Economic development forwards "news" hits on a factory prospect that are word-for-word reprints of the company's press release. How should those hits be treated?
Select an answer to reveal the explanation.
Short Explanation
A press release reprinted on a news wire is still the company talking — like a flyer stuffed into a newspaper sleeve. That is not independent corroboration. Keep looking for reporting that actually checked the claims, plus filings and other public records.
Full Explanation
If economic development forwards “news” hits on a factory prospect that are word-for-word reprints of the company’s press release, those hits should be treated as self-published PR syndication, not independent corroboration of the company’s claims. Reprint wires and partner sites still carry the company’s voice even when wrapped in a news brand. Treating them as independent journalism because they appeared on a news-branded site fails when the text is identical to the release. Treating them as proof the factory already has a city contract fails; PR does not create awards, ordinances, or purchase orders. Using them as a reason to skip all further public-record checks fails by substituting marketing volume for diligence. Exam caveat: PR can still contain useful claimed facts—just do not count syndication as third-party confirmation in the prospect scorecard. Operational check: diff the “news” text against the press release; seek independent reporting, filings, and permits; keep PR-labeled items out of the corroboration column in the economic-development prospect file. In municipal practice, record the rationale in the case file so future staff know which control was chosen and which failure modes the rejected options would create for city services.