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VNRs and U.S. law
In January 1948, the U.S. Information and Educational Exchange Act of 1948, also
known as the Smith-Mundt Act, was passed by Congress and signed into law by U.S.
President Harry Truman, placing international overseas information activities,
including VOA, under an Office of International Information at the Department of
State.
In February 2005, the "Stop Government Propaganda Act" was introduced in the
U.S. Senate. It was referred to the Judiciary Committee and no further action
occurred.
In April 2005, the Federal Communications Commission warned television stations
that they could be fined for airing news stories provided by the government and
by companies without disclosing who made them .
In May 2006, FCC chairman Kevin Martin ordered a review of airing of VNRs by
television stations, following the April 2006 report by the Center for Media and
Democracy.
In August 2006, the FCC mailed letters to the owners of 77 television stations,
asking for information regarding agreements between the stations and the
creators of VNRs. The letters also asked whether there was any "consideration"
given to the stations in return for airing the material. Stations have been
given 60 days to respond.
US commercial producers of VNRs
A number of public relations firms employ the VNR technique on behalf of their
clients; there are a number of commercial production companies who specialize
VNR production.
APTN Corporate Services
DWJ Television, which claims to have aired the first VNR in the US in the early
1970s
Eworldwire, specializing in Web VNR's in-house studio and on-site.
Running Pony Productions
Medialink
MultiVu a service of PR Newswire
Homefront Communications
Karen Ryan
Ketchum Public Relations
DS Simon Productions
Hausman & Schott
News Broadcast Network
VNR-1 Communications
Dogmatic, Inc
Hill & Knowlton, Inc
TeleNoticias
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