5 'Pay-For-Play' Local RI News Sites ID'd In Times Report

Five websites the New York Times identified as part of a "pay-for-play" network posing as local journalism have made their way to Rhode Island, seeking to replace traditional local media with propaganda.

The network spans all 50 states and has nearly 1,300 sites that on their face look like real news outlets, but are populated with press releases and stories "ordered up by dozens of conservative think tanks, political operatives, corporate executives and public-relations professionals, a Times investigation found."

On Thursday morning, the South County Times lead story — one of the only stories on its somewhat barren sit — was about Gov. Gina Raimondo receiving a 'D' grade in fiscal management. It was also the only featured story on several of their sites, including the Providence Reporter and Ocean State Today. Some also had a story on the state losing $35.2 million in hotel tax revenue. The bylines were the Metric Media News Service.

Below are a list of similar sites in Rhode Island identified by the Times.

• Kent County Times
• Ocean State Today
• Providence Reporter
• Rhode Island Business Daily
• South County Times

Read the full NYT story here