TV stations are being inundated with satellite feeds of public relations material known as video news releases (VNRs). As the phrase suggests, VNRs are prepackaged public relations news releases designed to look like news stories. This multimillion- dollar business provides additional video material for TV stations, but many newsrooms in the US have banned its use. Although many VNRs are of high quality, they are pushing something. The underlying message is often subtle- VNRs with subtle messages are the most effective and those most likely to be aired-but their news value is questionable.
Most VNRs are used by TV stations in relatively small markets, but they sometimes are aired in moderate-sized and even large markets, particularly, on news-scarce weekends, in place of soft features.
