Ads As "News:" Shrinking Budgets Affect Local Newsroom Quality, Integrity
Monday April 10, 2006
"Fair and balanced" takes on new meaning at Sinclair-owned FOX KOKH-25 in Oklahoma City. According to a study by the Center for Media and Democracy, broadast six video news releases (VNRs) over a 10-month period. Without mentioning that the material had been provided by a corporate PR agent. And five of them were broadcast in their entirety.
"News," indeed. Free ads without even a disclaimer is more accurate.
The Sinclair property was the most egregious violator of basic journalism ethics in the study, which analyzed the use of 36 VNRs in 77 stations reaching half of the US population. Eighteen percent of the stations broadcast 36 percent of the VNRs. Most stations reviewed the study broadcast only one of the 36.
Media, Poliitics and Democracy
Why does this matter? What does it have to do with politics? Most Americans get most of their news about the world from television news -- three-quarters of us rely on local news and more than two-thirds on broadcast or cable. Only one-in-five reads a newspaper regularly.
The quality of this news becomes important when we consider that an informed citizenry is essential to a functioning democracy. From USAID: "[M]edia is an important prong of U.S. democracy and governance assistance" to help develop "a politically active civil society." (pdf)
From the same report:
Back To the VNR Research
Tied for second -- with three broadcasts each -- is ABC affiliate WCTI-12 (New Bern, NC), CBS affiliate WBOC-16 (Salisbury, MD), and CBS affiliate KLBK-13 (Lubbock, TX). Ten stations broadcast two VNRs; the remainder, only one.
Of the owners:
Last year, the White House discounted a GAO report that federal government use of VNRs might be "covert propaganda."
"News," indeed. Free ads without even a disclaimer is more accurate.
The Sinclair property was the most egregious violator of basic journalism ethics in the study, which analyzed the use of 36 VNRs in 77 stations reaching half of the US population. Eighteen percent of the stations broadcast 36 percent of the VNRs. Most stations reviewed the study broadcast only one of the 36.
Media, Poliitics and Democracy
Why does this matter? What does it have to do with politics? Most Americans get most of their news about the world from television news -- three-quarters of us rely on local news and more than two-thirds on broadcast or cable. Only one-in-five reads a newspaper regularly.
The quality of this news becomes important when we consider that an informed citizenry is essential to a functioning democracy. From USAID: "[M]edia is an important prong of U.S. democracy and governance assistance" to help develop "a politically active civil society." (pdf)
From the same report:
Access to information is essential to the health of democracy for at least two reasons. First, it ensures that citizens make responsible, informed choices rather than acting out of ignorance or misinformation. Second, information serves a “checking function” by ensuring that elected representatives uphold their oaths of office and carry out the wishes of those who elected them.Of course, we assume that information will be accurate, vetted and properly sourced. The later is the primary - but not sole - worry about undisclosed VNRs.
Back To the VNR Research
Tied for second -- with three broadcasts each -- is ABC affiliate WCTI-12 (New Bern, NC), CBS affiliate WBOC-16 (Salisbury, MD), and CBS affiliate KLBK-13 (Lubbock, TX). Ten stations broadcast two VNRs; the remainder, only one.
Of the owners:
- Seven Sinclair-owned stations broadcast 12 VNRs
- Four Nexstar-owned stations broadcast seven VNRs
- Six FOX-owned stations broadcast seven VNRs
- Six Viacom-owned stations broadcast seven VNRs
- Seven Tribune-owned stations broadcast seven VNRs
Last year, the White House discounted a GAO report that federal government use of VNRs might be "covert propaganda."
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