The end of the world, III — caused by pancakes?

We’ve all heard about video news releases. And we know that both government and industry have provided broadcast media with VNRs that get used without attribution to their true source.

But fake news about pancakes? Jeez. C’mon. That’s a new low.

According to the Center for Media and Democracy, General Mills hired mediaslinger Medialink Worldwide to produce a 75-second fake news segment about “creative new ideas for pancake dishes.”

Several stations ran the VNRs unedited and put their own text overlays under GM’s “reporter” — as if the fake reporter was a member of the station’s staff.

Sheesh. Stations tossed out their credibility for pancakes? All the maple syrup in the world won’t make these stations palatable again.

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