News propaganda

News propaganda is covert propaganda packaged as credible news without transparency as to source and motivation. The lack of transparency is critical to distinguishing news propaganda from traditional press releases and video news releases.

As with any propaganda, news propaganda may be spread for purposes including political or ideological reasons, partisan agenda, religious motivation, and commercial motivation. In wartime, propaganda can be motivated by national security reasons.

Government produced "news"
The UK Foreign Office, which spent £340m on propaganda activities in the UK alone in 2001, previously funded British Satellite News, a free television news and feature service. Production of British Satellite News ceased in September 2009.

The Foreign Office is also the primary funder of the BBC World Service, but as part of the BBC it has complete editorial and managerial independence.

Government produced "news"
In the United States, according to a report by Pulitzer-prize winning journalist David Barstow in The New York Times, the George W. Bush administration has been increasingly criticized for the aggressive use of a tool typical of public relations: previously prepared, ready-to-serve news that big corporations regularly distribute to TV stations in order to sell products or services. What is referred to by the report as propaganda is usually distributed through the use of a Video news release (or VNR).

A New York Times editorial (March 16, 2005) entitled "And now, the counterfeit news" affirms that at least 20 U.S. federal agencies, like the Department of Defense and the U.S. Census Bureau, produced and distributed hundreds of TV news reports since 2001 that were aired as if they were produced by the media. The same report says that this practice was also utilized by the Clinton Administration. Another report details the use of this practice by the United States Department of Agriculture.

Further reference

 * Journalists challenge license of Fox TV in Tampa on evidence of false and distorted news reports - from Mindfully.org. Journalists Jane Akre and Steve Wilson vs. WTVT Fox-13 in Tampa. Jan 3, 2005.
 * Florida station facing consequences for not airing complete BGH story - from NewFarm.org.
 * Military news programs secure a public outlet - published on March 9, 2005, by the St. Petersburg Times. Tampa Bay Area Government access channels Air Defense Department programming that also goes to military bases and features anchors in uniform.
 * The Boston Globe – Patricia Smith’s virtual reality - article by TransparencyNow.com.
 * Drug Control Office faulted for issuing fake news tapes - published on Jan 7, 2005, by The Washington Post, written by Ceci Connolly.
 * How to write distorted news – NY Times vs. Washington Post - from Rasmusen Weblog. July 22, 2004.
 * Fake news, fake reporter - by Eric Boehlert (Salon.com). Feb. 10, 2005.
 * Wanted : 250,000 Americans to fight fake news and government propaganda - from the Center for Media and Democracy, publishers of PRWatch.org.
 * sniggle.net: News Trolls - brief descriptions of historical examples of fake news items originating both inside and outside the newsroom
 * Press release about the Federal Propaganda Prohibition Act of 2005, legislation proposed by Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro

Media watchdog organizations

 * Accuracy in Media watchdog group with a self-proclaimed Conservative bias
 * DemocracyNow.org
 * FAIR.org - Fairness and Accuracy In Reporting; Media watchdog group with a self-proclaimed Liberal bias
 * MediaChannel.org affiliates - A list of over 1,100 Internet communities around the world focused on media issues.
 * Media Matters for America - Media watchdog group founded by David Brock
 * MediaWatch.com - 20 years of activism
 * PR Watch.org - published by the Center for Media and Democracy
 * SpinWatch monitoring PR and spin
 * Transparency Now : Media criticism and news ethics

Movies with related themes

 * Wag the Dog (1997)
 * The Insider (1999)
 * The Power of Nightmares