Investigation: 12 of 22 contacted crypto news sites agreed, upon request, to publish paid content without marking it as sponsored; prices were $240 to $4,500 —
"What We Did
On the assumption that most outlets would not openly admit that they took bribes for coverage if asked directly by a journalist, it seemed reasonable to set up an undercover investigation on the topic.
The level of deception used was minimal: we created a fake email account, and claimed to be representing a PR company. There was no fake website or domain associated; it was simply a Gmail address with a profile picture found by image searching “Russian actor.” (I’m sorry to whoever he really is, but for our purposes this is Nikolay Kostarev, a Moscow-based PR agent.)
Google profile for Nikolay Kostarev
Next we compiled a list of blockchain media sites. This was by no means exhaustive, but to have a sense of the scale of the problem, we needed numbers. All in all, we reached out to 28 sites, and received a yes/no reply from 22 by the time of publication, with two inconclusive.
There were two main steps to the outreach process: first, using the ‘Contact’ or ‘Advertise’ links listed on the site, we sent an email to request price information:
Hello,
I am representing a blockchain PR company from Moscow, Russia,
and would like information on the rate for advertising on [WEBSITE].
Many thanks in advance,
Nikolay K.
In response, we usually received a price list, or in some cases, a brochure of media rates. Usually this included information on buying banner ads, press release publication, or partnerships to create sponsored content.
If the outlet replied offering any of the above, we sent a further email with a proposal:
Hello [NAME],
Thank you for the reply and information.
Many of my ICO clients want coverage written about them.
But some would like it to not be marked "Sponsored".
Is this possible?
Regards,
-NK
Of course, the simple response to this should be “no.” Indeed, many outlets did respond to tell us that all paid advertising had to be clearly labelled, or to suggest that we opt for another form of sponsored post instead.
Sadly, those that took this route were in the minority."
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breakermag
This shows how risky it is to read news only in those sites that talk exclusively about Crypto. The traditional media still have a lot of importance and relevance. It has a slightly higher concept of ethics.
Most of these sites are desperate to get any money with information. And they accept to publish almost anything to deceive the traders. Be careful when reading the news. Try to always look for more information on other websites. Always consider whether that matter was invented or manipulated.
