NEW: A network of 1,300 websites targeting small towns and cities across the U.S. is built not on traditional journalism, but rather propaganda ordered up by Republican groups and P.R. firms.
The Sioux City Times, Muskegon Sun and Pine State News might look like ordinary local-news outlets, but behind the scenes, many stories are directed by political groups & P.R. firms to promote Republican candidates & companies, or smear their rivals. pinestatenews.com
Here's an example from the hotly contested Senate race in Maine.
Internal emails show that the $22 story assignment came with clear instructions to write that @SaraGideon was a hypocrite. After the story published, the reporter heard that the "client" wanted it more pointed. She added more details and the headline got sharper.
Internal docs show the "client" was Ian Prior, a Republican operative who runs Headwaters Media, a P.R. firm that promises customers local-news coverage.
He told us he pitched Maine Biz Daily like any other outlet. When we asked whether he paid for the story, he didn't respond.
The network is largely controlled by Brian Timpone, a former TV reporter who has long sought to capitalize on the decline of local news.
You might remember him as the man behind Journatic, which years ago got caught using reporters in the Philippines writing under fake bylines.
Mr. Timpone now oversees a network of sites that is more than twice the size of the nation's largest newspaper chain, Gannett. He has concealed the operation with confidentiality contracts for writers and a confusing web of companies. He didn't respond to our many calls & emails.
But @daveyalba and I broke open his scheme through interviews with more than 30 employees and clients, as well as thousands of internal emails and documents.
The U.S. GDP collapsed and the four Big Tech companies reported blowout earnings.
It's rare that the story tells itself this well.
Amazon sales were up 40% and its profit doubled (!) to $5.2 billion, blowing away Wall Street expectations in a way that makes you wonder whether Wall Street knows what it's talking about.
President Trump just toured a Texas plant that has been making Apple computers since 2013 and took credit for it, suggesting the plant opened today. "Today is a very special day."
Tim Cook spoke immediately after him and did not correct the record.
The president then complimented @tim_cook and asked him to tell the press what he thought of the American economy.
"I think we have the strongest economy in the world right now," Cook responded.
The president smiled.
@tim_cook President Trump: "I said, ‘Someday we're going to see Apple building plants in our country, not in China. And thats what’s happening."
This is false. Apple hasn't built any plants in the U.S. & still makes the vast majority of its products in China.
For a year, I dove into a dark corner of Facebook and Instagram, where con artists impersonate American servicemen to scam vulnerable women.
To illustrate the fraud's personal toll, I followed one scam, from Florida to Nigeria. Here is that tragic story. nytimes.com/2019/07/28/tec…
While I reported this story, a New York Times film crew followed me. The result was a special one-hour episode of The Times's new TV show, @TheWeekly, that aired last night on FX. It is now on Hulu.
The trail begins with Renee Holland. She joined Facebook in 2016 and quickly heard from a handsome American soldier. Their relationship deepened over online chats. Eventually he started asking for money. She sent thousands of dollars.