(TELEVISION JOURNALISM) video segment created by a specialized PR firm under commission from a company or government agency, that is made to look like a regular news segment. It is then submitted to news stations and run without attribution. In this way, the official opinion of (say)
British Petroleum, Goldman Sachs,
Merrill Lynch, or Regence Blue Shield is presented as journalism.
The practice is illegal, but fines are
derisory, license suspension for the offender NEVER has happened, and all news networks and affiliates do it. Most do it a lot.
Medialink Worldwide is one of the largest producers of video news releases.
When VNRs are created for the government, they are called "
informational news releases" and are typically made to
justify policies of the current
ruling party.
