leading International News Agencies Join The NewsMarket in Launching First Global Exchange for Original and Hard-to-Find Editorial Video," The NewsMarket via Market Wire, October 30, 2007.

   * Press release, "Corporate Video Spend on TV and Branded Sites Jumps in 2007: The NewsMarket Predicts Corporate Communications and Marketing Professionals Will Decrease Focus on User-Generated Video Sites in 2008," The NewsMarket via Market Wire, January 31, 2008.

   * Press release, "Leveraging Olympic Spotlight, Marketers Turn to News Video: The NewsMarket Reports Record-Breaking Uploads of Olympics News Video by Corporate Marketers and Institutions," The NewsMarket via Market Wire, August 18, 2008.

   * "Release of Torture Memos Shows Administration Has Passed First Test on Transparency, Panel Discussion Finds," (panel hosted by the NewsMarket on the Obama administration's first 100 days), Salford Online, undated, accessed May 2009.

   * Tonya Garcia, "UPDATED: The NewsMarket to acquire Medialink," PR Week, July 1, 2009.

* David Kaplan, "Video Distributor TheNewsMarket To Acquire Medialink," paidContent, July 2, 2009.

Retrieved from "http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=The_NewsMarket"

Categories: Public relations firms | Fake News | United States

---

<h1 id="firstHeading" class="firstHeading">Video news releases</h1>

Video news releases or VNRs (also referred to as <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Fake_TV_news" title="Fake TV news">fake TV news</a>) are segments designed to be indistinguishable from independently-produced news reports that are distributed and promoted to television newsrooms. TV stations incorporate VNRs into their newscasts, rarely alerting viewers to the source of the footage. While government-funded VNRs have been most controversial, most VNRs are paid for by corporations; <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Non-governmental_organization" title="Non-governmental organization" class="mw-redirect">non-governmental organizations</a> also put out VNRs. <a href="http://www.prwatch.org/fakenews/execsummary" class="external autonumber" title="http://www.prwatch.org/fakenews/execsummary" rel="nofollow">[1]</a> <a href="http://www.prwatch.org/fakenews2/execsummary" class="external autonumber" title="http://www.prwatch.org/fakenews2/execsummary" rel="nofollow">[2]</a>

<h2>Contents</h2>

</div>

<ul>

<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Video_news_releases#Reports">1 Reports</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Video_news_releases#VNR_fines">2 VNR fines</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Video_news_releases#Under_viewers.27_radar">3 Under viewers' radar</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Video_news_releases#Production_and_distribution">4 Production and distribution</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Video_news_releases#Hustling_VNRs">5 Hustling VNRs</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Video_news_releases#Bush_White_House_defends_VNRs">7 Bush White House defends VNRs</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Video_news_releases#VNRs_and_TV_Stations.27_bottom_line">8 VNRs and TV Stations' bottom line</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Video_news_releases#What_to_do_if_you_encounter_Fake_News_on_your_local_TV_station">9 What to do if you encounter Fake News on your local TV station</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Video_news_releases#Other_steps_you_can_take_to_discourage_the_broadcast_of_VNRs_in_your_area">10 Other steps you can take to discourage the broadcast of VNRs in your area</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Video_news_releases#How_to_Report_VNRs_to_the_FCC">11 How to Report VNRs to the FCC</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Video_news_releases#FCC.27s_published_notice_to_broadcasters_about_VNRs">12 FCC's published notice to broadcasters about VNRs</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Video_news_releases#General_Accountability_Office_reports">13 General Accountability Office reports</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Video_news_releases#Case_studies">14 Case studies</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Video_news_releases#PR_firms_that_produce_and.2For_distribute_VNRs_and_B-roll">15 PR firms that produce and/or distribute VNRs and B-roll</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Video_news_releases#Public_websites_with_VNRs">16 Public websites with VNRs</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Video_news_releases#SourceWatch_resources">17 SourceWatch resources</a>

<ul>

<li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Video_news_releases#People">17.1 People</a></li>

</ul>

</li>

<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Video_news_releases#U.S._Senate_Commerce_Committee_hearing_on_VNRs">18 U.S. Senate Commerce Committee hearing on VNRs</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Video_news_releases#External_links">19 External links</a>

<ul>

<li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Video_news_releases#References">19.1 References</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Video_news_releases#Articles">19.2 Articles</a></li>

</ul>

</li>

</ul>

</td></tr></tbody></table>

<h2>Reports</h2>

The <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Center_for_Media_and_Democracy" title="Center for Media and Democracy">Center for Media and Democracy</a> released two multimedia reports on television stations' use of VNRs, based on 16 months of original research:

<ul>

<li>"<a href="http://www.prwatch.org/fakenews/execsummary" class="external text" title="http://www.prwatch.org/fakenews/execsummary" rel="nofollow">Fake TV News: Widespread and Undisclosed</a>" was released on April 6, 2006 and co-authored by Diane Farsetta and Daniel Price. It tracks 36 different VNRs, identifying <a href="http://www.prwatch.org/fakenews/stationlist" class="external text" title="http://www.prwatch.org/fakenews/stationlist" rel="nofollow">77 TV stations</a> across the United States that aired the segments or related <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Satellite_media_tours" title="Satellite media tours" class="mw-redirect">satellite media tours</a>.</li>

