Is it OK for the .gov to make "news" for local broadcasts?
The NY Times had a great article on the front page today about H&HS creating video stories for local tv news programs.
Now, we all know that all politicians use their official positions to help their election bids, like sending out "What the Congressman has been up to" letters using the tax payers' dime. But is this too far? Should the government be making news segments knowing that local stations have cut their new gathering operations significantly?
Quote:
Federal investigators are scrutinizing television segments in which the Bush administration paid people to pose as journalists praising the benefits of the new Medicare law, which would be offered to help elderly Americans with the costs of their prescription medicines.
Federal investigators are scrutinizing television segments in which the Bush administration paid people to pose as journalists praising the benefits of the new Medicare law, which would be offered to help elderly Americans with the costs of their prescription medicines.
Now, we all know that all politicians use their official positions to help their election bids, like sending out "What the Congressman has been up to" letters using the tax payers' dime. But is this too far? Should the government be making news segments knowing that local stations have cut their new gathering operations significantly?
Comments
Originally posted by HOM
The NY Times had a great article on the front page today about H&HS creating video stories for local tv news programs.
Now, we all know that all politicians use their official positions to help their election bids, like sending out "What the Congressman has been up to" letters using the tax payers' dime. But is this too far? Should the government be making news segments knowing that local stations have cut their new gathering operations significantly?
Well... <Jubelum's computer explodes as Black Helicopter flies over...>
Originally posted by HOM
The NY Times had a great article on the front page today about H&HS creating video stories for local tv news programs.
Now, we all know that all politicians use their official positions to help their election bids, like sending out "What the Congressman has been up to" letters using the tax payers' dime. But is this too far? Should the government be making news segments knowing that local stations have cut their new gathering operations significantly?
I've heard it's been done before. That being said, I have some issues with it.
"Oh look! The infomercial for Medicare is on, honey!"
Either way I don't think any government body should be allowed to pose PR as "news". It's unethical any way you slice it.
Originally posted by Jubelum
Well... <Jubelum's computer explodes as Black Helicopter flies over...>
<Artman @_@ wiping tears of hilarity from eyes.>
POLITV...From US straight to your couchpotato ass! 8)
8:00PM - Is Sen. John Kerry an Abraham Lincoln CLONE?
9:00PM - Larry King: Interview with the Baghdad Stunt Turkey
10:00PM - Ralph Nader: The Other White Meat
11:00PM to Infinity - West Wing Marathon...
the way "Doctors" in drug commercials are captioned "Not a real doctor".
I'd expect the various Press Associations to protest, using similar arguments to those they make when the disguise of 'journalist' is used by security forces in such a way that it jeopardizes the safety or perceived neutrality of the press in future. While 'harm to reputation' may be difficult to prove legally, overtly political comment purporting to be 'impartial journalism' impugns the profession. Advertising supplements in papers and magazines are required to declare themselves, much like lobbyists need to announce what interest they're funded by. Ditto political marketing, IMO.
Federal law prohibits the use of federal money for "publicity or propaganda purposes" not authorized by Congress. In the past, the General Accounting Office has found that federal agencies violated this restriction when they disseminated editorials and newspaper articles written by the government or its contractors without identifying the source.
... From the article
As long as they attribute the source honestly, it might be acceptable.
Although there were those form letters they distributed in Iraq for soldiers to sign and send home. Full of "Iraqis are welcoming us" hyperbole, many parents forwarded their letters to local papers for publication (as was the grand plan, one might suspect). At some point, people connected the dots that these letters were all identical, and the cynicism of the government was exposed. If they had instead captioned the letter "Written by the Propagandists, signed by your family member", perhaps the blowback wouldn't have been as bad.
And for those who doubt the precedent for pr spin masquerading as manufactured 'news'...
Remember December 2000 and the "protests" over Florida's recount?
1. Tom Pyle, policy analyst, office of House Majority Whip Tom DeLay (R-Tex.).
2. Garry Malphrus, majority chief counsel and staff director, House Judiciary subcommittee on criminal justice.
3. Rory Cooper, political division staff member at the National Republican Congressional Committee.
4. Kevin Smith, former House Republican conference analyst and more recently of Voter.com.
5. Steven Brophy, former aide to Sen. Fred D. Thompson (R-Tenn.), now working at the consulting firm KPMG.
6. Matt Schlapp, former chief of staff for Rep. Todd Tiahrt (R-Kan.), now on the Bush campaign staff in Austin.
7. Roger Morse, aide to Rep. Van Hilleary (R-Tenn.).
8. Duane Gibson, aide to Chairman Don Young (R-Alaska) of the House Resources Committee.
9. Chuck Royal, legislative assistant to Rep. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.).
10. Layna McConkey, former legislative assistant to former Rep. Jim Ross Lightfoot (R-Iowa), now at Steelman Health Strategies. _
Identified by readers of the Washington Post who recognized many in the picture @
http://washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/art...-2000Dec5.html
Not to provoke a right-vs-left flame war... just the first captioned example I found of spin-as-news
All governments do it to some degree, some are just sloppier and let the spin show.
Who was "Nayirah"? turns out she was the Kuwaiti Ambassador to the US's daughter.
"Hello, I'm not really a president,
but I play one on TV..."