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This phenomenon is something I would like to learn more about. Of course there is an element of frequency illusion mixed in, but this happens every now and agai

This phenomenon is something I would like to learn more about. Of course there is an element of frequency illusion mixed in, but this happens every now and again. Some random subject is all of sudden talked / written about by unrelated actors. It doesn't necessarily have to be anything nefarious about it, papers and YouTubers need stuff to write and talk about after all. But at the same time that can be very beneficial for e.g Quaise in this case. How does it work, I'm guessing a "publicist" is involved somehow? How much does it cost? Has anyone here done something similar?

thinkbud 2y ago
I can confirm that this sort of phenomenon has happened to me and am as curious as you are to find out more about it
deleted 2y ago
[deleted]
ketzo 2y ago
My 2c would be: - tech-oriented publicists / marketers definitely do know that HN exists and matters - there are “benign” ways to game HN, like releasing at an optimal time for readership / upvotes - there are less nice ways, like sock puppet accounts / botting - all of these things are certainly done regularly - it doesn’t mean that everything you read was an astroturfed psy-op or whatever.
simplysublime 2y ago
I mean, puff pieces exist, and basically every media outlet is a corporate mouthpiece. Don't be surprised by this.
archon1410 2y ago
It's apparently publicists "pitching" stories to 'relevant' reporters and 'influencers'/YouTubers. I recently saw a xeet, from a columnist, complaining about irrelevant PR pitches; it gives some insight into how they work. See: https://x.com/dhume/status/1892994787734602001 https://x.com/dhume/status/1892994787734602001
ahmedfromtunis 2y ago
I worked both as a reporter and in public relations (not at the same time) and stuff like this happens for various reasons: - an institution can publish a report as part of a regular schedule (e.g. unemployment by the BLS) or as one shot thing (e.g. a study on clowns distribution in arid areas). This leads many reporters to publish articles about basically the same subject, but in an uncoordinated manner; - PR agencies often coordinate with media outlets from various backgrounds and markets to publish about some particular topic (company, product, campaign, ...) either at the same time, or in coordinated waves; - trends and public discourse can make it so that many sources cover almost the same thing at the same time (e.g.: bitch resting face, rat boy summer, ...); - luck is, always, a factor.
freetime2 2y ago
Paul Graham has an essay on this subject from 20 years ago that's still very relevant. >Of the stories you read in traditional media that aren't about politics, crimes, or disasters, more than half probably come from PR firms. https://paulgraham.com/submarine.html https://paulgraham.com/submarine.html
- ethagknight 2y ago
  Probably closer to 100%, in the sense that everything you read is being pushed by someone, but accurate nonetheless.
  - Matthyze 2y ago
    In some sense, I supose, but that's now how I woud characterize traditional media covering e.g. natural disasters.

thinkbud 2y ago

I can confirm that this sort of phenomenon has happened to me and am as curious as you are to find out more about it

deleted 2y ago

[deleted]

ketzo 2y ago

My 2c would be: - tech-oriented publicists / marketers definitely do know that HN exists and matters - there are “benign” ways to game HN, like releasing at an optimal time for readership / upvotes - there are less nice ways, like sock puppet accounts / botting - all of these things are certainly done regularly - it doesn’t mean that everything you read was an astroturfed psy-op or whatever.

simplysublime 2y ago

I mean, puff pieces exist, and basically every media outlet is a corporate mouthpiece. Don't be surprised by this.

archon1410 2y ago

It's apparently publicists "pitching" stories to 'relevant' reporters and 'influencers'/YouTubers. I recently saw a xeet, from a columnist, complaining about irrelevant PR pitches; it gives some insight into how they work. See: https://x.com/dhume/status/1892994787734602001 https://x.com/dhume/status/1892994787734602001

ahmedfromtunis 2y ago

I worked both as a reporter and in public relations (not at the same time) and stuff like this happens for various reasons: - an institution can publish a report as part of a regular schedule (e.g. unemployment by the BLS) or as one shot thing (e.g. a study on clowns distribution in arid areas). This leads many reporters to publish articles about basically the same subject, but in an uncoordinated manner; - PR agencies often coordinate with media outlets from various backgrounds and markets to publish about some particular topic (company, product, campaign, ...) either at the same time, or in coordinated waves; - trends and public discourse can make it so that many sources cover almost the same thing at the same time (e.g.: bitch resting face, rat boy summer, ...); - luck is, always, a factor.

freetime2 2y ago

Paul Graham has an essay on this subject from 20 years ago that's still very relevant. >Of the stories you read in traditional media that aren't about politics, crimes, or disasters, more than half probably come from PR firms. https://paulgraham.com/submarine.html https://paulgraham.com/submarine.html

ethagknight 2y ago
Probably closer to 100%, in the sense that everything you read is being pushed by someone, but accurate nonetheless.
- Matthyze 2y ago
  In some sense, I supose, but that's now how I woud characterize traditional media covering e.g. natural disasters.