4 ms·
Given the conversations here[1][2] on how PR firms plant articles all the time, I've been thinking a lot about who benefits from each article I read in the NYT.
by bernardom 12y ago
Given the conversations here[1][2] on how PR firms plant articles all the time, I've been thinking a lot about who benefits from each article I read in the NYT.
This one seems like a very obvious benefit for the FBI. The government wants it well known that "look, if you really cooperate we'll totally definitely let you go later." Of course, all the cases where the defendant cooperated and still went to jail don't make the media.
[1] http://www.paulgraham.com/submarine.html http://www.paulgraham.com/submarine.html
[2] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2532759#up_2532885 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2532759#up_2532885
[3] There are others, too lazy to list.
- fleitz 12y agoExactly, remember the guy who helped expose all the UBS tax evasion? He got 40 months and a $30K fine, UBS got nothing. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bradley_Birkenfeld http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bradley_Birkenfeld
- Zigurd 12y agoA lot of "news" consists of swallowing an official position whole. It's nicely packaged. The journalists are dependent on access. Why rock the boat?
- snowwrestler 12y agoIt's possible to over-apply pg's "submarine" essay. In this case the press is actually reporting on a newsworthy event. Pg even notes this outright in his essay: > Of the stories you read in traditional media that aren't about politics, crimes, or disasters, more than half probably come from PR firms.