That Medicare Story on The Daily Show ...

[Lauren2882]

... that story tonight on the Daily Show about the Bush team sending out their own taped news segments to be shown on local TV news as if they were real news segements ... was that for REAL?

And if so, does anyone have a link to a (real) news article about it?

[Langis]

1. Yep it's real

Don't have a link but I'll look.

[Langis]

2. Here you go

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines04/0315-05.htm

[Lauren2882]

4. Is it just me ...

... or is this yet another sign of pure desperation on the part of the Bush administration ... it shows the hallmark of desperation, which sheer and uter STUPIDITY. Unbelievable.

Thanks for the link, btw.

[pretzel4gore]

7. total contempt for 'news' media

i believe the mainstream news media is committed to bush....and on 911 the busheviks burned their bridges on them. The mainstream news media has been acting funny for years...remember how they seemed to loathe bill clinton, though Clinton actually put lotsa money in their retirement funds(?) They let bushinc use them...and got drawn deeper and deeper into the 'coup' that many of them had no idea was happening...until 911 when several thousand newsmen were in effect trapped on the wrong side! Bushinc knows the media 'whores' can't tell truth..they would be committing suicide, so the bushites pull stunts like this, forcing mainstream media to defend them, and a comedy show becomes a cry in wilderness source for what's happening.

[Jane Austin]

10. Bushco

And they don't show any sign of admitting they did anything wrong, either.

They're saying that they are just doing something that's been done for years.

[ClassWarrior]

3. Here's another...

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2004/03/16/EDGVQ5JUJU1.DTL

[Eric J in MN]

5. here is a link to the original NY Times story, which says may be illegal

here is a link to the original NY Times story, which notes that using federal money for propaganda is illegal:

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/15/politics/15VIDE.html

[REP]

6. Video Press Releases Are Not New

Ever see a segment on the local news about a new medical procedure or drug? Those are almost always VPRs.

What's different about this story is that the government released these about Medicare 'reform' using actors to pose as reporters - a usual VPR practice - but in this case it may have violated Federal law.

[nwstrn]

8. Even government VPRs aren't necessarily improper

But the use of a VPR on a controversial bill, to promote *'s political purpose, is improper and possibly illegal

from the nytimes article cited above:

"Government agencies have also produced such videos for years, often on subjects like teenage smoking and the dangers of using steroids. But the Medicare materials wander into more controversial territory.

Bill Kovach, chairman of the Committee of Concerned Journalists, expressed disbelief that any television stations would present the Medicare videos as real news segments, considering the current debate about the merits of the new law."

[REP]

9. Yes, That's Just What I Said

This story has been running since Monday on NPR and MPR. I don't think many people here read the Columbia Journalism Review and/or are aware of just how many VPRs appear daily on local news programming.

[rumguy]

12. yep - it crosses the line into PURE progaganda...

it's sick

[Jane Austin]

11. But

They also gave the content a very favorable spin, to the point that it should be characterized as propaganda.