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* About 2,100 local newspapers have shut down in the United States since 2004. Brian Timpone is filling the gap with his own sort of publishing empire. The New York Times takes a harsh look…
Maine Business Daily is part of a fast-growing network of nearly 1,300 websites that aim to fill a void left by vanishing local newspapers across the country. Yet the network, now in all 50 states, is built not on traditional journalism but on propaganda ordered up by dozens of conservative think tanks, political operatives, corporate executives and public-relations professionals, a Times investigation found. […]
The network is largely overseen by Brian Timpone, a TV reporter turned internet entrepreneur who has sought to capitalize on the decline of local news organizations for nearly two decades. He has built the network with the help of several others, including a Texas brand-management consultant and a conservative Chicago radio personality. […]
While Mr. Timpone’s sites generally do not post information that is outright false, the operation is rooted in deception, eschewing hallmarks of news reporting like fairness and transparency. Only a few dozen of the sites disclose funding from advocacy groups. Traditional news organizations do not accept payment for articles; the Federal Trade Commission requires that advertising that looks like articles be clearly labeled as ads.
And employees at the Illinois Opportunity Project, a conservative advocacy group, requested dozens of articles about specific Republican politicians in Illinois. The group has paid $441,000 to Mr. Timpone’s companies, according to the nonprofit’s tax records. […]
The Illinois Opportunity Project did not respond to requests for comment. […]
In the publishing tool used by reporters and editors at Mr. Timpone’s websites is a list of names with a peculiar title: “Story watchers.” These are Mr. Timpone’s clients.
The Times reviewed the history behind dozens of articles in the publishing tool, revealing more than 80 story watchers. Many have pitched stories with instructions on what reporters should write, whom they should talk to and what they should ask. Over 17 days in July, these clients ordered up around 200 articles, company records show.
Internal documents show how much influence the clients have. “The clients pay us to produce a certain amount of copy each day for their websites,” said one “tool kit” for new writers. “In some cases, the clients will provide their own copy.”
John Tillman, an activist who once led the Illinois Opportunity Project and whose other groups have paid Mr. Timpone’s companies hundreds of thousands of dollars, said in an email that some of the payments to Mr. Timpone were to underwrite his news operation. Mr. Timpone, he said, allows “community leaders and influencers” to “pitch (not ‘order’) story ideas.” […]
Jeanne Ives, a Republican candidate for the U.S. House in Illinois, has had a direct financial relationship with the operation.
Ms. Ives has paid Mr. Timpone’s companies $55,000 over the past three years, according to state and federal records. During that time, the Illinois sites have published overwhelmingly positive coverage of her, including running some of her news releases verbatim.
In an interview, she said her payments were to create her website and monitor her Wikipedia page. One $14,342 payment included the note “Advertising-newspaper.” Ms. Ives initially could not explain why. She later called back to say Mr. Timpone had bought Facebook ads for her.
Asked if she was paying for positive coverage, she replied: “Oh, no, there’s none of that going on. I assure you. Oh, my gosh, no. Oh, no, not at all.”
Ms. Ives is listed as a “story watcher.” She said she did not know why. […]
After The Times presented evidence that [Monty Bennett, a hotel magnate and major GOP supporter] directly ordered articles, lawyers representing Mr. Timpone sent The Times a cease and desist letter, demanding that it not publish the information.
posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Oct 19, 20 @ 2:31 am
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I read this. Can we call it fake news? I don’t know. But it highlights how important a free press, and the need for investigative journalism, is in this country…and the entire world. Those things help offset the rise of opinion, commentary masquerading as news.
Comment by Dutch Monday, Oct 19, 20 @ 2:45 am
Well, given Ives’ track record, sounds like a losing investment, but it is ironic for the NYT to be the ones reporting on this.
Comment by Resolved Monday, Oct 19, 20 @ 8:24 am
Breathe easy. Jefferson did the same thing to John Adams. We’ll survive.
Comment by walker Monday, Oct 19, 20 @ 8:38 am
This seems to be the new style for reporting.
The Joliet Herald was taking thousands of dollars in ad money from the Joliet Diocese, but never disclosing it. Coincidentally, the paper started providing nothing short of propaganda stories for the diocese presented as news stories, and left out any coverage at all of the negative stories that were taking place in the diocese. Those negative stories were printed in places like the Trib of all places, but never in the Herald.
Patch, has printed word-for-word press releases from a local school district, but passing it off as a patch written article.
Both places had briefly been reigned in a little bit from people noticing what they are doing. The Herald briefly started printing the words ‘paid ad’ on their diocese stories, and patch stated printing ’submitted by’ on their school district stories.
It didn’t last long. Both have also gone back to how they were doing things before they were caught. I doubt they are the only ones doing this.
