Daily Show: Who does fake news better than us? The White House, apparently

[Cannikin]

http://www.comedycentral.com/tv_shows/thedailyshowwithjonstewart/

Click the "Daily Show Headline" at the top for the story


Is this a normal political practice? Does everyone do this?

[arcane1]

1. did you see it last night??

if not, it repeats on the west coast at 8pm (I think)

Jon, and Rob Cordrie (sp?) had the audience in the palm of their hands after that bit

I know that lots of corporations do this ("big pharma" comes to mind), releasing what are basically commercials as news reports. They like to call them "press releases"

The Bush Admin is just a corporation anyway, so it makes sense ina twisted way

it's still about as dishonest as can be, and SHOULD be considered unethical, at the very least

[Eric J in MN]

5. When a corporation does it, it's unethical but legal. When the Bush

When a corporation does it, it's unethical but legal. When the Bush Administration sends out a fake news video, it's both unethical and illegal.

It's illegal to use federal money for propaganda.

[htuttle]

2. You probably see 2 or 3 a week if you watch local news regularly

Corporate video 'news' releases passed off as news are all over the place. Local news especially. They don't usually label them as such.

For details, read this book or rent the video:

Toxic Sludge Is Good For You
http://www.prwatch.org/books/tsigfy.html

[tom_paine]

15. I don't watch ANY "news" whatsoever

It's not news anymore.

I can't say anything better than what they said on "The Daily Show".

Newspapers & internet.

[Junkdrawer]

3. Answer: Big Macs and Consent...

Question: What does America manufacture?

[roguevalley]

4. John is renewed through 2008 on the show. :)

[Eric J in MN]

6. The Bush Administration is the first to send out fake news videos (nt)

nt

[pansypoo53219]

7. yes

the wonderful world of public relations.

[Eric J in MN]

10. It's one thing for a corporation to hire a p.r. firm, but the government

It's one thing for a corporation to hire a p.r. firm, but the government has greater legal and ethical responsibilities.

[tom_paine]

14. NOT the Bushevik Occupation Government

You have them mixed up with the governments of Free World Nations.

And that ALWAYS a mistake.

[patricia92243]

8. The media should be the ones screqaming the loudest about this. It under..

mines what little credibility they have left.

[Eric J in MN]

9. There were segments on both "Chris Matthews" and "The Daily Show," and

There were segments on both "Chris Matthews" and "The Daily Show," and the NY Times reported it first, and the Washingon Post followed up.

So I don't think there is a lack of media coverage of the Bush Administration sending out fake news videos.

[Nlighten1]

11. But they can't...it will expose them...

this little trickery that they have using "infomercials" as legitimate news will become exposed to more people.

[Eric J in MN]

12. Local news plays this type of video, but national news doesn't.

Local news plays this type of video (from corporations and not-government before recently), but national news doesn't, and so they can talk about it all they want without hurting their credibility.

[nwstrn]

16. How do we know the national news organizations

haven't used * administration propaganda tapes? Faux news runs White House-approved news segments 24/7.

[Miss Authoritiva]

13. The wonderful world of info-ganda...

Earlier in the evening I was boring my spouse-type person about the "infomercialization of propaganda" (his eyes were rolling). Later that evening, Rob Corddry does his great riff, declaring "It's info-ganda, Jon." And spouse-type person is laughing hysterically.

And this is why I am not a writer for "The Daily Show."

[Cannikin]

17. kick