Topic: WorldNetDaily
Since Sharyl Attkinson's Sinclair-syndicated show "Full Measure" first aired last October, WorldNetDaily has run a series of unbylined "news" articles that are effectively promotions for it. Each article summarizes a segment from the show -- something WND has done for most of the "Full Measure" shows since it started in October 2015.
A search of WND's archive shows that the articles have appeared on Oct. 18, Oct. 25, Nov. 1, Nov. 15, Nov. 22, Nov. 29, Dec. 20, Dec. 27, Jan. 17, Feb. 7, Feb. 21, Feb. 28, March 13, and March 20.
Only two of these show summaries, from Nov. 8 and Dec. 6, carried bylines, from Douglas Ernst and Leo Hohmann respectively.
The article actually appears to closely follow the show's script, nearly word-for-word. The March 20 article is one example. Here's the script of the beginning of the segment about Donald Trump:
Pundits have talked themselves sideways looking for a label to hang on the Donald since he entered the race last summer.
Billionaire, reality show star, but one that some never imagined is Republican Nominee.
With a major win last week and three more states up this week, Trump has had success beyond all predictions, except perhaps his own.
How could the experts have been so wrong?
Scott Thuman reports it's the media coverage that's looked more like a reality show.
And here's how the WND article interpreted it:
Pundits have talked themselves sideways looking for a label to hang on “The Donald” since he entered the race last summer: billionaire, reality-show star. But one that some never imagined is “Republican nominee.” With a major win last week and three more states up this week, Trump has had success beyond all predictions – except, perhaps, his own.
How could the experts have been so wrong? Full Measure correspondent Scott Thuman reports it’s the media coverage that is looking more like a reality show.
That looks too close to be mere coincidence -- either some anonymous WND staffer is a serious Attkinson fanboy/fangirl, or "Full Measure" has a deal with WND to promote the show as "news."
Oddly, the most recent show summary-slash-"news" story WND did on the show was March 20, which would roughly coincide with the show's six-month anniversary. That seems to suggest some sort of six-moth promotion deal between the show and WND, or it could be an odd coincidence.
It appears that either WND had a contract -- paid or otherwise -- with Attkisson and "Full Measure" to manufacture "news" articles on it, or WND is so obsessed with the show that it felt Attkisson deserved free promotion. The former, if true, raises question's about Attkisson's journalistic credibility, but neither possibility does anything to boost WND's cratering credibility.
