FCC Questions TV Stations on VNRs
The VNR flap is apparently expanding , with the FCC having sent “letters to 77 television broadcasters, asking whether their stations had properly labeled video news releases…”
We’ve got a solution to the “VNR crisis” that’s easier — and more effective — than FCC-imposed labeling. Television news directors should simply tell their staffs the following:
1. “If you don’t think a VNR is newsworthy, don’t air it.”
2. “If the VNR is accurate and contains information that will benefit your viewers, do air it.”
3. “If you want to use video or audio content from a VNR as raw material for creating a news story with an entirely different angle, you can do that, too. After all, you control what goes out of the air — not the PR people.”
Guess what? The folks at just about every TV station in the country already have these conversations.
At the Idea Grove, when we make and distribute a VNR, we expect the media to think carefully about what information their audience should receive and in what context. Despite the recent controversy, the media generally does this very well – and will continue to do so with or without increased FCC regulation.
I completely agree. Funny how we don’t hear too many complaints on the print side about stopping all press releases - many of which are reprinted verbatim. I think your simple test works. There are plenty of other things going on in this world to get excited about.
PRWatch, the FCC and others involved must think that TV journalists and producers are stupid.
They have a sense of news value. They are not lazy people.
Leo also nailed it. Why aren’t people raising the same ruckess about typed news releases?
We wouldn’t want any PR/media relations person to have a real sense of news, would we? That is apparently not possible.
Mike
I think the catch is that the FCC requires stations to identify the producer of the video if it is political or controversial (are there any vids left?). This according to a PRSA release regarding an FCC inquiry.
Our local newscasters would sooner die than attribute video to someone that wasn’t a network. I think they’ve killed the VNR or at least maimed it.
Leo, Mike and John — good points all around.
John, I think you’ll see a lot more use of B-roll, without the same level of use of audio or verbiage directly from a tape.
I’m about to put out a B-roll right now for one of my clients, and decided on that route rather than a VNR because of these FCC issues. B-roll gives the reporter the tools to construct a piece without pushing the angle, language, etc. It’s more of a helpful resource, like a press kit or supplying a photo of senior management, than anything else.