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Traverse City Record-Eagle:
Two media watchdog groups filed a federal complaint against television station WGTU ABC 29&8 alleging it passed off fake news clips paid for by banks and manufacturers as independent news reports. East Coast-based Free Press and Wisconsin-based Center for Media and Democracy filed the complaint Thursday with the Federal Communications Commission. The complaint alleges the Traverse City-based TV station violated FCC rules that require stations to "clearly disclose" to the audience who paid for video news releases. "These (videos) are sponsored public relations messages," said Diane Farsetta, senior researcher for the Center for Media and Democracy. "They are ads dressed up as news stories." The videos typically discuss topics of financial importance to the sponsor and interview people from the company or an associated organization. Some make repeated references to the company by name or logo and refer viewers to company sponsored Web sites. Farsetta cited three videos used by WGTU in August and September... TV 29&8 accused of airing fake 'news' (Mon, 10/15)
