AT President Bush’s March 16 news conference, a reporter noted that the White House has banned paying journalists to promote the Bush agenda-a reference to the Armstrong Williams scandal-but then asked, “Your administration continues to make use of video news releases, which are prepackaged news stories sent to television stations, fully aware that some or many of these stations will air them without any disclaimer that they are produced by the government. . . . Does it raise ethical questions about the use of government money?”
Bush answered by citing a Justice Department opinion that says producing video news releases, or VNRs, is legal, “so long as they’re based upon facts, not advocacy.” He said he expected departments to follow that ruling, adding that it would be a good thing if local television stations that used such stories would tell viewers the source of the material.
Comments