The FCC a year ago reminded television broadcasters and cable operators to properly identify the source of video news releases after incidents in which prepackaged news from government agencies was used by stations without proper sponsorship identification.
Congressional investigators also concluded last year that prepackaged news stories created by the Office of National Drug Control Policy constituted covert propaganda.
"If you want to air commercial or government fake news, label it," said John Stauber, executive director of the Center for Media Democracy.
The study's researchers said in some cases, newscasts had reporters reading directly from scripts accompanying video news releases that were prepared by public relations firms.
Maybe the FCC is actually performing the job our tax money is paying it to do, for a change.
