Letter to Heads of Television Networks

The following letter was sent to network heads David Westin - ABC News, Neal Shapiro - NBC News - General Electric, Andrew Heyward - CBS News, Jed Patrick - WB Television, Jim Walton - CNN, Leslie Moonves- UPN Network, Roger Ailes - Fox News, and Edward Fritts-National Association of Broadcasters this afternoon and is signed by Senators Kennedy, Lautenberg, Clinton, Stabenow, Edwards, and Corzine.

March 15, 2004

Dear _________:

Recently, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through a public relations firm, distributed Video News Releases (VNRs) to numerous local television news stations across the country. These VNRs contain pre-scripted news story packages and B-Roll designed to influence local news station to run stories complimentary of the new Medicare law recently signed by President Bush. However, these VNRs may mislead many news stations because they do not identify that they are produced by the government. In addition, these materials are currently being evaluated to determine whether they are illegal "covert propaganda" as prohibited under Public Law 108-199, Div. F, Tit. IV, Sec. 624.

We urge you to immediately warn stations not to use these materials and pull any stories that use them.

These tapes can be identified as follows:

Two English-language versions begin with B-Roll of video slides promoting the new Medicare law, followed by interview soundbites from Tommy Thompson, Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services and Leslie Norwalk, Acting Deputy Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS). Following these soundbites, a complete television news package is run, with a voice-over by a fictional reporter named "Karen Ryan." Following the news package, more B-Roll is provided, including scenes of President Bush's rally at the signing of the bill, scenes from a pharmacy and scenes of seniors playing table games.

A Spanish-language version begins with interview soundbites from Dr. Cristina Beato, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health at the Department of Health and Human Services talking about the benefits of the new Medicare law. Following these soundbites are B-Roll featuring President Bush signing the new Medicare law, a pharmacist telling a customer about the benefits of the drug discount card and seniors receiving a health check up. A news package follows which includes scenes of President Bush's signing of the bill, soundbites from Dr. Beato's interview, scenes of a senior buying medication at a pharmacy and seniors playing table games. The news package is reported by a fictional reporter named "Alberto Garcia."

It is critical to the credibility of an independent news media that covert government propaganda be rejected for use by news organizations. We also believe that honest government should not resort to such deceptive tactics, and it is our belief that these materials violate the above-mentioned Federal law.

Thank you for your cooperation with this request.

Sincerely,