Back in April, Karen Ryan hit the headlines when she posed as a reporter on a Video News Release (VNR) for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on medicare. There was justified uproar when a number of TV stations ran the VNR as a legitimate news story.
Well it seems that the incident hasn’t affected Karen’s pulling power.
Alice Marshall reports that Ketchum engaged Ms. Ryan in a VNR for the U.S. Department of Education in a project worth $700,000.
The issue here, in my opinion, is not just Karen Ryan, it’s a larger question regarding the ethical use of VNRs. They are a PR tool but it’s their usage that is in question. I think the PRSA has done a good job providing guidance on the proper use of the tool:
- A VNR is the television equivalent of a press release and, as such, should always be truthful and represent the highest in ethical standards.
- Producers and distributors of VNRs and the organizations they represent should clearly and plainly identify themselves.
- Television stations airing VNRs should identify sources of the material.
PR people imitating journalists and broadcasters is an unwise approach to communicating with any public – particularly in an age of increased transparency and accountability.
There’s more details on the story in this Associated Press story on the VNR.
Footnote:
- Jay Rosen and Colin McKay have some excellent commentary on the original VNR episode (scuse the pun)
Murphy's Law 