NPR: Fake Briefing Not Up to Fake News Standards?

Fake Briefing Not Up to Fake News Standards?

Doing fake news seems to be one of the top jobs in the media world these days. Look at the fame and influence of Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert. And let's not forget the Walter Cronkite of fake news: "Weekend Update" on Saturday Night Live.

It was those lofty standards that Day to Day humorist Brian Unger was likely thinking of when he declared the Federal Emergency Management Agency's staged news conference on the California wildfires "a slap in the face to fake journalists everywhere." (Especially after his own work making phony news credible, he adds.)

Now, FEMA officials say employees played reporters on TV because they arranged the briefing at the last second and "real" reporters hadn't shown up. (Not that they bothered to tell anyone that before they got caught.)

Unger points out that this really calls into question the, er, integrity of the entire fake news industry.

7:00 PM ET | 10-29-2007 | permalink

Comments (Send a comment)

Has this administration no shame! What little credibility they may have had, has completely vanished.
Impeachment is in order, with the amount of breaches of the law, this administration has got to be held liable for the crimes they've committed.

Sent by Robert Ashley | 5:01 AM ET | 10-30-2007

Can you really blame FEMA for trying
the standard Bush-league tactic of
deceit?
At this point it's clear we have the
government suited to the indifference
and lack of intellect of the easily
manipulated vast majority of the
American people.
How can one hope for a successful
democracy when we have a great many
people dumb enough to vote for Bush
and his master the Emperor Cheney
not once, but twice? This sort
wants an easily grasped irrelevant
sound-bite before moving on to their
nightly "reality" shows.
Many of these same people are now
being manipulated by the religious
charades of candidates who value
nothing but power and wealth.
The epitaph of this once great
nation will include the words
"stupidity" and "greed".

Sent by Mark Allen | 7:49 AM ET | 10-30-2007

Love that headline for this story on your front page, and I must say that I AM REALLY SHOCKED. A government agency lying to the citizenry, imagine that!! Surely this is the first time in recorded history that such a thing has happened. After all, we all know, don't we, that government employees of all sorts are completely selfless servants of the greater good who would never think of lying to promote themselves?

Tsk, tsk, what next? Thank G_d that NPR is there to tell us the truth and nothing but the truth. "Dog, bites man." Yes, shocking, but true.....

Sent by Craig J. Bolton | 10:22 AM ET | 10-30-2007

If their fake news any more fake than most of the real news?

Sent by liz | 10:33 AM ET | 10-30-2007

All I can say is that this administration has sunk to an all time low! Fake reporters at a press coverage? How creative can you get? Disgusting!

Sent by Jamie Deveney | 11:31 AM ET | 10-30-2007

Okay fine! Then I will, from now on, not listen to any more U.S. government press briefings. I'll have my imaginary fake wife listen for me and report back to me.

Sent by Franz Krachtus | 12:07 PM ET | 10-30-2007

I imagine that five times a day each
member of al-Qaeda fervently beseeches
Allah to bestow good health upon
Emperor Cheney and his little puppet
George, because these two are doing
more harm to this country then all of
al-Qaeda ever could.
Meanwhile I imagine Emperor Cheney
prays to Satan every night for the
continuation of the al-Qaeda movement,
because it's a perfect excuse to kill
and maim for the good of
Halliburton's profits.

Sent by Edward Schiller | 12:42 PM ET | 10-30-2007

Next time they should outsource this kind of thing to Hollywood. Hire the experts and do it right. Maybe bring a couple of Madison Avenue consultants on board as well.

Sent by John R. Otten | 3:24 PM ET | 10-30-2007

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