More debate today over the use of what the TV biz calls video news releases, or VNRs.

While Democrats launched new criticism over VNRs being used by the governor's administration, Republicans suggested there were two sides to the story.

The VNR, in essence, gives TV stations footage of lawmakers or the issues they're talking about. Almost two weeks ago, the issue was brought back to life when questions were raised about a VNR the administration released promoting its stance on relaxing the lunch/rest break rules for workers and employers (scroll down on this page for our coverage of the dust-up).

This morning, Senate Democrats held a hearing to examine reports of still more VNRs from the Schwarzenegger administration. Democrats have gone so far as to suggest the VNRs violated state regulations banning propaganda. Republicans, however, have launched a counter-attack, distributing to reporters old press releases from Democratic news conferences in which interest groups offered up VNRs on issues and events.

Reality check: both parties work hard to package the news from the Capitol with their own spin. Both caucuses, in both chambers, have staffers whose sole responsibility is to provide video and audio clips from their party's lawmakers. These clips (in English and Spanish) are on subjects chosen not by reporters, but by the taxpayer-paid staffers and lawmakers.

And as several Capitol reporters privately said when this began a couple of weeks ago, the issue may be more about the ethics of news organizations that use these canned items... sans scrutiny or rebuttal... than about the VNRs themselves.