The rise and fall and rise again of the video news release
With the ownership of major media outlets securely in the hands of big bad corporations, it's surprising that journalistic ethics are still discussed with such reverence. Certainly the
Who's Using VNRs?
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Unfortunately for the purists, the video news release is still with us, is still being widely used, and may even be the right thing for your organization.
What is a Video News Release (VNR)?
A VNR is a short video that is produced to look like a typical news story, although sometimes a VNR is simply the script and "b-roll" footage to construct a story.
Who makes them?
VNRs are usually commissioned by a Public Relations firm and made by a video production company.
How much do they cost?
The going rate with a PR firm in the region of $10,000 to $20,000 US, although $100,000 is not unusual.
Where do you find them?
A TV station or news program is informed when and how to download the VNR from a satellite feed.
Where can you view them?
VNRs are usually seemlessly woven in to the TV news programming that many use to get their news.
"In Washington, I'm Karen Ryan Reporting"
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In March 2004, Karen Ryan became a focus of controversy after participating in a VNR promoting a controversial change to Medicare. The piece, produced by a PR firm and paid for by the US government, ends with her declaration: "In Washington, I'm Karen Ryan reporting."Two factors converged in the 1990s that sparked the growth in VNRs: the new 24-hour news cycle hungry for material, and the relentless pressure to make TV broadcast cheaper and more lucrative. The video news release stepped boldly into the void, providing overworked editors at busy news desks with extra minutes of product. But this new candy store came with a price - the content was being created by PR companies with the specific purpose of assisting their clients and molding public opinion.
The VNR industry suffered a setback in 2004 -- when it was accidently discovered. Under the Bush Administration, the US Department of Health and Human Services had used the PR Firm Home Front Communications to create video news releases praising the benefits of the new Medicare bill. The VNRs were described by the New York Times as "plugs for the controversial new drug program the White House is selling to elderly voters."
In addition to being sleezy, this type of covert communication by the US government is actually illegal. The Karen Ryan video, named so because of the on-screen "reporter," was ruled to be in violation of federal law by the General Accounting Office, the investigative arm of the US government.
It is the kind of TV news coverage every president covets.
"Thank you, Bush. Thank you, U.S.A.," a jubilant Iraqi-American told a camera crew in Kansas City for a segment about reaction to the fall of Baghdad. A second report told of "another success" in the Bush administration's "drive to strengthen aviation security"; the reporter called it "one of the most remarkable campaigns in aviation history." To a viewer, each report looked like any other 90-second segment on the local news. In fact, the federal government produced all three.
David Barstow And Robin Stein, New York Times:
Under Bush, a New Age of Prepackaged TV News
Some may have assumed that the outing of the industry would lead to a major change or even its demise, similar to the exposure of celebrity-labeled clothing made in sweatshops. Although the controversy seems to have hurt some of the big players (Medialink ran up losses of $1.3M in the third quarter of 2005), it isn't affecting the bottom line - the number of VNRs that are being shown on TV. The firm AKA Media recently "had three blockbuster stories" where their video was seen by more than 57 million people.
Launched in 2002 by the British Government, the website of British Satellite News says it is "a free television news and features service". The "suggested intro" to one BNS piece reads, "This year is not the first time an outside power has sought to construct a modern, democratic, liberal state in Iraq. Britain tried to do the same in the 1920s." David Miller writes, "In reality the 1920 occupation led immediately to a popular revolt that was ruthlessly suppressed. A puppet monarchy was imposed, which was neither 'modern' nor 'democratic.'"
David Miller, The Guardian:
The propaganda we pass off as news around the world
How can an organization use a VNR?
Some organizations have been using VNRs for years. These usually fit into one of 3 categories: advocacy, supporting operational goals, or simply providing information.
- Amnesty International produced several VNRs to promote their Stop Violence Against Women Campaign. VNRs like these support the advocacy work that is fundamental to the organization.
- The International Organization for Migration produced a VNR targeted at potential
migrants from Central America to provide vital information about the risks they may face in migration and smuggling. This VNR supports operational goals. - The American Dental Association distributes VNRs on engaging subjects like Back-to-School Diet Tips and Dental Anxiety. These follow the rough profile of a public service announcement.
A video news release can help your organization press for change on an important issue, promote the work you are doing, or communicate important information to a specific audience. A TV news editor benefits by receiving footage that is otherwise inaccessible and having human interest stories to balance other news.
A simple way to get started is to compile 5-10 minutes of broadcast-quality video clips related to your work, known as "b-roll." You can provide this to journalists you meet: they can cut these images together with their narration for a story. A second strategy works if you are working on something timely such as an emergency: news editors will be eager for any footage you can provide and will cover your story as a bonus.
The politics, ethics, and risks
A VNR from an organization will rarely lead to a spirited debate about journalist ethics. Why is this? The fundamental difference between these VNRs and the Karen Ryan style is the directness of the connection between the content and the perceived purpose of the organization.
Amnesty International is an organizations devoted to supporting human rights, and the seriousness of their VNRs offers little chance of finding a hidden self-serving purpose. Similarly the International Organization for Migration VNR is a straight-forward effort to, in their words, "assist the men and women who risk their lives every day while crossing international borders in search of a better life for themselves and their families."
The ethical (and legal) debate over VNRs often focuses on whether the material is properly attributed. For a VNR produced to look like a normal news story, the attribution "From the US Government" or "Courtesy of GlaxoSmithKline" substantially affects the viewer's interpretation of the information. An attribution such as "Footage: Amnesty International" or "From the International Red Cross" on a VNR such as those above carries no such penalty.
Last year Doug Simon, the President and CEO of D S Simon Productions, a major producer of video news releases (VNRs), said that "fewer than 10 percent" of his company's VNRs used by broadcasters had "some sort of identification" to viewers of their sponsors. Simon opposes mandatory disclosure of VNRs, preferring to leave the decision in the hands of broadcasters.
You may do all the right things, clearly labeling your video and stating that it should be attributed to your organization. But because so much footage is carried without attribution, should an organization be concerned about potential bad publicity from exposure of a VNR? The test is simple: would the public perceive a hidden self-serving message in the content, or would they view it as an expression of the fundamental work of the organization. Most of the time you will be protected by the nature of the content itself: no one will be surprised that Save the Children provides footage on child soldiers or Human Rights Watch speaks out about human rights.
Can we help?
We find the highest media interest in breaking news, strong human interest stories, and footage that is otherwise inaccessible. Over time your organization may have stories in each of these categories. We can work with you to maximize the media impact of your work when there is a breaking news story. When your work has a human interest angle, we can work with you to tell your story and communicate why it is so important. And to support your other media efforts we can collate good broadcast-quality b-roll that makes it easier for a news editor to decide to run your story.