Changes

[httphttps://www.prwatch.org/fakenews/execsummary/ "Fake TV News: Widespread and Undisclosed"] is the title of a report released on April 6, 2006, by the [[Center for Media and Democracy]]. The multi-media report tracked television stations' use of selected VNRs over 10 months. The report summary states: "CMD identified 77 television stations, from those in the largest to the smallest markets, that aired these VNRs or related [[satellite media tours]] (SMTs) in 98 separate instances, without disclosure to viewers. Collectively, these 77 stations reach more than half of the U.S. population. ... In almost all cases, stations failed to balance the clients' messages with independently-gathered footage or basic journalistic research. More than one-third of the time, stations aired the pre-packaged VNR in its entirety." [httphttps://www.prwatch.org/fakenews/execsummary]

On November 14, 2006, CMD issued a follow-up report, [https://www.prwatch.org/fakenews2/execsummary "Still Not the News: Stations Overwhelmingly Fail to Disclose VNRs." ] Although the research period for this report was shorter -- only six months -- dozens more undisclosed VNR broadcasts were documented. The report summary states: "Of the 54 total VNR broadcasts described in this report, 48 provided no disclosure of the nature or source of the sponsored video. In the six other cases, disclosure was fleeting and often ambiguous." [httphttps://www.prwatch.org/fakenews2/execsummary]

Along with the release of each report, CMD and the media reform group [[Free Press]] filed a formal complaint with the [[Federal Communications Commission]] (FCC) requesting enforcement of the Commission's sponsorship identification requirements with regard to VNRs. In August 2006, the FCC sent letters of inquiry to the owners of the 77 television stations named in CMD's first report. [httphttps://www.prwatch.org/node/5084] [http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-267048A1.pdf] (PDF)

In September 2007, the U.S. [[Federal Communications Commission]] issued two notices of apparent liability, announcing its intention to fine [[Comcast Corporation]] $4000 for each of its regional cable channel [[CN8, (TV Station)|CN8]]'s five undisclosed VNR broadcasts that were documented in the Center for Media and Democracy's "Still Not the News" report [httphttps://www.prwatch.org/fakenews2/execsummary], for a total of $20,000. [httphttps://www.prwatch.org/node/6504]

In the first notice, for CN8's broadcast of the Nelson's Rescue Sleep VNR [httphttps://www.prwatch.org/fakenews2/vnr54], the FCC said that the "extensive images and mentions of the product" triggered the need for VNR disclosure. [http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-07-4005A1.pdf] The second notice was for CN8's broadcast of the General Mills (Wheaties) [httphttps://www.prwatch.org/fakenews2/vnr56], Trend Micro [httphttps://www.prwatch.org/fakenews2/vnr59], Allstate [httphttps://www.prwatch.org/fakenews2/vnr60], and General Mills (Bisquick) [httphttps://www.prwatch.org/fakenews2/vnr61] VNRs. In it, the FCC broadened its explanation for the need for VNR disclosure, saying that "the VNR itself was the 'valuable consideration' provided to CN8." The second notice also faults CN8's broadcast of the four VNRs, saying their promotional content goes far beyond the acceptable "fleeting or transient references to products or brand names." [http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-07-4075A1.pdf]