What’s wrong with government news videos that just give (some of the more positive) the facts, with a fake reporter who signs off as “(some name) reporting from Washington, D.C.” , packaged to look like real news, sent to TV stations and intended to be run as real news?
According to the Washington Post, this is what the Government Accountability Office said: “The Government Accountability Office found this kind of phony news to be impermissible "covert propaganda." It warned the government last month that such prepackaged news stories must be accompanied by a "clear disclosure to the television viewing audience" of the government's involvement. The Bush administration is now instructing its officials to ignore the GAO.”
“This technique is both illegal and unwise. As a legal matter, the prepackaged news releases run afoul of the prohibition on the use of government funds for domestic "propaganda." The administration's interpretation -- it's okay to hide the source as long as the spot is "purely informational" -- is untenable: Highlighting some "facts" and leaving out others can be even more persuasive than outright advocacy, which is why the administration chose this device. More important, this kind of propaganda masquerading as news is a deceitful way for a democratic government to do business; fake journalists paid by the government to deliver its version of news are as disturbing as real commentators paid by the government to tout its views. White House press secretary Scott McClellan defended the video news releases on Monday as "an informational tool to provide factual information to the American people." Nice sentiment, but why, exactly, wouldn't the administration want to let the people in on one of the most salient facts: who, really, is doing the talking?”
Friends of the Earth has found that the Department of the Interior has been doing the same thing.
“Washington, DC -The Department of the Interior (DOI) has been producing and releasing the same kind of misleading video news releases that have already generated controversy at other federal agencies. Responding to a Freedom of Information request from Friends of the Earth, a Washington, DC-based environmental organization, DOI provided Friends of the Earth with several prepackaged video news releases that fail to disclose to TV viewers that they are government products.”
My earlier blog on this subject is This is Karen Ryan, Media Roadkill in addition to these on Gannon/Guckert-gate here , here, here, here, here (a rumor I have found no support for since blogging it.), here, here, and here.
So what's wrong? Besides the fact that it is an illegal use of Taxpayer funds, that is? I think it tells us what kind of administration this is. This is the most dishonest, manipulative, anti-democratic administration the US has ever had. If there are only two ways to do something, and one is illegal, lying or unethical, the Bush administration will choose that one.
This is no way to run a country.
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