Truthdig - Ear to the Ground - Bush Planted Canned ‘News’ Spots on U.S. Stations

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Bush Planted Canned ‘News’ Spots on U.S. Stations

Posted on Oct 15, 2007

For years, we’ve been hearing about big companies increasingly taking over the American news business, as well as media execs jumping into bed with government higher-ups, but this report about the federal government and major corporations actually producing and planting prepackaged “news” stories in outlets around the country raises the Big Brother threat level to at least Orange.

The Independent:

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.

Read more

TAGS: administration advertising corporate fcc government media news vnr

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By ~B~, October 16, 2007 at 4:58 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

Until you cancel your cable and stop watching tv they could care less what you want. They will continue to shove whatever they want down your throat and know you will take it. Because you have already.

I haven’t had tv in over 10 years. You can live without one - usually a better life as well.

http://b-political.blogspot.com/

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By great_satan, October 16, 2007 at 4:49 pm #
(182 comments total)

This is definitley nothing new, and the documented occasions pale in comparison to the overall corruption of the mass media. I’ve seen lots of CNN footage, mostly from Afghanistan, that was so obvioulsy Wagging the Dog. Its good to get this going though, catching them with their hands in the cookie jar. Maybe someting will come of it, but then...who is going to report it?
OF course the media could make ab ig deal outof it, to enhance the illusion of overall objectivity and journalistic autonomy and integrity.

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By mdruss42, October 16, 2007 at 9:31 am #
(58 comments total)

We need to take a page from their play book.

SAY IT OVER AND OVER AND OVER.....FOREVER.

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By Christie, October 16, 2007 at 8:31 am #
(29 comments total)

Oh, please. How old is this news, anyway? Do the names Novak or Judith Miller ring a bell? Both were happy enough to pass along planted stories for years (Miller in the run-up to Iraq, and most famously in revealing Plame’s identity.)

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By mary, October 16, 2007 at 6:19 am #
(197 comments total)

Our news media is so vile I can’t watch at all. Until recently, I just ignored them but now I feel like I have to scream at the top of my lungs with the hope the next generation of journalists will find the courage to do the right thing. Tony Snow was on Jon Stewart last night, the ultimate in the art of lies, and I still felt sorry for him. He’s dying and he’s still out there spewing the admin crap. One would think he would be more reflective and want to be honest with us and himself. I mean these are the guys with the bible in their hip pocket, wouldn’t you want to get your house in order before meeting your maker. His time is short. As for reading the foreign press, well just remember Rupert is not American. Oh yes he’s got his Citizenship papers so he can own the news empire he owns, but he’s no American. You can bet the foreign press is just as corupt......

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By Leefeller, October 16, 2007 at 2:33 am #
(1234 comments total)

“1984” the book News was called? News Speak? (spelling) This has been going on for some time, it just gets worse, and if you look at the poles, 30 percent of the people must still believe in the news.

Bury reality, hide the truth and feed them pablum.

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By G.Anderson, October 15, 2007 at 9:11 pm #
(249 comments total)

Ultimately freedom itself is the only real threat to Bush and his backers.

And that is why Freedom has to go.

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By DennisD, October 15, 2007 at 6:33 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

The real news story should be - Potted Plant Wins 08 Election. That way we’d have an unbroken Bu$h Presidential lineage.

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By jbart, October 15, 2007 at 3:48 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

I have one simple, but important question. Why are THEY still here? Breathing air? Forget about protests, people. Take Care of Business (TCB). They have no business still existing. A place needs to be found, albeit not sites such as TD, to coordinate a solution to this “growing” problem. That is, a plan to stop what is going on in it’s tracks! The political environment only promises “more of the same”. We NEED change, and I’m willing to support any means, extreme included,to “fix” what broke. Are you??? Let’s find a strategy that accomplishes the salvalging of America. We can, if we unite, have a chance. We owe it to our kids, and theirs, to act and do SOMETHING.

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By Michael Gass, October 15, 2007 at 3:16 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

Like purplewolf said, look at the date of this report… May 2006. It’s old news… we’ve known it for years.

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By William Ries, October 15, 2007 at 2:51 pm #
(23 comments total)

These goobers in D.C. attempt to reach into our living rooms with their lies and propaganda. What percent of the sheep watching this pablum buy into it?

I believe none of it. I view all words from Washington with cynicism and skepticism, precisely like a patriot.

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By purplewolf, October 15, 2007 at 2:32 pm #
(567 comments total)

This fabrication of the news from the Bush Administration was exposed in his first term.I first found it on the internet news sites,our local newspaper had an article abour an inch big on it where Bush said it’s not my fault if the networks didn’t run a disclaimer before stating that it was a fabricated news article.Therefore justifying that he is not to blame if the lies coming out of his administration by his instruction are thought to be actual truth.

I responded to our local talkback section in the news.It was posted: that it is totally unacceptable that the president has decided to send out this as news and they try to wiggle out of it what things go wrong. And what about all the censorship, editing, withholding,and altering and twisting what items they do release and call it news.Also include all the lies coming out of the news media,the only place you might find with some truth in it is the horoscope section of you newspaper.

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By vet240, October 15, 2007 at 2:06 pm #
(188 comments total)

The truth will come out (maybe).

The Multi-National corporations, the arms manufacturers in cooperation with the Military have been successful at co-opting the highest seats of power in our nation.

Rupert Murdock and Dick Cheney are the poster-boys of this dangerous assault on our Government.

A Government of the people, for the people and by the people will only stand as long as the people are actively watching and reacting to those who would usurp our rights.

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By Soitgoes, October 15, 2007 at 1:56 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

Is this really a surprise? Considering what we have endured from this administration I’d say resoundingly NO!

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By thomas billis, October 15, 2007 at 12:46 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

Joey Goebbels lives.The fine for a tit on television is astronomical for Goebbels like propaganda a slap on the wrist.I have said it once I will say it again we have the worst media in the free world and if you want to find out what is going on in America you have too read the foreign press.

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