<li>"<a href="http://www.prwatch.org/fakenews2/execsummary" class="external text" title="http://www.prwatch.org/fakenews2/execsummary" rel="nofollow">Still Not the News: Stations Overwhelmingly Fail to Disclose VNRs</a>" was released on November 14, 2006 and co-authored by Diane Farsetta and Daniel Price. It tracks 33 additional VNRs, identifying <a href="http://www.prwatch.org/fakenews2/findings/TV_stations" class="external text" title="http://www.prwatch.org/fakenews2/findings/TV_stations" rel="nofollow">46 TV stations</a> that incorporated the segments into their newscasts.</li>

</ul>

A study published called <a href="http://www.stateofthenewsmedia.org/2007/" class="external text" title="http://www.stateofthenewsmedia.org/2007/" rel="nofollow">"The State of the News Media 2007"</a>, a work of the "Project for Excellence in Journalism", by two University professors and a former journalism doctoral student, says that "there is increasing pressure from advertisers to integrate ads in newscasts" <a href="http://media.www.dailyemerald.com/media/storage/paper859/news/2007/07/18/News/Study.Finds.stealth.Ads.In.Newscasts-2924797.shtml" class="external autonumber" title="http://media.www.dailyemerald.com/media/storage/paper859/news/2007/07/18/News/Study.Finds.stealth.Ads.In.Newscasts-2924797.shtml" rel="nofollow">[3]</a>

<h2>VNR fines</h2>

In September 2007, the U.S. <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Federal_Communications_Commission" title="Federal Communications Commission">Federal Communications Commission</a> issued two notices of apparent liability, announcing its intention to fine <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Comcast_Corporation" title="Comcast Corporation">Comcast Corporation</a> $4000 for each of its regional cable channel <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=CN8,_%28TV_Station%29" title="CN8, (TV Station)">CN8</a>'s five undisclosed VNR broadcasts that were documented in the Center for Media and Democracy's "Still Not the News" report <a href="http://www.prwatch.org/fakenews2/execsummary" class="external autonumber" title="http://www.prwatch.org/fakenews2/execsummary" rel="nofollow">[4]</a>, for a total of $20,000. <a href="http://www.prwatch.org/node/6504" class="external autonumber" title="http://www.prwatch.org/node/6504" rel="nofollow">[5]</a>

In the first notice, for CN8's broadcast of the Nelson's Rescue Sleep VNR <a href="http://www.prwatch.org/fakenews2/vnr54" class="external autonumber" title="http://www.prwatch.org/fakenews2/vnr54" rel="nofollow">[6]</a>, the FCC said that the "extensive images and mentions of the product" triggered the need for VNR disclosure. <a href="http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-07-4005A1.pdf" class="external autonumber" title="http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-07-4005A1.pdf" rel="nofollow">[7]</a> The second notice was for CN8's broadcast of the General Mills (Wheaties) <a href="http://www.prwatch.org/fakenews2/vnr56" class="external autonumber" title="http://www.prwatch.org/fakenews2/vnr56" rel="nofollow">[8]</a>, Trend Micro <a href="http://www.prwatch.org/fakenews2/vnr59" class="external autonumber" title="http://www.prwatch.org/fakenews2/vnr59" rel="nofollow">[9]</a>, Allstate <a href="http://www.prwatch.org/fakenews2/vnr60" class="external autonumber" title="http://www.prwatch.org/fakenews2/vnr60" rel="nofollow">[10]</a>, and General Mills (Bisquick) <a href="http://www.prwatch.org/fakenews2/vnr61" class="external autonumber" title="http://www.prwatch.org/fakenews2/vnr61" rel="nofollow">[11]</a> VNRs. In it, the FCC broadened its explanation for the need for VNR disclosure, saying that "the VNR itself was the 'valuable consideration' provided to CN8." The second notice also faults CN8's broadcast of the four VNRs, saying their promotional content goes far beyond the acceptable "fleeting or transient references to products or brand names." <a href="http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-07-4075A1.pdf" class="external autonumber" title="http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-07-4075A1.pdf" rel="nofollow">[12]</a>

<h2>Under viewers' radar</h2>

While expensive compared to the cost of a traditional news releases, they allow a sponsor to present its message without being filtered by journalists. They are commonly used unedited by small regional television stations that have limited budgets for news production or are understaffed. While some stations have a policy of not using VNRs, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Public_relations" title="Public relations" class="mw-redirect">public relations</a> practitioners commonly cater for this by also providing a series of clips designed to be used as stock footage.

On a October 2003 discussion panel on VNRs, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Laurence_Moskowitz" title="Laurence Moskowitz">Larry Moskowitz</a>, the founder and President of largest VNR producer <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Medialink_Worldwide" title="Medialink Worldwide">Medialink Worldwide</a>, candidly said their use was widespread. "We determined prima facie and scientifically and electronically that every television station in America with a newscast has used and probably uses regularly this material from corporations and organizations that we provide as VNRs or B-Roll or other terminology we may use," he said. <a href="http://www.wnyc.org/onthemedia/transcripts/transcripts_102403_news.html" class="external autonumber" title="http://www.wnyc.org/onthemedia/transcripts/transcripts_102403_news.html" rel="nofollow">[13]</a>

Fellow panellist and former CBS correspondent Deborah Potter, who is director of the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=News_Lab&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="News Lab (page does not exist)">News Lab</a>, a Washington, D.C. nonprofit dedicated to quality local television, explained that stations were tempted to use VNRs because they made meeting filling program time slots easy. "They allow newsrooms to do less of their own work without fear of running out of material before the end of the hour. It's a concern, and it ought to be a concern, frankly, for viewers if much of the material that they're starting to get on the news isn't news," she said.

