White House slammed for creating fake news - Political Discussion

Home | Community | Message Board

You are not signed in.
New Account

Forum Index Search Posts Trusted Vendors Highlights Galleries FAQ User List Chat Store Random Growery

This site includes paid links. Please support our sponsors.

Welcome to the Shroomery Message Board! You are experiencing a small sample of what the site has to offer. Please or register to post messages and view our exclusive members-only content. You'll gain access to additional forums, file attachments, board customizations, encrypted private messages, and much more!

Shop:

Unfolding Nature: Being in the Implicate Order

Kratom Capsules for Sale

Jump to first unread post

Pages: 1

SWEDEN
Miracle of Science

Registered: 10/25/04
Posts: 2,577
Loc: PNW
Last seen: 6 years, 10 months

White House slammed for creating fake news

#3601588 - 01/09/05 01:03 AM (19 years, 3 months ago)

By Ceci Connolly
The Washington Post
SATURDAY, JANUARY 8, 2005

WASHINGTON - Shortly before last year's Super Bowl, many news stations aired a story by Mike Morris describing plans for a new White House ad campaign on the dangers of drug abuse.
What viewers did not know was the Morris is not a journalist and his "report" was produced by the government, actions that constitute illegal "covert propaganda," according to an investigation by the Government Accountability Office (GAO).
In the second ruling of its kinds, the investigative arm of Congress this week scolded the Bush administration for distributing phony, prepackaged news reports that include a "suggested live intro" for anchors to read, interviews with Washington officials and a closing that mimics a typical broadcast news sign-off.
Although television stations knew the materials were produced by the materials were produced by the Office of National Drug Control Policy, nothing in the two-minute, prepackaged reports would indicate to viewers that they came from the government or that Morris, a former journalist, was working under contract for the government.
"You think you are getting a news story, but what you are getting is a paid announcement," said Susan Poling, managing associate general counsel at GAO. "What is objectionable about these is the fact the viewer has no idea their tax dollars are being used to write and produce this video segment."
The GAO in May concluded that the Department of Health and Human Services violated two fedral laws with similar fake news reports touting the administration's new Medicare drug benefit. When that opinion was released, officials at the drug-control office decided it was not worth pursuing, he said.
The prepackaged news pieces represent a fraction of the anti-drug messages distributed by the office, Riley said. Production and distribution of the video news released cost about $155,000.
Riley said broadcast stations were fully aware they were receiving materials akin to printed press releases that producers could "slice and dice it however they want."
In one video, titled "Urging Parent to Get the Facts Straight on Teen Marijuana Use," news station were provided a script for the news anchor. It reads: "Despite the facts that marijuana is the most widely used illicit drug seriously. Now the nation's drug seriously. Now the nation's drug experts in health, education and safety have joined the drug czar to speak directly to parents about about the serious risks of teen marijuana use. Mike Morris has more."
After interview snippets with "drug czar" John Wlaters, who heads the drug-control policy office, and other experts, the story closes with the voiceover: "This is Mike Morris reporting."
In antoher, the announcer appears to be "reporting" on a news conference by drug-control officials, when "in reality they are just paid to say a scrpit," Poling said. "In essence, they're actors."
The drug-control agency distributed at least seven packaged news reports to 770 TV stations. At least 300 news shows used some portion of the materials, although it was impossible to determine how many aired the full, prepackaged story or only portions such as "sound bites," Riley said.
If the videos had been identified as coming from the federal agency, that would have been legal, Poling said. But the television package looks like an authentic piece of independent journalism.
"The critical element of covert propaganda is the concealment of the agency's role in sponsoring the materials," GAO wrote to Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., who requested the Jan. 4 report.
"It is illegal to use taxpayer dollars to influence public opinion surreptitiously," Waxman said Thursday. "Unfortunately, this is the second time in less than a year that GAO has caught the Bush administration violating a fundemental principle of open government."

-----------

Excuse any typos as I am copying this from a newspaper clipping. So what do you think? The propaganda machine is still hard at work spewing out bullshit at us. How can we throw a proverbial wrench into the gears? :bong:

--------------------

Extras:

Similar Threads	Poster	Views	Replies	Last post
FOX News is my new favorite thing on tv.	friartuck	1,004	10	04/18/03 02:41 PM by Innvertigo
FAKE news courtesy of the whitehouse? ( 1 2 3 all )	Anonymous	3,386	54	03/23/04 08:32 PM by Phred
The New Suicide Bombers	Ellis Dee	1,407	13	10/19/02 05:23 PM by MsPacMan
paper money as currency?Inflation? stock HOW?? fake economy? ( 1 2 all )	kaiowas	3,081	22	08/26/03 08:37 AM by Anonymous
Bush slams door on U.N. inspectors	pattern	959	16	04/23/03 08:40 PM by Evolving
Why Does Washington Hate Saddam?	Anonymous	665	1	03/22/03 01:57 PM by rhizo
Turkey Bush held was a fake ( 1 2 3 all )	Learyfan	3,931	53	12/07/03 04:32 PM by Bhairabas
Former counterterror adviser slams White House, Rumsfeld	infidelGOD	645	5	03/21/04 02:58 PM by luvdemshrooms