Comment by TheInvisibleMan Monday, Oct 19, 20 @ 8:56 am
==Patch, has printed word-for-word press releases from a local school district, but passing it off as a patch written article.==
That doesn’t seem much different than what you see in small-town weekly newspapers. Some of their articles seem to be reprints of other offices’ press releases (e.g., when newspapers announce Sec of State office closings for holidays) or stories. With no citation of the original source.
Comment by Chatham Resident Monday, Oct 19, 20 @ 9:04 am
These sites are partisan paid for content plain and simple, not news. I encourage people to report them as fake news if they show up in your social media feeds.
Comment by Siriusly Monday, Oct 19, 20 @ 9:05 am
Chatham Resident - the difference is Patch will print anyone’s releases. Timpone’s sites print GOP press releases and shred Dems. It’s partisan advertising disguised as news.
Comment by Siriusly Monday, Oct 19, 20 @ 9:06 am
Timpone’s lack of honest to task, and Proft’s grifting need, when your have two people seeing dollar signs for misinformation, and the avenue to push misleading political slant as the cash cow…
It’s never been about the facts, it’s always been about the “alternative facts”.
All that can be done is educate folks to the dishonesty to purpose, see these as mail pieces not news papers, and let Timpone and Proft grift to the max, with folks like Ives pretending, only fooling themselves, that people won’t get wise at some point.
That point isn’t now, so Ives will continue to see the value in Timpone and Proft.
It’s one thing to have political mail slanted to the political, it’s another to think an alternative fact news paper is in any real measure… honest.
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Oct 19, 20 @ 9:08 am
NYT uncovers Bias!
But only by Republicans.
They actually fired their opinion editor for publishing an opinion by a sitting US Senator that their employees did not want to hear
No mirrors at 620 8th Avenue
Comment by Lucky Pierre Monday, Oct 19, 20 @ 9:45 am
=== NYT uncovers Bias===
LOL
It’s only bias if the Timpone operation considers itself a newspaper (wink-wink, nod-nod)
Timpone’s phony is a mail piece masquerading as a newspaper, that’s the bias to thought… which is why your concerned trolling to an Op-Ed versus news, trying to mix the two as one… is a sneaky good try.
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Oct 19, 20 @ 10:06 am
Don’t love bias, but hate that local newspapers are disappearing. So this effort fills a void. You can publish too, lefties.
Comment by Amalia Monday, Oct 19, 20 @ 10:30 am
“So this effort fills a void”
What void? Are you suggesting the local newspapers you are bemoaning the loss of were as biased as this outfit?
The few I remember, and one is still printing, were pretty impartial.
Comment by Flyin' Elvis'-Utah Chapter Monday, Oct 19, 20 @ 10:36 am
I’m sure Jeanne Ives would be a great member of congress despite her claims of blinding ignorance regarding her own campaign.
– MrJM
Comment by @misterjayem Monday, Oct 19, 20 @ 10:38 am
It is surprising Timpone is still “hiding” on this stuff. We would guess a little showmanship gets him some more $$$. Maybe this is some tax dodge and silence is necessary. And it appears to his outfit is buying real newspapers. A new era
Comment by Annonin' Monday, Oct 19, 20 @ 10:50 am
This really is an infuriating story to read. I just don’t know how you solve the problem.
Comment by Boone's is Back Monday, Oct 19, 20 @ 11:22 am
BTW Durkie just threw gutter ball with presser barely got a question from dark money IPI front group…did not know about Roy Moore backer misinformation and forgot to explain how farmers earing more than $250K should not be taxed. Oh and offered $0,zero, nada idea on budget cuts.
Comment by Annonin' Monday, Oct 19, 20 @ 11:30 am
===“Oh, no, there’s none of that going on. I assure you. Oh, my gosh, no. Oh, no, not at all.”===
Jeanne Ives channeling her inner Eddie Haskell.
Comment by 47th Ward Monday, Oct 19, 20 @ 12:00 pm
Leftists have their own set of publications and NYT cited some of them, particularly Courier Newsroom which published several positive stories on Congresswoman Lauren Underwood last year and early this year which her campaign tweeted until The Washington Post published 2/6/20 exposing the site to left-leaning dark money group Acronym. Since then, Courier stories, including videos, with positives for Underwood are no longer published.
Comment by John Lopez Monday, Oct 19, 20 @ 3:05 pm
It’s not like the NYT is essentially the communications department for the Democrat Party or anything. I can see where they are coming from exposing these obviously biased “journalists.”
Comment by Captain Obvious Monday, Oct 19, 20 @ 6:32 pm
=== for the Democrat Party===
This isn’t as clever as you think it is. It’s actually a signal of the closed minded…. as FoxNews under Ailes was designed to be as it is… the “state radio of Alternative Facts”
It’s obvious that the Rush Limbaugh dog whistles are strong in your jargon.
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Oct 19, 20 @ 6:47 pm