In March 2000, Candace White, marketing professor at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, co-authored a report with Mark D. Harmon for the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Public_Relations_Society_of_America" title="Public Relations Society of America">Public Relations Society of America</a> titled "How video news releases are used in television broadcasts." On the panel with Moscowitz and Potter, White said that the same self-interest that encourages news directors to use VNRs dictates that the material is used responsibly. "I trust news producers to be able to weed out true news value; I give them credit for being able to recognize blatant sales pitches. Our study found that the corporate videos were used the least, and the ones about health and safety were used the most," she said.

The <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Center_for_Media_and_Democracy" title="Center for Media and Democracy">Center for Media and Democracy</a>'s Executive Director <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=John_Stauber" title="John Stauber">John Stauber</a> disagreed. "The use of VNRs amounts to systematic deception of viewers, both by the hidden interested parties behind them, and by news organizations with impure motives themselves," he said.

Reporting on a September 2005 seminar on new media, Media Daily News noted that VNRs "which can look like regular news stories to the unaided eye--can be placed in local or national newscasts." On that panel was Larry Moskowitz, the president and CEO of Medialink Worldwide. "If there is news in your brands we'll find a way to put your brands in your news. In a sense, it's product placement, but it's earned a place on the shelf," Media Daily News reported. <a href="http://publications.mediapost.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Articles.showArticleHomePage&art_aid=34517" class="external autonumber" title="http://publications.mediapost.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Articles.showArticleHomePage&art_aid=34517" rel="nofollow">[14]</a>

Medialink Worldwide, one of the largest producers and distributors of VNRs, states in its 2003 annual report that a "VNR is a television news story that communicates an entity's public relations or corporate message. It is paid for by the corporation or organization seeking to announce news and is delivered without charge to the media." <a href="http://ccbn.tenkwizard.com/filing.php?repo=tenk&ipage=2730069&doc=1&total=&attach=ON&TK=MDLK&CK=0000812890&FG=0&CK2=812890&FC=000000&BK=FFFFFF&SC=ON&TC=FFFFFF&TC1=FFFFFF&TC2=FFFFFF&LK=333399&AL=333399&VL=666635" class="external autonumber" title="http://ccbn.tenkwizard.com/filing.php?repo=tenk&ipage=2730069&doc=1&total=&attach=ON&TK=MDLK&CK=0000812890&FG=0&CK2=812890&FC=000000&BK=FFFFFF&SC=ON&TC=FFFFFF&TC1=FFFFFF&TC2=FFFFFF&LK=333399&AL=333399&VL=666635" rel="nofollow">[15]</a>

While the company likens VNRs as akin to the traditional hard copy news release, it acknowledges they are widely used in newsrooms. "Produced in broadcast news style, VNRs relay the news of a product launch, medical discovery, corporate merger event, timely feature or breaking news directly to television news decision-makers who may use the video and audio material in full or edited form. Most major television stations in the world now use VNRs, some on a regular basis," Medialink states.

<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=KEF_Media_Associates" title="KEF Media Associates">KEF Media Associates</a> explains on its website that "VNRs deliver specific client messages within the credible editorial content of a newscast." <a href="http://www.kefmedia.com" class="external autonumber" title="http://www.kefmedia.com" rel="nofollow">[16]</a>

Public relations firms that produce video news releases (VNRs) aren't just targeting national news, writes Craig McGuire of PR Week. Increasingly, they're working to place their videos on local and cable stations as well as websites. "Today VNRs are much more than just broadcast placement tools. They are being targeted to a variety of audiences through web syndication, strategic placements in broadcast, cable, and site-based media in retail outlets and hospitals," says Tim Bahr, managing director of MultiVu, a leading VNR producer. And some clients are opting for "guaranteed placement," a relatively new trend in which PR firms and production houses pay media channels outright to carry what they call "branded journalism." <a href="http://www.prweek.com/us/sectors/crisis/article/521853" class="external autonumber" title="http://www.prweek.com/us/sectors/crisis/article/521853" rel="nofollow">[17]</a>

<h2>Production and distribution</h2>

"Working closely with clients, Medialink's team of highly experienced broadcast and network radio professionals instantly translates clients' messages into effective video or audio news stories. All aspects of production, including scripting, editing, narration and sound bites of the news story are custom-built and designed to reach specifically targeted audiences," Medialink Worldwide states.

<h2>Hustling VNRs</h2>

A 'tricks of the trade' guide to VNRs in PR Week explained "don't try to fool producers by acting as though your VNR is not being pitched for promotional purposes."

