The labor organizations that filed suit want the Schwarzenegger Administration to stop issuing video news releases. They’re also demanding production costs of recent ones be returned to the state.

But John Stauber with the Wisconsin-based Center for Media and Democracy has filed a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission to investigate broadcasters who air the releases without identifying their source. “T-V News directors and T-V producers are actually fooling their audience into thinking this is real journalism.”

Stauber’s action came after criticism of similar Bush Administration policies on the video releases made to look like news stories. 

As for the lawsuit filed in Sacramento Superior Court, a spokeswoman for Schwarzenegger said she hadn’t seen it, but says it’s always clearly noted where the video releases come from and that it’s up to stations to inform viewers.