WH ad campaign with fake journalists lauding Medicare law under scrutiny

[coda]

Sorry, I'm not signed up. If anybody here has a subscription, would they add a couple of paragraphs....please? TIA

I added a related story below this one also.


Chicago Tribune (subscription)


http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0403150182mar15,1,2576544.story%3Fcoll%3Dchi-newsnationworld-hed

Videos with fake journalists lauding Medicare law under scrutiny
Chicago Tribune (subscription) - 20 minutes ago


WASHINGTON -- Congressional investigators are scrutinizing television
segments in which the Bush administration paid people to pose as
journalists praising the benefits of the new Medicare law.



http://news.google.com/url?ntc=0M2C0&q=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0403150182mar15,1,2576544.story%3Fcoll%3Dchi-newsnationworld-hed



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Groups counter Bush ads on new law


BY DEBORAH BARFIELD BERRY
WASHINGTON BUREAU

March 15, 2004


WASHINGTON - In sharp contrast to the Bush administration's ad campaign touting the new Medicare law, a national health care advocacy group and other senior organizations have launched their own efforts to educate seniors about provisions in the controversial landmark measure.

"We want to make sure seniors understand this law and make good decisions," said Ron Pollack, executive director of Families USA, a health-care consumer group. "We're providing real details for people. This is complex stuff. I haven't seen anything educational from the Bush administration. It's all politics."


<snip>


Bush officials have set aside $12.8 million for 30-second national ads that will run through the end of the month. The ads say that traditional Medicare has not changed and that new benefits are available, but they don't include details. The administration plans to air more ads next month focusing on the discount card.


<snip>

Democrats and some senior groups have called the ads taxpayer-funded political ads. An investigation by the General Accounting Office found that the ads have a partisan tone and leave out some information, but don't violate the law.

"We are going to remain aggressive in our education efforts for seniors, " HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson said in a statement. "We're going to keep providing seniors with fact-based information on the new benefits under Medicare and give them straight answers to their questions."



more......

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/nation/ny-usmedi153708747mar15,0,4204781.story?coll=ny-nationalnews-headlines

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. It was also in the NYTimes today

and the Times said such garbage is legal. In a pig's eye.

[PCIntern]

2. Even more importantly

people should realize that it goes to the lack of credibility for this entire group. It's ALL smoke.

What does it take for everyone to connect the dots?

[gottaB]

3. Trib on fake journalists...

a few more sentences...

The videos, a hybrid of advertising and journalism, are intended for use in local television news programs. Several include images of President Bush receiving a standing ovation from a crowd cheering as he signed the Medicare drug-benefit law on Dec. 8.

The materials were produced by the Health and Human Services Department, but the source is not identified. Two videos end with the voice of a woman who says, "In Washington, I'm Karen Ryan reporting."

But the production company, Home Front Communications, said it had hired Ryan to read a script written by the government.

It's being investigated by Gary Kepplinger of GAO.

[coda]

5. Thanks gottaB.

:hi:

[Florida_Geek]

4. WTF

"The videos, a hybrid of advertising and journalism, are intended for use in local television news programs. Several include images of President Bush receiving a standing ovation from a crowd cheering as he signed the Medicare drug-benefit law on Dec. 8.

The materials were produced by the Health and Human Services Department, but the source is not identified. Two videos end with the voice of a woman who says, "In Washington, I'm Karen Ryan reporting."

But the production company, Home Front Communications, said it had hired Ryan to read a script written by the government."

from Chicago Trib .

NOTE:
This site http://www.bugmenot.com/ has signins for most news sites.

[pnorman]

7. "This site http://www.bugmenot.com / has signins for most news sites"

Thanks for that neat tip! It worked like magic!

pnorman
STAND UP, KEEP FIGHTING http://shows.implex.tv/wellstone

[coda]

8. You know, something that's hard to figure

Everyone (or nearly everyone) complains from time to time about the media doing such a poor job of informing the masses and yet this vote had huge coverage.

It was a marathon and much was made of the GOP skirting rules on the time limits before voting (15 minutes turned into 3 hours+) and "possible bribery" :eyes: occuring on the House floor.

It's almost defies belief that 70% of Seniors (to whom this legislation would be most important to) don't know that it was signed into law. :shrug:

(BTW F_G, thanks for that bugmenot site. Didn't know it existed.)



(From the Newsday article)

A recent survey shows that many seniors are confused about the law. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, a national health research group, two-thirds of seniors surveyed said they closely followed the Medicare debate, but only 15 percent said they understood the law very well, and 60 percent said they didn't understand it well or at all. About 70 percent didn't know the bill had been signed into law.

[lazarus]

6. last two paragraphs are interesting

"Federal law prohibits the use of federal money for "publicity or propaganda purposes" not authorized by Congress.

Kevin Keane, a Health and Human Services spokesman, said there was nothing nefarious about the broadcast materials, which he said had been distributed to television stations across the country. He said by law the government is required to inform beneficiaries about changes in Medicare."

[coda]

9. They send so much crap down the pike it's hard to keep up

A major part Rovian grand strategery, I think. They push the envelope on EVERYTHING, like it was a contest between Rove, Delay, and Frist to see who could be the most outrageous.

Much like *'s constant gaffes, people get desensitized to it.

[nwstrn]

10. Is there anything they won't do?

From the anti-drug "terrorism" ads to sponsoring (and having * introduce) a fictional TV show, to creating a propaganda office and the OSP, the * administration consistently shows complete disdain for the public and the truth. Places such as the DU must drive them crazy.

What's next?