March 24-30, 2005

slant

Fake News

By trying to save a buck, TV networks betray their own ethical codes.

by Paul Curci

As publisher of this newspaper, I'm disgusted at the depths to which corporate media has plunged. By definition, we in the alternative media have never really shared the same perspective as mainstream media. We view the world from another vantage point, and among other things, we act as the watchdog of mainstream media. Acting in that capacity, two New York Times reporters shed some light on news directors and editors who've been abusing the public trust.

Almost two weeks ago, David Barstow and Robin Stein reported that broadcast media outlets have been airing prepackaged, ready-to-serve video news releases, passing them off as real news.

Take Karen Ryan, for example. A year ago, the Times reported that Ryan, a former ABC news reporter turned PR consultant, has been selling the president's foreign policy, agricultural and health-care agendas to American viewers under the guise of real news. The practice continued for more than a year; each time, she ended her report with a familiar reporter's closing line, "In Washington, I'm Karen Ryan reporting." She's been smacked around a lot since being exposed, and even describes herself, mockingly, as "a shill for the Bush administration."

She's not the only shill.

In fact, according to The New York Times, some 20 government agencies have produced more than 100 of these video news releases over the past four years.

The segments are staged to look and feel like actual news reports, when in fact they're nothing more than carefully scripted commercials commissioned by various government agencies. And TV networks have been running them. No questions asked.

Referring to a number of video releases that aired in some markets, the article states: "To a viewer, each report looked like any other 90-second segment on the local news. In fact, the federal government produced all three. The report from Kansas City [featuring a jubilant Iraqi-American, after the fall of Baghdad] was made by the State Department. The "reporter' covering airport safety was actually a public relations professional working under a false name for the Transportation Security Administration. The farming segment was done by the Agriculture Department's office of communications."

This is fraud, manipulation and deception on a massive scale.

These practices, which are occurring far more frequently under the current administration, also took place during the Clinton years. And, although practiced mainly by broadcast media, the mainstream print media is also guilty. (Remember the syndicated columnists who were taking money from the government?)

Has corporate media become so desperate to preserve their bottom line that they're willing to toss their ethics completely out the window? What ever happened to the separation of press and state?

The motivation, sadly, seems profit-driven. Press releases are free; real stories cost money. Video press releases are valuable to certain corporate media scumbags. But, it also represents a legitimate threat to democracy — you know, that principle we're currently spending billions to spread.

Problem is, there are few watchdogs. You're not going to find any in government. Historically, that's been our job. As corporate mainstream media continues to lower its standards, the role of alternative media becomes more important.

After being challenged by the Government Accountability Office, who referred to these videos as "covert propaganda," the Justice Department has determined that these so-called "purely informational" news segments are legal.

Legal? How the hell can this be legal? And who are we supposed to trust?

Here's my solution. Question everything. Challenge everything you're being sold by the media. Start with this paper you're reading. Hold us accountable. Hold everyone in this industry accountable. Maybe if enough fake reporters are bitch-slapped, and a few editors and news directors lose their jobs, maybe, just maybe, we can get the genie back into the bottle.

To me, one Karen Ryan quote sums it up. "I just don't feel I did anything wrong," she said. "I just did what everyone else in the industry was doing."

Makes me wonder if we really even deserve freedom of speech.

Paul Curci is the publisher of Philadelphia City Paper. If you would like to respond to this Slant or have one of your own (750 words), contact Duane Swierczynski, editor in chief, City Paper, 123 Chestnut St., third floor, Phila., PA 19106 or e-mail Duane Swierczynski.