Here's the PRSA news release. And read this if you want my take on this silliness.

PRSA PRESIDENT AND CEO JUDITH T. PHAIR TO TESTIFY DURING SENATE COMMITTEE HEARING ON PENDING VIDEO NEWS RELEASE LEGISLATION

NEW YORK (MAY 10, 2005) - Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) President and CEO Judith T. Phair, APR, Fellow PRSA, has been invited to testify during a full committee hearing this Thursday, May 12 at 10:00 a.m. EDT, on U.S. Senate Bill S. 967 - pending legislation that, if passed, would require any video news release (VNR) produced by a U.S. Government agency to carry a frame-by-frame disclaimer when broadcast that identifies the sponsoring agency. The invitation was sent by Senator Ted Stevens (Alaska), chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation.

"PRSA believes that VNRs should be produced and disseminated with the highest levels of transparency, candor and honesty," said Phair. "That means public relations professionals - both in and out of government - who are involved in the production of VNRs and audio news releases must in all cases reveal to broadcasters who the sponsors are for the causes and interests represented and disclose all financial interests related to the prepackaged products."

Phair will join a yet-to-be-disclosed group of witnesses invited to testify concerning the need to require broadcasters, cable providers and others to specify, according to government regulations, the origin of prepackaged news stories produced by federal agencies.

The hearing will be broadcast via a live webcast. To view the webcast, click on the following link: http://commerce.senate.gov/hearings/witnesslist.cfm?id=1497 or visit www.senate.gov. The hearing may also be broadcast on C-SPAN (check your local provider for the daily broadcast schedule). Phair's testimony to the Senate Committee will be available following the conclusion of the hearing.