From Video News Releases (hidden commericals embedded within newscasts), to product placement, to scripts secretly incorporating plot lines favorable to products, can we be sure of anything in the media any more? Are you aware of how much the line between marketing, entertainment and news has blurred?
News You Should Lose!
( Or 5 Reasons Why You Should Not Trust the Media)
- Video News Releases (VNRs) The bleach blonde bobble headed Barbie “health” reporter gushes about a new wonder drug that works miracles on (pick pseudo disease of your choice. Aw what the heck, lets go with restless leg syndrome.) A “consumer reporter” recommends the best gifts for the holidays. Your regular trusty anchorperson warns you about child predators on the internet, then the station goes to a video clip of a must have software security product. But what is never disclosed is that these “news segments” are all commercials that are bought and paid for by sponsors.
That is exactly what a VNR is. Essentially it is a commercial produced by a particular company, then sent to newsrooms all across the country. When they run these segments, they often use voice overs of the stations' regular newscasters, and even put their station letters over it so it looks like part of the newscast. And that is what so scary about this practice. When we see commercials that are obvious commercials, we watch them with a healthy degree of skepticism. But these clips are embedded within the newscast and disguised as news. So now we never know what is legitimate “news” and what is simply marketing.
Here is a link from PR Watch (Center for Media and Democracy) that has examples of VNRs. You can watch the original release and then how the local stations slightly changed it to make it look like their own:
http://www.prwatch.org/...
- Corporate ownership. The media is controlled by a handful of corporations. Want to know who owns who? Click here. Do these corporations want you to hear all sides of an issue when this may conflict with their own interests?
http://www.nowfoundation.org/...
- Interlocking directories. This is when those who sit on the board of directors of one company also sit on the board of directors of other companies. For instance, those who sit on the Tribune’s board of directors also sit on the board of directors of Sears, Aon, and McDonalds just to name a few. Of course this influences content. I am unfortunate enough to only get the local ABC newscast. (Although they are all equally mediocre so I doubt I am missing much!) Almost every single health episode has a segment of the dangers of “overweight.” Besides the fact many of the studies they use are junk, I can never help wondering if there is NO other health risk.??? Oh gee, guess what.? A member of the board of directors of Jenny Craig also sits on the board of directors at ABC. Coincidence?
Fair has a list of who sits on whose board of directors:
http://www.fair.org/...
- Sponsor influence in programming content. There is an excellent Frontline documentary called The Persuaders. It talks about how advertisers are getting sneakier and sneakier with their methods. Scripts are written to accommodate plot lines favorable to products. The example used in the doc was a vodka drink invented for Sex in the City. It was really a concoction between the marketing department at Absolut and the writers of Sex in the City. There are agencies whose sole purpose is to review Hollywood scripts and screenplays to look for opportunities to incorporate products into the plot. It is called product placement. Now, no one needs to be a rocket scientist to figure out the link between Absolut’s drink and marketing. But what about something that is not so obvious? A blind date turns out to be the dreaded fat woman, and guess what? The sponsors could be Weight Watchers? In one sitcom I was watching recently, one husband thought his wife’s rear was too big, another though his wife’s chest was too flat? Hmmmm! Sounds like a subtle pitch for a diet and breast augmentation products. And how far does it go? What about our favorite fictional characters dropping political hints.? Is that new show about Homeland Security really about glamorizing it so we will more readily accept a police state should it ever be necessary? Serious issues to think about.
http://www.pbs.org/...
- Guerilla marketing. Sadly, our guard needs to be up everywhere, not just when we are watching MSM. Even internet chatrooms and bulletin boards are filled with clandestine marketers and other special interests. Recently it was announced Israel has volunteer internet warriors that represent its point of view all over the net. I am NOT interesting in bringing in this highly charged issue here. This is just a recent example to illustrate that this kind of thing exists. If you can’t win an argument with that stubborn jack ass in your chat room, maybe it is because that person is a paid pro or at least a highly committed amateur. Hint! One trick pro trolls love to use is posting and then immediately posting under another name to agree with themselves. I am not saying this is always the case, but when you see this, get your guard up.
http://www.haaretz.com/...
We have become such a cynical society that many people think the above practices are no big deal. Anything that makes a buck is just fine. But really think about it. Given the amount of time that the average American spends vegging in front of the tube, it is downright alarming to me. Because that is time given over to people who see us as nothing more than consumers to be manipulated for their own benefit. What is best for us has become completely irrelevant. It is little wonder that there is scandal after scandal involving leadership. From corrupt politicians to rip off investment counselors we have simply lost our ability to know who operates in our own best interest. Even scariest of all, perhaps we don’t even realize what is best for us and best for corporate America are two different things. Or have we become so addicted to our mind numbing “entertainment” we just don’t care any more?