"If your VNR has one or two product mentions, tell the producer immediately, but gear the bulk of the pitch toward why the piece is relevant now, what makes it newsworthy," the PR Week guide explained. <a href="http://www.prweek.com/news/news_story.cfm?ID=199912&site=1" class="external autonumber" title="http://www.prweek.com/news/news_story.cfm?ID=199912&site=1" rel="nofollow">[18]</a>

By way of example, the guide pointed to a VNR produced by Medialink to promote Jennifer Lopez's perfume, Glow. The VNR, concentrated on Lopez "as a Hispanic role model and one of People magazine's recently rated most beautiful people. The story aired on E!, Good Day Live, Extra, VH1, and even some Hispanic stations in Canada."

The head of Medialink's VNR production unit, Michelle Williams, told PR Week "the viewer will take away something visual before they take away something audio. Instead of plugging a product by talking about it, showing it in use."

In a February 1992 cover article titled "Fake News" in TV Guide, David Lieberman took the media and PR industry to task over the use of VNRs. He argued that if footage from VNRs was used in news it should be labelled so that viewers were aware of its origin. If not, he argued, media outlets risked undermining their own credibility if they "pretend out of pride that what they broadcast is real news, instead of labeling it for what it is."

"There's a good chance that some of the news they [the public] see will be fake. Not that it's necessarily inaccurate. Just that it was made to plug something else. And it's something the PR community has grown skillful at providing," he wrote.

The original article generated a largely dismissive response from the PR industry. O'Dwyers PR Services Report noted that the President of Medialink, Laurence Moskowitz, wrote to Lieberman complaining that his article "lapsed into tabloid journalism, distorting what was otherwise a well thought out report on the impact of video PR on TV news." Moskowitz took issue with the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Fake_news" title="Fake news">Fake news</a> headline too for creating the impression that "the news has been faked or is not valid just because a TV producer relied on a VNR for story elements."

"There would not be any business pages in newspapers, no gossip columns in any magazines, no video of the surface of the moon if it were not for PR efforts," Moskowitz wrote.

However, O'Dwyers PR Services Report reported in June 1992 the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Public_Relations_Service_Council&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Public Relations Service Council (page does not exist)">Public Relations Service Council</a> (PRSC) saw the need to assemble a committee to develop standards governing the level of disclosure in VNRs. Later that year Moskowitz told a Medialink sponsored workshop that the PRSC had adoped a "Code of Good Practice" for VNR producers. "No VNR should tell a lie," he said.

As for the possibility that VNRs touting drugs - accounting for many of those produced - may be regulated by the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=U.S._Food_and_Drug_Administration" title="U.S. Food and Drug Administration">U.S. Food and Drug Administration</a>, Moskowitz was reported stating that it was an issue that "will go away." "VNRs are free speech. They are not forced down news director's throats," he said.

In April 1993, TV Guide once more returned to the subject with an article titled "Fake News: All the PR that News Can Use."

<h2>Bush White House defends VNRs</h2>

Following a March 2005 New York Times report on the use by government of VNRs, White House spokesman <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Scott_McClellan" title="Scott McClellan">Scott McClellan</a> was asked at a media briefing whether their use was "legal and legitimate ... without disclaimers that they're government productions, as long as they meet some standard of factual basis?"

"First of all, we're talking about informational news releases. And the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Department_of_Justice" title="Department of Justice" class="mw-redirect">Department of Justice</a> has issued an opinion saying that as long as this is factual information about department or agency programs, it is perfectly appropriate. There is a memorandum that we -- or the Department of Justice sent to agencies and departments last week expressing the view of the Justice Department. And the informational news releases that you're referring to are something that had been in use for many years. It goes back to the early '90s, both in the private and public sectors; many federal agencies have used this for quite some time as an informational tool to provide factual information to the American people," he said. <a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/03/20050314-6.html" class="external autonumber" title="http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/03/20050314-6.html" rel="nofollow">[19]</a>

"And my understanding is that when these informational releases are sent out, that it's very clear to the TV stations where they are coming from. So that information, as I understand it, is disclosed. And the Justice Department opinion talks about the importance of making sure that it is factual information and not crossing the line into advocacy," he said.

President <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=George_W._Bush" title="George W. Bush" class="mw-redirect">George W. Bush</a> was asked at the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=American_Society_of_Newspaper_Editors&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="American Society of Newspaper Editors (page does not exist)">American Society of Newspaper Editors</a> Convention in April 2005 whether the use of VNRs and the funding of <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Armstrong_Williams" title="Armstrong Williams">Armstrong Williams</a> was deceptive. "Yes, it's deceptive to the American people if it's not disclosed," he said.

