FCC looks into stations' use of video news releases

Ever watch a report on the news about some new product or interesting company and think to yourself, "Heh... sounds like an advertisement, not a news report."? Well, it looks like the FCC is wondering the same thing. They're concerned about the usage of "video news releases" (VNRs) by a number of major media companies, and they've decided to look into the matter a little more.

They became concerned after an organization called Free Press and the Center for Media and Democracy filed a complaint that they had seen VNRs aired without attribution on 77 different stations. This means that those channels have been airing these corporate-produced videos without identifying where they came from. Stations are subject to fines of $32,500 if found they are in violation of the rule, and may be subject to further fines and even jail time. This is the type of stuff that the FCC should be worrying about, as it helps give viewers assurances that the news they're getting isn't being influenced by outside sources. It's a whole heck of a lot more important than whether we see a floppy boob for two seconds.