Pay-for-Play, the Print Edition

We’ve known for decades that intimacy breeds favorable news reportage—thus debates in the 1970s over journalists fraternizing with government officials—but according to Democracy Now, a new report by PRWeek finds that 20% of the marketing executives surveyed bought ads in return for sympathetic stories in 2008. (Almost half that also bought gifts or paid editors in exchange for flattering coverage.)

The implication, of course, is that the journalists accepted these gifts—although I’d be hesitant to accept PR Week’s version of the story. Too bad no one else is covering this important issue!

In a totally unrelated story (ha ha), PR executives in this week’s issue are urged to view recent print media layoffs as hiring opportunities. Or as it is sometimes called, community-building.

UPDATE ON ALL THIS MOMMY BLOGGING BUSINESS: We first started looking into the issue here and now it seems some mommies are beginning to demand compensation for their public awareness work. After all, it’s big business, according to Katie Couric (although it must be noted: not Couric the journalist, Couric the paid spokesperson). Why shouldn’t the moms doing the work benefit?: [Watch the video of Katie Couric for BlogHer here.]

—Thanks James David and Veronica Arreola</a>!