Editor’s Note: The following is a guest post by Denis Wolcott, APR, of the PRSA Los Angeles Chapter. The post is an update to a previous commentary piece he wrote for PRSAY about the ethical concerns of a Los Angeles-area water district agency engaging in fake news production practices to secure positive media coverage.
Credit The Los Angeles Times for not giving up on a story.
As much as I hate to see a water agency that does great work remain in the newspaper’s cross hairs, and as much as I hate to see someone in public relations getting slammed in print . . . the public relations profession needs to take notice and learn from this one.
And, the water district may want to ask for help from PRSA.
The latest Times story about the Central Basin water district of Southern California is an update to its previous article about the water district’s effort to secure positive coverage. The water district has been in bitter battles with another water district, which also is using deception on the web in attacking Central Basin.
As this blog wrote when the original story first broke, paying for positive coverage is full of danger.
Continue reading " Thinking of Using a Fake News Site? Think Again. "
