- Bush Plants Fake News RN by Lapis
18 y
2,778 5 Messages Shown
Blog: Collective Disease Incorporated
Bush 'planted fake news stories on American TV'
By Andrew Buncombe in Washington
Published: 29 May 2006
Federal authorities are actively investigating dozens of American television stations for broadcasting items produced by the Bush administration and major corporations, and passing them off as normal news. Some of the fake news segments talked up success in the war in Iraq, or promoted the companies' products.
Investigators from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) are seeking information about stations across the country after a report produced by a campaign group detailed the extraordinary extent of the use of such items.
The report, by the non-profit group Centre for Media and Democracy, found that over a 10-month period at least 77 television stations were making use of the faux news broadcasts, known as Video News Releases (VNRs). Not one told viewers who had produced the items.
"We know we only had partial access to these VNRs and yet we found 77 stations using them," said Diana Farsetta, one of the group's researchers. "I would say it's pretty extraordinary. The picture we found was much worse than we expected going into the investigation in terms of just how widely these get played and how frequently these pre-packaged segments are put on the air."
Ms Farsetta said the public relations companies commissioned to produce these segments by corporations had become increasingly sophisticated in their techniques in order to get the VNRs broadcast. "They have got very good at mimicking what a real, independently produced television report would look like," she said.
The FCC has declined to comment on the investigation but investigators from the commission's enforcement unit recently approached Ms Farsetta for a copy of her group's report.
The range of VNR is wide. Among items provided by the Bush administration to news stations was one in which an Iraqi-American in Kansas City was seen saying "Thank you Bush. Thank you USA" in response to the 2003 fall of Baghdad. The footage was actually produced by the State Department, one of 20 federal agencies that have produced and distributed such items.
Many of the corporate reports, produced by drugs manufacturers such as Pfizer, focus on health issues and promote the manufacturer's product. One example cited by the report was a Hallowe'en segment produced by the confectionery giant Mars, which featured Snickers, M&Ms and other company brands. While the original VNR disclosed that it was produced by Mars, such information was removed when it was broadcast by the television channel - in this case a Fox-owned station in St Louis, Missouri.
Bloomberg news service said that other companies that sponsored the promotions included General Motors, the world's largest car maker, and Intel, the biggest maker of semi-conductors. All of the companies said they included full disclosure of their involvement in the VNRs. "We in no way attempt to hide that we are providing the video," said Chuck Mulloy, a spokesman for Intel. "In fact, we bend over backward to make this disclosure."
The FCC was urged to act by a lobbying campaign organised by Free Press, another non-profit group that focuses on media policy. Spokesman Craig Aaron said more than 25,000 people had written to the FCC about the VNRs. "Essentially it's corporate advertising or propaganda masquerading as news," he said. "The public obviously expects their news reports are going to be based on real reporting and real information. If they are watching an advertisement for a company or a government policy, they need to be told."
The controversy over the use of VNRs by television stations first erupted last spring. At the time the FCC issued a public notice warning broadcasters that they were obliged to inform viewers if items were sponsored. The maximum fine for each violation is $32,500
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Lapis
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- We could not care less what citizens of other countries say about the US... by Ana
18 y
1,604
- check this out.... by daizy4
18 y
1,891
- 80 % Americans do not support Bush/ who is this *WE*? by Wrenn
18 y
2,132
I say why don't we clean up our own back yard before butting in to others?
Poverty in great aboundance exists here.
Corruption is a mainstay in most every state, ESP so in the governments.
Yes other countries hate us.
We butt-in to often thousands of years of civil war history
in other countries, like a 2 year old with dirty diapers
trying to tell ancient folks that we know what is better for them?
What impudence we have? What super bloated ego?
I am not saying Americans in general are this way..
there is a difference between criticizing a president
vs aligning that with all Americans.
Many people of other countries even, that hate Bush and Us government,
do equate a difference between the 2 as well.
Bush has even gone so far as to put down our constitution
as just a piece of paper and he will do what he damn well pleases,
whether without the congress or peoples support.
This is how a mad dictator thinks and acts.
Today even to wear an Anti-bush t-shirt might get you arrested
as a enemy of the state.
Where has our right to freedom of speech
and passive political gatherings gone?
(Pretty close to Kent state but really far beyond that in scope.)
We go against even the United Nations!, large group of many nations.
that were against the current war.
Our government has lied not only in the reasons for invasion,
with no clear evidence
but against many folks in out government advice,
to lies to that country,
and to our own dead soldiers that continue to die.
Bush said we would be in and out and let the country then
decide its own government... what a crock.
He is really only after control of oil.
Chavez is close to next on list for their oil resources,
but frankly I see a major shift to Africa comming soon,
since oil rich resources have been uncovered there as well.
Once the continued mass genocide that is currently ongoing
is completed that will be an easy clean up takeover anyhow.
Any half-intelligent American, as 80 % seem to be..
have paid attention to what the government is doing.
There are those who have hate in their hearts who sling their hate in an attempt to shoot the messenger.
It seems most of the 20 % Americans that support Bush,
have profits to gain by doing so, or are from Texas.
I recently saw a wonderful documentory called * the Game of Their Lives*
in which recently an american was allowed to go and film interview the olympic,
polo N korean Team that swept the nations with their skill and high level of sportsmanship.
The thing that most amazed the filmaker and is evident in the film,
Is the happiness of the peoples of this so called *dictator communist* country.
They are all isolated from outside world, and seem very happy.
They are well taken care of, have great pride in their nation and strong
confidence in themselves
They truly love their country and each other.
Even though their leader is now dead,
they loved him so.. to still call him leader of their country
There are no inside rebellions.
Now Cuba has folks that are not happy,
and that is because of bad leadership in past.
But he is regaining the respect slowly,
by sincerely trying to make changes in his country
for the good of the people.
He has even offered FREE medical eye surgeries to Americans
that Cuba will pay for transport and back
for Americans that cannot afford the surgeries here!!
And they have an incredible success rate with a specialist team.
There are some Amercans, esp poverty ones that have had this done!
Look at the *dictator Chavez* in Venezuela!
Except for the corrupted ones that want drug cartels,
All of his people support and love him deeply.
But of course Bush paints him as a mad dictator,
only cause he wants that oil rich control ..
of which Chavez is having no part of
giving away his countries resources
that help sustain & benefit his own people..
to instead go into corrupt american government pockets.
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Wrenn
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- correction : Game of Their Life Documentary Movie by Wrenn
18 y
2,012
I was thinking of something else as I wrote that part:
The Documentary Movie, *Game of Their Life*
is about the 8th World Cup Series in Football
(which we in west call soccer)
It is a fantastic film, and esp so connected to World History
at the time of that series/ the cold war/ and the wins by the
N.Koreans/ including the sportsmanship behavior as well as skill.
At a time when folks were really bent
against seeing the N.Koreans as enemies
*communists* at time of cold war,
They won the hearts of many nations,
even the ones they defeated,
because of their attitudes they brought to the game.
They created long lasting friendships with 2 English Towns,
and even though they did not win the World Cup,
they went home seeing themselves as victors, not losers..
for having gone as far as they did, and felt that they had
also contributed to world politics that countries from
incredible differences could still compete
and appreciate each other by means of sports.
That such a means helped others
understand a bit about each others cultures,
without challenging the countries policies.
A *must see* documentary.
It is a fairy recent documentary
about the World Cup Series in 1966.
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Wrenn
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