NOT A REAL JOURNALIST, BUT PLAYING ONE ON TV

March 16, 2004

Since the December passage of the Medicare bill, " there have been a

lot of questions about how the law will help older Americans and

people with disabilities.

Reporter Karen Ryan helps sort through

the details. " This is the suggested lead in for local stations

running new video news releases prepared by the Department of

Health and Human Services.

The spots have aired in Okalahoma,

Louisiana and other states, without any indication of their source

or disclaimer that " reporter " Karen Ryan is actually an employee of

Home Front Communications reading " a script prepared by the

government. "

An HHS spokesperson correctly notes that VNRs are " a

common, routine practice in government and the private sector " ;

studies have estimated that up to 40 percent of " the news " comes

from VNRs and other forms of PR. VNRs " became more prominent in the

1980's, as more and more television stations cut news-gathering

budgets. "

SOURCE: The New York Times, March 15, 2004

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