After defending the use of VNRs as being legal for government agencies, Bush echoed the PR industry view that the onus for disclosure was on the broadcasters not the producers. "But it's incumbent upon people who use them to say, this news clip was produced by the federal government," he said. <a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/04/20050414-4.html" class="external autonumber" title="http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/04/20050414-4.html" rel="nofollow">[20]</a>

A few days later Bush made it clear that the government had no intention of ensuring each VNR was captioned so that stations had no option but to disclose the origin of video material to viewers. "...Local stations ought to - if there's a deep concern about that, ought to tell their viewers what they're watching," Bush said when asked if the government would ensure all VNR footage was identified. <a href="http://www.onthemedia.org/transcripts/transcripts_031805_newshole.html" class="external autonumber" title="http://www.onthemedia.org/transcripts/transcripts_031805_newshole.html" rel="nofollow">[21]</a>

<h2>VNRs and TV Stations' bottom line</h2>

Why do local TV news stations use fake video news releases in place of real news? KEF Media Associates states on its website that the "opportunity" for the use of VNRs has expanded due to financial pressure on news rooms. "Over the last decade, network and local market newscasts have been placed under increasing pressure to become profitable. This has led to significant cost cutting in newsrooms. Because many of the cuts have been among producers and technicians whose job it is to fill the newscast time, demand has grown for news content supplied by outside sources," KEF explains. <a href="http://kefmedia.com" class="external autonumber" title="http://kefmedia.com" rel="nofollow">[22]</a> On its website, VNR producer <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Gourvitz_Communications" title="Gourvitz Communications">Gourvitz Communications</a> states that that a "typical VNR costs around $18,000, and a B-Roll Package costs around $17,000." <a href="http://www.gourvitzcommunications.com/services-video-news-releases.html" class="external autonumber" title="http://www.gourvitzcommunications.com/services-video-news-releases.html" rel="nofollow">[23]</a>

Marion Just and Tom Rosenstiel of the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Project_for_Excellence_in_Journalism" title="Project for Excellence in Journalism">Project for Excellence in Journalism</a> surveyed stations and found that the audience for TV news is shrinking, while "the companies that own these stations have generally continued to expect high earnings, usually profit margins in excess of 40 percent. To meet those demands, most stations have added programming, usually without adding resources. ... We could see the effect on the air. From 1998 to 2002, a study of 33,911 television reports found, the percentage of 'feed' material from third-party sources rose to 23 percent of all reports from 14 percent. Meanwhile, the percentage of stories that included a local correspondent fell to 43 percent from 62 percent. Local broadcasters are being asked to do more with less, and they have been forced to rely more on prepackaged news to take up the slack. So we don't have to search far to discover why the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Bush_administration" title="Bush administration">Bush administration</a> has succeeded so well in getting its news releases on the air. The public companies that own TV stations are so intent on increasing their stock price and pleasing their shareholders that they are squeezing the news out of the news business." <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/26/opinion/26just.html?" class="external autonumber" title="http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/26/opinion/26just.html?" rel="nofollow">[24]</a>

See John Stauber's March 14, 2005, blog posting <a href="http://www.prwatch.org/node/3365" class="external text" title="http://www.prwatch.org/node/3365" rel="nofollow">"WANTED: 250,000 Americans to Fight Fake News & Government Propaganda"</a> for more information.

<h2>What to do if you encounter Fake News on your local TV station</h2>

What should you do if you see or hear what you believe to be a Video News Release?

First, try to confirm that the segment was, in fact, a VNR:

Record all identifying information about the segment: Who was the reporter? What was the subject matter? What date and time was it broadcast? Was there any mention of the origin of the segment or disclosure that it was a paid piece? What made you think it was a VNR?

Call the station that broadcast the suspected VNR and ask to speak to the Managing Editor of the news department. If he or she doesn’t respond, then call back and ask to speak with the station manager. When you get someone in charge, identify the segment clearly and ask if the segment was a video news release. How did news segment originate? How did the reporter get the idea to cover that subject? Why was it covered the particular way it was (e.g., promoting one product, or one side of an issue only?) If they admit it was a commercially-produced VNR and that it was broadcast without being identified as such, ask them to broadcast a notice or correction on TV letting their audience know the segment was paid fake news. If they refuse, notify them that that is a reportable offense to the FCC. (Then report it -- see below for information on how to do this).

If they say they got the segment pre-packaged from an affiliate, get the name of the affiliate and the name of the person who sent it, and pursue it there, moving up the news department chain until you get someone who is accountable. (Then ask them the same questions to try and nail down the origin of the segment). If they refuse to give you any information, notify them that broadcasting a fake news segment without identifying it as such, or in return for compensation or other valuable consideration from a political or corporate entity, is a reportable offense to the FCC. (Then report it - see below).

<h2>Other steps you can take to discourage the broadcast of VNRs in your area</h2>

Assuming the segment in question is, in fact, an unattributed VNR, you could also write a letter to the editor of the local paper alerting the public to the fake news being broadcast on that station. Include information about what helped you identify it as fake, so others know how to spot them also. You could also contact a competing station to tell them about the story (although they might not pursue it if their own house is not clean). You could contact the local media reporter or a reporter at a local paper to initiate a story. You could also send a a letter to your congressional rep and senators complaining about the station’s action and asking them to refer the matter to the FCC.

<h2>How to Report VNRs to the FCC</h2>

Go to <a href="http://www.fcc.gov/" class="external text" title="http://www.fcc.gov/" rel="nofollow">FCC.gov</a>. On the right side of the home page, under the column titled "Bureaus and Offices," click on "Enforcement." This takes you to the Enforcement Page. On the right side of the page, under "What We Do," click on "Broadcast Issues." On the next page, under "Information You Can Use," click on the fifth line down that says, "Payola and Sponsorship Identification." There you will find the sections of the Communications Act that require broadcasters to disclose whether broadcasted matter has been aired in exchange for money, services or other valuable consideration. The page contains a table listing enforcement actions that have been taken, with links to descriptions of those actions. Below the table are instructions about <a href="http://www.fcc.gov/eb/broadcast/sponsid.html" class="external text" title="http://www.fcc.gov/eb/broadcast/sponsid.html" rel="nofollow">How to File a Complaint</a>. You can also access information on how to file a complaint with the FCC by clicking <a href="http://www.fcc.gov/eb/bccomplaints/compsponsid.html" class="external text" title="http://www.fcc.gov/eb/bccomplaints/compsponsid.html" rel="nofollow">here</a>.

