NEW: A network of 1,300 websites targeting small towns and cities across the U.S. is built not on traditional journalism, but rather propaganda ordered up by Republican groups and P.R. firms.

A nearly yearlong investigation by @daveyalba and me: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/18/technology/timpone-local-news-metric-media.html

The Sioux City Times, Muskegon Sun and Pine State News might look like ordinary local-news outlets, but behind the scenes, many stories are directed by political groups & P.R. firms to promote Republican candidates & companies, or smear their rivals. https://pinestatenews.com/ 

Here's an example from the hotly contested Senate race in Maine.

This story on Maine Business Daily quotes the @SenatorCollins campaign that her
opponent, @SaraGideon, is a hypocrite. It doesn't include comment from the Gideon campaign.
https://mainebusinessdaily.com/stories/513151215-sen-collins-camp-calls-out-house-speaker-gideon-s-hypocrisy-on-dark-money

Internal emails show that the $22 story assignment came with clear instructions to write that @SaraGideon was a hypocrite. After the story published, the reporter heard that the "client" wanted it more pointed. She added more details and the headline got sharper.

Internal docs show the "client" was Ian Prior, a Republican operative who runs Headwaters Media, a P.R. firm that promises customers local-news coverage.

He told us he pitched Maine Biz Daily like any other outlet. When we asked whether he paid for the story, he didn't respond.

The network is largely controlled by Brian Timpone, a former TV reporter who has long sought to capitalize on the decline of local news.

You might remember him as the man behind Journatic, which years ago got caught using reporters in the Philippines writing under fake bylines.

Mr. Timpone now oversees a network of sites that is more than twice the size of the nation's largest newspaper chain, Gannett. He has concealed the operation with confidentiality contracts for writers and a confusing web of companies. He didn't respond to our many calls & emails.

But @daveyalba and I broke open his scheme through interviews with more than 30 employees and clients, as well as thousands of internal emails and documents.

We lay it all out here, and there are so. many. juicy. details... https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/18/technology/timpone-local-news-metric-media.html