The traditional lines between journalism and public relations are now intertwined and public
relations practitioners have an influential role on the content consumers see every day in
newspapers and on news broadcasts. This survey looked at video news releases and their
implications about journalists’ ethics, integrity, independence and credibility. 533 participants
from three different populations (average viewers, communication college students, and
journalists) responded to a 54-question survey that employed two predictors (i) level of
experience and (ii) years of journalism experience. The results indicated that average viewers
found the use of video news releases (VNRs) more unethical than journalists and
communication students, although experienced journalists believed VNR use is having an
impact on journalistic independence in news. Implications are discussed.