FCC Investigates Airing of Video News Releases
The Federal Communications Commission sent letters to 77 television stations to try to determine whether they deceptively aired video news releases as if they were news reports, Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein said.
The letters, dated Friday, follow a nonprofit group’s study that found that at least 77 stations, including seven each owned by Tribune Co. and Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc., ignored an FCC warning to identify who supplies news segments that come from companies and government agencies.
The FCC warned TV stations in April 2005 that they might be fined for airing videos provided by government agencies and companies without identifying the sources of the segments, as they are required to do.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
