US Feeds Americans Faux Iraq Stories: Report
- From: "Islam Will Replace Collapsing Amerikan Empire" <islam_to_replace_amerikan_empire@xxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 29 May 2006 14:05:28 -0400
US Feeds Americans Faux Iraq Stories: Report
CAIRO, May 29, 2006 (IslamOnline.net) - The Bush administration has produced
many news items, known as Video News Releases (VNRs), about success in Iraq
and fed them to the American public through television stations as
independent news reports, The Independent reported on Monday, May 29.
"They have got very good at mimicking what a real, independently produced
television report would look like," said Diana Farsetta, a researcher at the
Center for Media and Democracy.
"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 (VNRs) get played and how frequently these pre-packaged segments are
put on the air."
A report by the non-profit group found that over a 10-month period at least
77 television stations were making use of VNRs without telling viewers who
had produced them.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is already investigating the
charges.
The FCC had last print warned broadcasters that they were obliged to inform
viewers if items were sponsored.
The maximum fine for each violation is $32,500.
Masquerading
Among fake items provided by the 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.
"The public obviously expects their news reports are going to be based on
real reporting and real information," said FCC spokesman Craig Aaron.
"If they are watching an advertisement for a company or a government policy,
they need to be told."
Last year the administration came under fire after revelation that articles
have been written in English, translated into Arabic, by US military
"information operation" troops and then given to Baghdad newspapers to print
in return for money.
A defense contractor and a Washington-based public relations firm called
Lincoln Group helped translate the stories and used staff or subcontractors
posing as freelance journalists or advertising executives to bring them to
Iraqi media outlets.
The USA Today also revealed late last year that that a $300 million Pentagon
psychological warfare operation includes plans to place pro-American
messages in foreign media outlets without disclosing the US government as
the source.
http://islamonline.net/English/News/2006-05/29/article05.shtml
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