United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 2005-05-12 monographic deposited born digital 12 p. GA 1.13:GAO-05-643T https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-05-643T P0b002ee18037bfd9 f:d05643t DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-23 GAOREPORTS-GAO-05-643T machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-GAO-05-643T GAO-05-643T Accountability Appropriated funds Government information dissemination Legal opinions National policies Public relations Public television broadcasting Television broadcasting Government publications Propaganda Testimony A24021 In recent years, federal agencies have been increasing their use of video news releases (VNRs), which frequently include prepackaged news stories. While the use of VNRs is widespread and widely known by those in the media industry, the quality and content of materials considered to constitute a VNR can vary greatly. Generally, a VNR package may contain several items, including a series of video clips, known as B-roll footage; title cards containing relevant information, known as slates; a prepackaged news story, referred to as a story package; and other promotional materials. These materials are produced in the same manner as television news organizations produce materials for their own news segments. The prepackaged news stories are distributed to local television news stations and are designed to resemble actual news stories. By eliminating the costs and effort of producing an original news story, agencies can find news stations willing to broadcast a favorable news segment on a desired topic. GAO examined prepackaged news stories produced by the Department of Health and Human Services and the Office of National Drug Control Policy and evaluated whether these materials constituted covert propaganda in violation of the prohibition on using appropriated funds for publicity and propaganda not authorized by Congress. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-05-643T/html/GAOREPORTS-GAO-05-643T.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-05-643T/pdf/GAOREPORTS-GAO-05-643T.pdf GAO-05-643T https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-05-643T Testimony GAO-05-643T; Video News Releases: Unattributed Prepackaged News Stories Violate Publicity or Propaganda Prohibition; Accountability Appropriated funds Government information dissemination Legal opinions National policies Public relations Public television broadcasting Television broadcasting Government publications Propaganda Volume 118 Page 2809 118 Stat. 2809 Public Law 108-447