<h2>FCC's published notice to broadcasters about VNRs</h2>

Also, on April 15, 2005, the FCC published a reminder to broadcast licensees, cable operators and other of requirements applicable to video news releases. A PDF copy of that reminder is <a href="http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-05-84A1.pdf" class="external text" title="http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-05-84A1.pdf" rel="nofollow">here</a> (pdf). This document contains the sponsorship identification rules broadcasters must follow, and a statement by FCC Commissioner Michael J. Copps on the matter of VNRs, saying people in this country have a right to know where their news is coming from, and reminding broadcasters that they have to disclose government or corporate-generated "news" sources.

<h2>General Accountability Office reports</h2>

<ul>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Image:GAODrugPolicyVNR.pdf" class="external text" title="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Image:GAODrugPolicyVNR.pdf" rel="nofollow">Download GAO report on Office of National Drug Control Policy VNRs</a> (136 kb PDF file).</li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Image:GAOMedicareVNR.pdf" class="external text" title="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Image:GAOMedicareVNR.pdf" rel="nofollow">Download GAO report on VNRs touting the Medicare law</a> (120 kb PDF file).</li>

</ul>

<h2>Case studies</h2>

<ul>

<li><a href="http://www.prwatch.org/books/tsigfy10.html" class="external text" title="http://www.prwatch.org/books/tsigfy10.html" rel="nofollow">How PR Sold the War in the Persian Gulf</a></li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Video_news_releases:_No_Child_Left_Behind&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Video news releases: No Child Left Behind (page does not exist)">Video news releases: No Child Left Behind</a></li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Video_news_releases:_Office_of_National_Drug_Control_Policy&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Video news releases: Office of National Drug Control Policy (page does not exist)">Video news releases: Office of National Drug Control Policy</a></li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Video_news_releases:_Policies_of_media_outlets" title="Video news releases: Policies of media outlets">Video news releases: Policies of media outlets</a></li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Video_news_releases:_PR_for_California%27s_Schwarzenegger_administration" title="Video news releases: PR for California's Schwarzenegger administration">Video news releases: PR for California's Schwarzenegger administration</a></li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Video_news_releases:Selling_changes_to_U.S.Medicare" title="Video news releases: Selling changes to U.S. Medicare">Video news releases: Selling changes to U.S. Medicare</a></li>

</ul>

<h2>PR firms that produce and/or distribute VNRs and B-roll</h2>

<ul>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=APTN_Corporate_Services&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="APTN Corporate Services (page does not exist)">APTN Corporate Services</a></li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=D_S_Simon_Productions" title="D S Simon Productions">D S Simon Productions</a></li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Hausman_%26_Schott&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Hausman & Schott (page does not exist)">Hausman & Schott</a></li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Jeffrey_Markowitz_Productions" title="Jeffrey Markowitz Productions">Jeffrey Markowitz Productions</a></li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=KEF_Media_Associates" title="KEF Media Associates">KEF Media Associates</a></li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Manning_Productions" title="Manning Productions">Manning Productions</a></li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=MAX_World_News" title="MAX World News">MAX World News</a></li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=MediaHitman" title="MediaHitman">MediaHitman</a></li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Medialink_Worldwide" title="Medialink Worldwide">Medialink Worldwide</a></li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=MultiVu" title="MultiVu">MultiVu</a></li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=News_Broadcast_Network" title="News Broadcast Network">News Broadcast Network</a></li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=NovoMedia" title="NovoMedia">NovoMedia</a></li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Running_Pony_Productions" title="Running Pony Productions">Running Pony Productions</a></li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=The_NewsMarket" title="The NewsMarket">The NewsMarket</a></li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=TVA_Productions" title="TVA Productions">TVA Productions</a></li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=VNR-1_Communications" title="VNR-1 Communications">VNR-1 Communications</a></li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=WestGlen_Communications" title="WestGlen Communications">WestGlen Communications</a></li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=World_Television" title="World Television">World Television</a></li>

</ul>

<h2>Public websites with VNRs</h2>

<ul>

<li>The U.S. military maintains DVIDS, an online <a href="http://www.dvidshub.net" class="external text" title="http://www.dvidshub.net" rel="nofollow">"Digital Video & Imagery Distribution System"</a> that features video and other public relations materials regarding its operations in <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Iraq" title="Iraq">Iraq</a>, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Afghanistan" title="Afghanistan">Afghanistan</a>, Kuwait and Qatar.</li>

<li><a href="http://newspath.cbs.com/" class="external text" title="http://newspath.cbs.com/" rel="nofollow">CBS Newspath Navigator</a> provides a list of available video feeds to CBS station affiliates, with descriptions of the stories and footage. Video itself is not available from this site. Some of the video spots are actual news, and others are fairly obvious PR (particularly in the entertainment and medical sections).</li>

