Instead of volunteering PR and adding distractions, it might be better to say that power companies have "lobbyists" that bribe news sites in return for slanderi

Instead of volunteering PR and adding distractions, it might be better to say that power companies have "lobbyists" that bribe news sites in return for slandering critics of those companies. Even though it's strange to call people who bribe news outlets rather than politicians "lobbyists," because that sort of begs the question.