Legal Definitions - Video news release

A Video News Release (VNR) is a pre-produced video segment created or funded by a private corporation, government agency, or other organization, designed to resemble a standard news report or program. The primary concern with VNRs arises when they are broadcast by news outlets without clearly disclosing their origin or sponsorship to the audience. When government-produced VNRs are aired domestically without such disclosure, they can be considered illegal covert propaganda, as they may mislead the public into believing the content is independent journalism rather than material produced by an interested party. This practice raises significant legal and ethical questions about transparency, journalistic integrity, and the potential for undue influence on public opinion.

Here are some examples illustrating the concept of a Video News Release:

• Corporate Product Promotion: A major technology company develops a new smartphone and produces a professionally shot video showcasing its innovative features, including testimonials from "early adopters" and an "independent tech expert." This video is designed to look like a segment from a consumer technology review show. A local television station, eager for free content, airs this video during its evening news broadcast, presenting it as an objective review of the new phone without informing viewers that the entire segment was created and paid for by the smartphone manufacturer.

  How this illustrates the term: This is a VNR because it's a video segment created by a private corporation (the tech company) to promote its product, designed to mimic a news report. Its broadcast without disclosure misleads the audience into believing it's an unbiased journalistic piece rather than promotional material.

• Government Policy Advocacy: A state Department of Transportation creates a video package highlighting the safety benefits and reduced traffic congestion resulting from a newly completed highway expansion project. The video features interviews with local commuters expressing satisfaction and engineers explaining the project's success, all presented in the style of a local news feature. A regional news channel broadcasts this video as part of its transportation coverage, failing to clearly state that the content was produced and funded by the state government agency itself.

  How this illustrates the term: This is a VNR because a government agency produced a video segment to promote a policy outcome, crafted to look like an independent news report. When aired without clear disclosure of its governmental origin, it could be seen as an attempt to influence public perception of the policy under the guise of objective journalism.

• Public Health Campaign: A national health organization, funded by a mix of government grants and private donations, produces a video segment encouraging vaccination against a common seasonal illness. The video includes interviews with doctors discussing the importance of immunization and animated graphics explaining how vaccines work, all presented in a format similar to a public service announcement or a health news report. A cable news channel airs this segment during its morning program, introducing it as "important health information" without explicitly stating that the entire package was created and provided by the health organization.

  How this illustrates the term: This example demonstrates a VNR created by an organization (even if for a public good) that mimics news content. The lack of clear disclosure about its source could lead viewers to perceive it as an independently produced news item rather than a sponsored public health message, blurring the lines between journalism and advocacy.