<li><a href="http://www.thenewsmarket.com/" class="external text" title="http://www.thenewsmarket.com/" rel="nofollow">The NewsMarket</a> is a private clearinghouse for VNRs and B-roll, featuring offerings from corporate, government and nonprofit VNR sponsors.</li>

<li>The <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=U.S._Department_of_Agriculture" title="U.S. Department of Agriculture">U.S. Department of Agriculture</a>'s <a href="http://www.usda.gov/agency/oc/bmtc/home.htm" class="external text" title="http://www.usda.gov/agency/oc/bmtc/home.htm" rel="nofollow">Office of Broadcasting Services</a></li>

<li>The U.S. <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=State_Department" title="State Department" class="mw-redirect">State Department</a>'s <a href="http://video.state.gov/" class="external text" title="http://video.state.gov/" rel="nofollow">video and audio news</a> page</li>

<li>The U.S. House Committee on Government Reform Minority Office (Democratic members) have an ongoing special investigation into <a href="http://www.democrats.reform.house.gov/investigations.asp?Issue=Administration+Use+of+Propaganda" class="external text" title="http://www.democrats.reform.house.gov/investigations.asp?Issue=Administration+Use+of+Propaganda" rel="nofollow">Bush administration use of propaganda</a>, with some government-produced VNRs found to be <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Covert_propaganda" title="Covert propaganda">covert propaganda</a> posted on their website.</li>

<li>Associated Press Television News' <a href="http://www.aptnmoneytalk.com/80256C68006035D7/%28httpCSPages%29/040339A436C406A080256CB1005D2626?OpenDocument" class="external text" title="http://www.aptnmoneytalk.com/80256C68006035D7/(httpCSPages)/040339A436C406A080256CB1005D2626?OpenDocument" rel="nofollow">Global Video Wire</a>.</li>

<li><a href="http://www.prnewswire.com/ma/ma/ma_media?last_item_found=0&page_num=1&page_size=20&media_code=VID&num_of_pages=0" class="external text" title="http://www.prnewswire.com/ma/ma/ma_media?last_item_found=0&page_num=1&page_size=20&media_code=VID&num_of_pages=0" rel="nofollow">PR Newswires VNRs</a>.</li>

</ul>

In addition, the websites of local television stations often post VNRs (though not identified as such) that they've aired recently.

<ul>

<li><a href="http://www.newstream.com" class="external text" title="http://www.newstream.com" rel="nofollow">Newstream.com</a> provides news releases distributed by MediaLink, one of the largest distributors of video, audio and print news releases.</li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=VMS" title="VMS">VMS</a> is a commercial service. For a fee, it tracks and provides copies of VNRs appearing in the news to its corporate clients.</li>

</ul>

<h2>SourceWatch resources</h2>

<ul>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Audio_news_releases" title="Audio news releases">Audio news releases</a></li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Brand_Hype" title="Brand Hype">Brand Hype</a></li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Branded_Entertainment" title="Branded Entertainment">Branded Entertainment</a></li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Covert_propaganda" title="Covert propaganda">Covert propaganda</a></li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Federal_Communications_Commission" title="Federal Communications Commission">Federal Communications Commission</a>, the FCC</li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Infomercial" title="Infomercial">infomercial</a></li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Media_releases" title="Media releases">Media releases</a></li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=National_Association_of_Broadcast_Communicators" title="National Association of Broadcast Communicators">National Association of Broadcast Communicators</a></li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Radio_Media_Tours" title="Radio Media Tours">Radio Media Tours</a></li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Public_Service_Announcements" title="Public Service Announcements">Public Service Announcements</a></li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Satellite_Media_Tours" title="Satellite Media Tours">Satellite Media Tours</a></li>

</ul>

<h3>People</h3>

<ul>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Barbara_Cochran" title="Barbara Cochran">Barbara Cochran</a></li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Karen_Ryan" title="Karen Ryan">Karen Ryan</a></li>

</ul>

<h2>U.S. Senate Commerce Committee hearing on VNRs</h2>

<ul>

<li><a href="http://commerce.senate.gov/archive.vnr051205.ram" class="external text" title="http://commerce.senate.gov/archive.vnr051205.ram" rel="nofollow">Archived video of entire hearing</a>: "<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=U.S._Senate" title="U.S. Senate">U.S. Senate</a> Committee on Commerce, Science & Transportation, May 12, 2005.</li>

</ul>

<dl>

<dd>

<ul>

<li><a href="http://commerce.senate.gov/hearings/testimony.cfm?id=1497&wit_id=3969" class="external text" title="http://commerce.senate.gov/hearings/testimony.cfm?id=1497&wit_id=3969" rel="nofollow">Testimony</a> of U.S. Senator <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Daniel_K._Inouye" title="Daniel K. Inouye" class="mw-redirect">Daniel K. Inouye</a>, Committee Co-Chairman (D-HI), U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science & Transportation, May 12, 2005.</li>

