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Great research, Thanatos.

And you absolutely nailed it with this line;

they will actually write the news storie(sic) and feed them to members of the press who put their names on it and submits it as their own work.

From my experience working with primarily trade press for 30 year, that is a true statement not just for the MSM, but for 90% of all publications and writers.

First of all, writing is hard work. Human nature says if someone wants to write it for me --- why not?

The trick to getting a journalist to publish your words is to feed his prejudices and not "obviously" go over the top in pumping your agenda or product. You simply need to state it in terms that the 'journalist' will buy on spec. A couple of drinks and dinner always help as well.

Having said that, the 10% of writers and pubs that I give the best stories to are the exception to the above. They are the people who believe absolutely nothing I tell them until I can prove it. They are also the writers and publications that the audience I am attempting to reach respect and trust. I always save my best for them and only give the lazy writers the crap that has to be hyped and spun to make it anywhere near newsworthy.

But I also treat the 90% and the 10% alike in one respect --- I NEVER lie to either --- but the 90% get the Clinton definition of truth while the 10% get the real story.

"From my experience working with primarily trade press for 30 year, that is a true statement not just for the MSM, but for 90% of all publications and writers. First of all, writing is hard work. Human nature says if someone wants to write it for me --- why not? The trick to getting a journalist to publish your words is to feed his prejudices and not "obviously" go over the top in pumping your agenda or product. You simply need to state it in terms that the 'journalist' will buy on spec. A couple of drinks and dinner always help as well."

That's my experience also after working for 20 years in the Visual press at different stations around the country. Even for "Normal News", most local stations will "Videoize" the local stories you read about in the local newspaper that morning (A Rehash). Very little Investigative reporters are actually working in newsrooms nowadays. There are way too many Producers, Directors, Executive Producers, Editors, and not enough Reporters. This all adds up to "Copy 'n Paste" newscasts and reports and leaves these newsrooms extremely susceptible to external PR influences.