Missouri trying to take advantage of Cumberland situation

[Tim_T]

Matt, I think what you said and what I am saying are the same thing. Stories are GENERATED by press releases, but are not published as is. They are rewritten by a reporter who has the responsibility to check facts before they go to print.

Another difference between a press release and an advertisement is money. You stated you paid a PR firm to get the press releases out to the media, but did you buy advertising space from the newspaper or were the articles written as a feature?

As an example, if the press release above was published in a newspaper and nobody checked the facts in the press release, the company putting out the press release would not be in trouble, but the newspaper has the responsibilty to call the appropriate people in KY to verify that the facts are correct (which in this case they were not).

I currently am a freelance outdoor writer with credits in major national magazines, as well as smaller markets, but I have worked for major market newspapers including a few years in the sports department at the Louisville Courier-Journal. I never witnessed or even heard about anybody printing a press release as is, unless it was paid for as an advertisement which leaves the newspaper off the hook for false claims.

I think we actually agree on this, but we are having a hard time communicating through are words on the computer.

I do know we agree on the main point of why I started this thread, there was too much false information in the press release.

[geobass]

Matt, I think what you said and what I am saying are the same thing. Stories are GENERATED by press releases, but are not published as is. They are rewritten by a reporter who has the responsibility to check facts before they go to print.

Another difference between a press release and an advertisement is money. You stated you paid a PR firm to get the press releases out to the media, but did you buy advertising space from the newspaper or were the articles written as a feature?

As an example, if the press release above was published in a newspaper and nobody checked the facts in the press release, the company putting out the press release would not be in trouble, but the newspaper has the responsibilty to call the appropriate people in KY to verify that the facts are correct (which in this case they were not).

I currently am a freelance outdoor writer with credits in major national magazines, as well as smaller markets, but I have worked for major market newspapers including a few years in the sports department at the Louisville Courier-Journal. I never witnessed or even heard about anybody printing a press release as is, unless it was paid for as an advertisement which leaves the newspaper off the hook for false claims.

I think we actually agree on this, but we are having a hard time communicating through are words on the computer.

I do know we agree on the main point of why I started this thread, there was too much false information in the press release.

If you are a writer.. You should know that the statement "we are having a hard time communicating through are words on the computer." Should have been "our" words, not "are" words.
I guess that is what spell check and grammer check are for! lol

[mattplapp]

I agree with you, but what you missing is that this press release was released on their own website as a press release which is deceptive because most of the public will view a website like theirs to report like a newspaper, the truth. It just amazes me to see stuff like that.

But, our Cumberland store has been selling boats like wild fire so there must be some great things at Cumberland still

Matt