<li><a href="http://commerce.senate.gov/hearings/testimony.cfm?id=1497&wit_id=2157" class="external text" title="http://commerce.senate.gov/hearings/testimony.cfm?id=1497&wit_id=2157" rel="nofollow">Statement</a> of <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Jonathan_S._Adelstein" title="Jonathan S. Adelstein">Jonathan S. Adelstein</a>, Commissioner, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Federal_Communications_Commission" title="Federal Communications Commission">Federal Communications Commission</a>, U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science & Transportation, May 12, 2005.</li>

<li><a href="http://commerce.senate.gov/hearings/testimony.cfm?id=1497&wit_id=4122" class="external text" title="http://commerce.senate.gov/hearings/testimony.cfm?id=1497&wit_id=4122" rel="nofollow">Testimony</a> of Mr. <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Austin_Schlick&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Austin Schlick (page does not exist)">Austin Schlick</a>, Acting General Counsel, Federal Communications Commission, U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science & Transportation, May 12, 2005.</li>

<li><a href="http://commerce.senate.gov/hearings/testimony.cfm?id=1497&wit_id=4262" class="external text" title="http://commerce.senate.gov/hearings/testimony.cfm?id=1497&wit_id=4262" rel="nofollow">Testimony</a> of Ms. <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Susan_Poling&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Susan Poling (page does not exist)">Susan Poling</a>, Managing Associate General Counsel, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Government_Accountability_Office" title="Government Accountability Office" class="mw-redirect">Government Accountability Office</a>, U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science & Transportation, May 12, 2005.</li>

<li><a href="http://commerce.senate.gov/hearings/testimony.cfm?id=1497&wit_id=4263" class="external text" title="http://commerce.senate.gov/hearings/testimony.cfm?id=1497&wit_id=4263" rel="nofollow">Testimony</a> of Ms. <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Barbara_Cochran" title="Barbara Cochran">Barbara Cochran</a>, President, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Radio-Television_News_Directors_Association" title="Radio-Television News Directors Association" class="mw-redirect">Radio-Television News Directors Association</a>, U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science & Transportation, May 12, 2005.</li>

<li><a href="http://commerce.senate.gov/hearings/testimony.cfm?id=1497&wit_id=4264" class="external text" title="http://commerce.senate.gov/hearings/testimony.cfm?id=1497&wit_id=4264" rel="nofollow">Testimony</a> of Mr. <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Doug_Simon" title="Doug Simon">Douglas Simon</a>, President & CEO, D S Simon Productions Inc., U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science & Transportation, May 12, 2005.</li>

<li><a href="http://commerce.senate.gov/hearings/testimony.cfm?id=1497&wit_id=4265" class="external text" title="http://commerce.senate.gov/hearings/testimony.cfm?id=1497&wit_id=4265" rel="nofollow">Testimony</a> of Ms. <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Judith_T._Phair" title="Judith T. Phair">Judith Turner Phair</a>, President & CEO, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Public_Relations_Society_of_America" title="Public Relations Society of America">Public Relations Society of America</a>, U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science & Transportation, May 12, 2005.</li>

</ul>

</dd>

</dl>

<h2>External links</h2>

<h3>References</h3>

<h3><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Video_news_releases:_External_Links" title="Video news releases: External Links">Articles</a></h3>

A comprehensive listing of articles on VNRs and the debate over their use can be found at <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Video_news_releases:_External_Links" title="Video news releases: External Links">Video news releases: External Links</a>.

<div class="printfooter">Retrieved from "<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Video_news_releases">http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Video_news_releases</a>"</div>

<div id="mw-normal-catlinks"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Special:Categories" title="Special:Categories">Categories</a>: <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Category:Fake_News" title="Category:Fake News">Fake News</a> | <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Category:Media" title="Category:Media">Media</a></div>

</div>

----

CO's:

A guide to PR services lists Max World News clients as including <a href="http://solis.365media.com/InfoCom/searchResult.asp?d=881&m=8075385" class="external autonumber" title="http://solis.365media.com/InfoCom/searchResult.asp?d=881&m=8075385" rel="nofollow">[8]</a>:

<ul>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Fleishman_Hillard" title="Fleishman Hillard" class="mw-redirect">Fleishman Hillard</a></li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Edelman" title="Edelman" class="mw-redirect">Edelman</a></li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Porter_Novelli" title="Porter Novelli" class="mw-redirect">Porter Novelli</a></li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Procter_%26_Gamble" title="Procter & Gamble">Procter & Gamble</a></li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Eli_Lilly" title="Eli Lilly">Eli Lilly</a></li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Ingen_Technologies&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Ingen Technologies (page does not exist)">Ingen Technologies</a> <a href="http://www.insurancenewsnet.com/article.asp?a=featured_pr&id=58361" class="external autonumber" title="http://www.insurancenewsnet.com/article.asp?a=featured_pr&id=58361" rel="nofollow">[9]</a></li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Medtronic" title="Medtronic">Medtronic</a></li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Amgen" title="Amgen">Amgen</a></li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Birds_Eye_View_Foods&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Birds Eye View Foods (page does not exist)">Birds Eye View Foods</a></li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Pepsi" title="Pepsi" class="mw-redirect">Pepsi</a></li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Weber_Shandwick" title="Weber Shandwick">Weber Shandwick</a></li>

</ul>

----

Video news release

Attachments