OK, but did you read Connolly's description? Is she describing something common? (Or not uncommon?)
>>Shortly before last year's Super Bowl, many news stations aired a story by Mike Morris describing plans for a new White House ad campaign on the dangers of drug abuse.
What viewers did not know was that Morris is not a journalist and his "report" was produced by the government, actions that constituted illegal "covert propaganda," according to an investigation by the Government Accountability Office (GAO).
In the second ruling of its kind, the investigative arm of Congress this week scolded the Bush administration for distributing phony, prepackaged news reports that include a "suggested live intro" for anchors to read, interviews with Washington officials and a closing that mimics a typical broadcast news sign-off.
Although television stations knew the materials were produced by the Office of National Drug Control Policy, nothing in the two-minute, prepackaged reports would indicate to viewers that they came from the government or that Morris, a former journalist, was working under contract for the government.
"You think you are getting a news story, but what you are getting is a paid announcement," said Susan Poling, managing associate general counsel at GAO. "What is objectionable about these is the fact the viewer has no idea their tax dollars are being used to write and produce this video segment."
washingtonpost.com |
