News or Press Release?
Long time readers know that SayUncle often gets Google News alerts that are nothing more that VPC press releases.
Paul Graham has an essay about a related phenomenon, the “press hit.”
One of the most surprising things I discovered during my brief business career was the existence of the PR industry, lurking like a huge, quiet submarine beneath the news. Of the stories you read in traditional media that aren’t about politics, crimes, or disasters, more than half probably come from PR firms.
Pretty interesting read.
April 22nd, 2005 at 10:35 am
Saw the skit on the daily show about the fake town hall meetings. It was pretty funny.
April 22nd, 2005 at 10:59 am
Last year I read Slick: A Novel written by Daniel Price who runs Abused by the News.
Between the book & his website, I learned more about VNR’s and fake news stories then I ever wanted to know.
It’s worse than you think. Far worse.