Press Release
Concerned citizens flood FCC with demands to stop fake news
Contact: Timothy Karr, 201-533-8838
WASHINGTON — Free Press, the nonpartisan media reform group, and the Center for Media and Democracy filed a complaint (PDF) with the Federal Communications Commission today, urging FCC Chairman Kevin J. Martin to investigate broadcasters who distribute government-sponsored news reports without identifying their source.
Nearly 40,000 concerned citizens have already signed a petition circulated by the two groups last week calling on the FCC, Congress and local broadcasters to "stop fake news." The petition, available at www.freepress.net/action/fakenews, seeks to strengthen and enforce laws against government propaganda and demands "that the Bush administration stop using our tax dollars to create fake news reports."
"Both the Bush administration and local broadcasters must be held accountable for this betrayal of the public trust," said Josh Silver, executive director of Free Press. "The FCC needs to take quick action to investigate and eradicate news fraud and enforce the existing laws against payola. Congress must enact new laws that will stop government-funded fake news from airing without a disclaimer."
A March 13 article in the New York Times identified 20 federal agencies that used taxpayer funds to produce television news segments promoting Bush administration policies. These "video news releases," or VNRs, were broadcast on hundreds of local news programs without disclosing their source.
At least three investigations by Congress' Government Accountability Office (GAO) previously concluded that these segments constitute illegal "covert propaganda." Yet the White House recently instructed all executive branch agencies to ignore the GAO findings and continue to produce VNRs.
In January, after receiving nearly 20,000 complaints from Free Press activists, the FCC launched an investigation into federal money received by "payola pundit" Armstrong Williams from the Department of Education. The FCC has not yet released any information on the progress of that inquiry.
Free Press and the Center for Media and Democracy are also working with local groups to establish "citizen agreements" with local stations, under which broadcasters pledge to clearly identify or label pre-packaged reports produced by the government.
"Not labeling fake news produced by the government or corporations constitutes news fraud, plagiarism, and violates the most basic ethical standards of journalism," said John Stauber, executive director of the Center for Media and Democracy. "Fortunately, there is a simple solution for TV news producers: Do not use VNRs, or, if you do, label them on-air showing who provided and paid for them."
To learn more about news fraud, payola pundits and government propaganda, read the in-depth report from Free Press at http://www.freepress.net/propaganda.
Nearly 40,000 concerned citizens have already signed a petition circulated by the two groups last week calling on the FCC, Congress and local broadcasters to "stop fake news." The petition, available at www.freepress.net/action/fakenews, seeks to strengthen and enforce laws against government propaganda and demands "that the Bush administration stop using our tax dollars to create fake news reports."
"Both the Bush administration and local broadcasters must be held accountable for this betrayal of the public trust," said Josh Silver, executive director of Free Press. "The FCC needs to take quick action to investigate and eradicate news fraud and enforce the existing laws against payola. Congress must enact new laws that will stop government-funded fake news from airing without a disclaimer."
A March 13 article in the New York Times identified 20 federal agencies that used taxpayer funds to produce television news segments promoting Bush administration policies. These "video news releases," or VNRs, were broadcast on hundreds of local news programs without disclosing their source.
At least three investigations by Congress' Government Accountability Office (GAO) previously concluded that these segments constitute illegal "covert propaganda." Yet the White House recently instructed all executive branch agencies to ignore the GAO findings and continue to produce VNRs.
In January, after receiving nearly 20,000 complaints from Free Press activists, the FCC launched an investigation into federal money received by "payola pundit" Armstrong Williams from the Department of Education. The FCC has not yet released any information on the progress of that inquiry.
Free Press and the Center for Media and Democracy are also working with local groups to establish "citizen agreements" with local stations, under which broadcasters pledge to clearly identify or label pre-packaged reports produced by the government.
"Not labeling fake news produced by the government or corporations constitutes news fraud, plagiarism, and violates the most basic ethical standards of journalism," said John Stauber, executive director of the Center for Media and Democracy. "Fortunately, there is a simple solution for TV news producers: Do not use VNRs, or, if you do, label them on-air showing who provided and paid for them."
To learn more about news fraud, payola pundits and government propaganda, read the in-depth report from Free Press at http://www.freepress.net/propaganda.
