Select Page

Video News Releases (VNRs) are pre-made newsreels sent to TV stations, who in turn broadcast them as “news”.  The stations may or may not modify the VNRs, but they are always about one thing:  Promoting an agenda.  

VNRs are often thought of as coming from big pharmaceuticals or political parties.  While this is true (never trust a TV news spot for a new novel “drug”), VNRs are also used in a wide variety of other industries.   It’s even happening in high tech.

Take, for example, this clip from an antivirus company.  Watch the original VNR, then watch this version, which is what an actual TV station used.  (You only need to watch the first 15 seconds to get it).

Or take this clip from Intel (original and then as run on a TV station).

News?  No.  It’s just “good PR”.  A big player in the space is D S Simon Productions

You can see a whole bunch of other fake TV news here, and more information at the Center for Media and Democracy.

Alex Eckelberry