M(S)MMM #173 -- Fabricated Good News

     So the mayor of Utah's second largest city was writing "good news" stories about his own city, using a fake name, and getting them onto KSL- TV's website and in a local newspaper, including the paper that broke the story.
     So what can KSL-TV say about letting this anonymous freelancer write material for its website? How about nothing.
    They report the story without mentioning their own involvement at all, saying it raises ethical questions for the newspaper!

     Then in L.A., The Times uncovered another fake "journalist" writing wonderfully positive stories about a Water Board. Great work on the part of the Times for exposing this sham.
     Say what you will about mainstream media, at least there are editors at work to make sure PR hacks aren't using them as outlets for their cheery output. The Great Recession has diminished the media, but at least some are keeping their eyes out for frauds.
     Next week: How the Great Recession has contributed to some public epic fails.
[The Monday (and sometimes Saturday) Morning Media Memo is a regular feature of this site.]