WASHINGTON - April 6 -

WHAT: Press conference and release of new report, "Fake TV News: Widespread and Undisclosed"

WHEN: Thursday, April 6, 10 a.m.

WHERE: CWA Building, 501 3rd St. NW, Washington, DC, First Floor

WHO: Hon. Jonathan S. Adelstein, Federal Communications Commission Diane Farsetta, senior researcher, Center for Media and Democracy John Stauber, executive director, Center for Media and Democracy Timothy Karr, campaign director, Free Press Ben Scott, policy director, Free Press

DETAILS:

Thursday morning's press conference will present the results of a 10- month investigation by the Center for Media and Democracy (CMD) into the current epidemic of "video news releases," or VNRs, being presented as real news stories on local television stations across the country. The report -- "Fake TV News: Widespread and Undisclosed" -- will offer the most detailed picture available to date of TV newsrooms' use of sponsored broadcast material.

Despite repeated assurances from broadcasters that they do not air VNRs as news, investigators from CMD have caught stations extensively passing off corporate-sponsored content as their own reporting. The press conference will unveil a multimedia Web site showing both VNRs and their broadcast as "news" by TV stations and networks, including those in the nation's biggest markets.

At the conference, Free Press and CMD will announce the launch their "No Fake News" campaign, calling on the FCC to crack down on broadcasters violating the public trust by airing video news releases without revealing their sponsors.

The Center for Media and Democracy (www.prwatch.org) is a nonprofit, public interest organization that strengthens participatory democracy by investigating and exposing public relations spin and propaganda, and by promoting media literacy and citizen journalism.

Free Press (www.freepress.net) is a national, nonpartisan organization that seeks to increase informed public participation in media policy and to promote a more competitive and democratic media system.

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