Revelations that half or more of the news we receive through the media is linked to public relations are not new. Jim Macnamara provides a potted summary of some of the studies of PR and the media over the past 80 years.
Spinning the Media
Spinning the media: PR insiders on their ‘return on investment’
The public relations industry has its own term for churnalism: return on investment journalism. Sasha Pavey explains how PR executives have worked the current economic climate to their advantage.
Spinning the Media: It’s up to you to read between the lines
Is the term “special report” actually industry parlance for “advertising feature” in some editorial departments? Daniel Bishton canvasses opinion on the topic.
Spinning the Media: The line between advertorial and content just got blurrier
While advertorials put together at the request of the advertising department have run for many years at the Sydney Morning Herald, the distinction that they be clearly marked as an ‘advertising feature’ seems to have softened, reports Emma Kemp.
Who else has researched ‘Spinning the Media’?
Maria Strumendo and Wendy Bacon look at previous Australian and international academic work into PR influence in the media.
Spinning the Media: Five decades’ experience on the changing role of PR
Ben Sandilands looks the changes in media-PR relationship through the eyes of a reporter who spent 49 years on shipping, aviation and other rounds: the PR person is increasingly the reporter.
Spinning the Media: PR 101 for drug companies
The engagement of third parties in providing a link between a drug company and the media is all too common in health journalism, writes Flint Duxfield.
Spinning the Media: The wire service — wholesaling in news
Our Spinning the Media investigation brought to light the ubiquity of AAP copy across the 10 papers we analysed. Kyle Taylor talks to two senior men behind the AAP wire service.
Spinning the Media: Spin doctors have plenty to say in health reporting
When it comes to health reporting, the relationship between journalists and public relations people could be in need of a check-up, writes Flint Duxfield.
Crikey Says: Accountability seems to be a one-way street
It’s no coincidence that the only editor prepared to engage in the debate around Spinning the Media happens to run the only truly vibrant, intelligent newspaper in the country.
Spinning the Media: The editors fire back. Or don’t.
Newspaper editors respond to the results of Crikey’s Spinning the Media study, which found over half of their news is generated by PR.
Chris Mitchell on pervasive PR, press releases, and paywalls
Yesterday, Crikey revealed that over half of Australia’s newspaper stories are driven by PR. Editor-in-chief of The Oz, Chris Mitchell, fires back at the claims.
Your Say: Daily Mail readers' feedback: Media spin and Crikey
Crikey readers weigh in on our special “Spinning the media” section yesterday: did Crikey not verify its own work? Or has it presented a tawdry PR scam?
Come in Spinner: Exclusive! Shock! Horror! Probe reveals PR influence
When will journalists realise that PR influence is insignificant compared to other factors impacting on the media? asks Noel Turnbull.
Over half your news is spin
Crikey reveals the results of a six-month investigation into the role PR plays in the Australian media, finding that 55% of newspaper stories analysed were driven by PR.
Who’s really controlling the media message?
Our Spinning the Media investigation strongly confirms that journalism in Australia today is heavily influenced by commercial interests, and is constrained and blocked by politicians, police and others who control the media message, write Wendy Bacon and Sasha Pavey.
graph pr0n The spin cycle: how your newspaper fared
A joint study between Crikey and the ACIJ has found that nearly 55% of Australian newspaper articles analysed were driven by some form of PR. See all the damning data.
Media snapshot: how we analysed the spin cycle
The joint Crikey-ACIJ investigation into PR influence in Australia’s media was a six-month study, with over 40 people analysing over 2203 articles. Read about the methodology, people and process behind it all.
Spinning the Media: Key findings in a week in the life of the media
2203 separate stories were analysed across 10 Australian newspapers between September 7 and 11, 2009, to see whether they were initiated by public relations or promotions. Here’s what came out in the wash.
Editor of The Courier Mail, David Fagan, responds
Courier Mail editor David Fagan responds to our Spinning The Media study findings that 55% of the articles analysed in his paper were initiated by public relations.
Editor of The West Australian, Brett McCarthy, responds
The West Australian editor Brian McCarthy responds to our Spinning The Media study findings that 55% of the articles analysed in his paper were initiated by public relations.
Spinning the media: the federal lobbyists register
In the first instalment in our special joint Crikey/AJIC investigation, Spinning the Media, Sasha Pavey exposes errors and the lack of transparency in the Federal Lobbyists Register.
