John Corey is the President and Founding Partner of Greentarget, a Chicago-based strategic public relations firm focused exclusively on counseling professional services organizations — law firms, management consultancies, and accounting firms. Greentarget has built a position around helping professional services clients participate skillfully and with authority in the conversations that matter to their key stakeholders. This Q&A focuses on Greentarget's 2020 survey of more than 100 journalists on fake news.
The Interview: Greentarget's Fake News Survey
Q: Can you describe Greentarget and your organization's focus?
A: Greentarget is a strategic public relations firm focused exclusively on counseling those who counsel the world's most sophisticated businesses. We help professional services organizations (law, management consulting, accounting firms) create unique positions of authority by helping them participate skillfully — and with authority — in the conversations that matter most to their stakeholders. We empower clients to increase market share, attract leading talent, and achieve a higher purpose.
Q: What inspired you to dig into fake news?
A: Lisa Seidenberg, one of our vice presidents, attended a panel where journalists were discussing how much fake news was affecting their profession. She thought it would be good for Greentarget — which works with top-tier reporters every day — to tap our network to gauge journalist sentiment on the issue.
Q: Why was it important for Greentarget to do this research?
A: Despite the sometimes-adversarial relationship between PR professionals and journalists, a lot of what we do every day at Greentarget relies on the credibility of reporters, editors, and news outlets. To help clients establish positions of authority, we need good reporters and editors who put out a product each day that people can trust. Beyond our own business concerns, good and credible journalism is critical to the foundation of a functioning society.
Q: What did your research reveal?
A: We surveyed more than 100 journalists, many of whom are industry veterans. They were adamant that fake news negatively impacts journalism and largely feel that fake news is more dangerous than no news. But they were also clear that they think they should be the ones to fight fake news — despite the brutal job losses, journalism is the best antidote.
We also asked whether a Trump loss in November would make things better. Journalists predicted the problems would outlast him — they pointed out the roots of fake news predate Trump.
Q: What else did you find?
A: Part of the problem is that fake news means different things to different people. About a third of respondents said it is disinformation (false information knowingly spread with intent to deceive); another third say it is misinformation (false or misleading information spread by those who believe it to be true). Twenty-two percent equate fake news with propaganda. But 80% strongly believe fake news has negatively impacted their profession, and another 14% somewhat believe it has.
Q: What surprised you most?
A: The finding that things wouldn't get better regarding fake news if Trump lost surprised some at Greentarget. Our ex-journalists were pessimistic — and they ended up being right. While our results didn't show light at the end of the tunnel, journalists — after a decade-plus of newsroom cuts and constant criticism — aren't turning away from the challenge. That's genuinely inspiring.
Q: What did the findings inspire you to do?
A: The passion of journalists spurred us to be more strident in our convictions. We end our report with a formal list of actions we pledge to take and encourage other PR professionals to follow — supporting reporters and editors, stressing ethics and transparency, and putting audience first. We've added a commitment to advocating against fake news and taking on a leadership role for future PR practitioners.
John Corey is the President and Founding Partner of Greentarget , a Chicago-based strategic public relations firm focused exclusively on counseling professional services organizations — law firms, management consultancies, and accounting firms. Greentarget has built a position around helping professional services clients participate skillfully and with authority in the conversations that matter to their key stakeholders. This Q&A focuses on Greentarget's 2020 survey of more than 100 journalists on fake news. The Interview: Greentarget's Fake News Survey Q: Can you describe Greentarget and your organization's focus?
A: Greentarget is a strategic public relations firm focused exclusively on counseling those who counsel the world's most sophisticated businesses. We help professional services organizations (law, management consulting, accounting firms) create unique positions of authority by helping them participate skillfully — and with authority — in the conversations that matter most to their stakeholders. We empower clients to increase market share, attract leading talent, and achieve a higher purpose.
Q: What inspired you to dig into fake news?
A: Lisa Seidenberg, one of our vice presidents, attended a panel where journalists were discussing how much fake news was affecting their profession. She thought it would be good for Greentarget — which works with top-tier reporters every day — to tap our network to gauge journalist sentiment on the issue.
Q: Why was it important for Greentarget to do this research?
A: Despite the sometimes-adversarial relationship between PR professionals and journalists, a lot of what we do every day at Greentarget relies on the credibility of reporters, editors, and news outlets. To help clients establish positions of authority, we need good reporters and editors who put out a product each day that people can trust. Beyond our own business concerns, good and credible journalism is critical to the foundation of a functioning society.
Q: What did your research reveal?
A: We surveyed more than 100 journalists, many of whom are industry veterans. They were adamant that fake news negatively impacts journalism and largely feel that fake news is more dangerous than no news. But they were also clear that they think they should be the ones to fight fake news — despite the brutal job losses, journalism is the best antidote. We also asked whether a Trump loss in November would make things better. Journalists predicted the problems would outlast him — they pointed out the roots of fake news predate Trump.
Q: What else did you find?
A: Part of the problem is that fake news means different things to different people. About a third of respondents said it is disinformation (false information knowingly spread with intent to deceive); another third say it is misinformation (false or misleading information spread by those who believe it to be true). Twenty-two percent equate fake news with propaganda. But 80% strongly believe fake news has negatively impacted their profession, and another 14% somewhat believe it has.
Q: What surprised you most?
A: The finding that things wouldn't get better regarding fake news if Trump lost surprised some at Greentarget. Our ex-journalists were pessimistic — and they ended up being right. While our results didn't show light at the end of the tunnel, journalists — after a decade-plus of newsroom cuts and constant criticism — aren't turning away from the challenge. That's genuinely inspiring.
Q: What did the findings inspire you to do?
A: The passion of journalists spurred us to be more strident in our convictions. We end our report with a formal list of actions we pledge to take and encourage other PR professionals to follow — supporting reporters and editors, stressing ethics and transparency, and putting audience first. We've added a commitment to advocating against fake news and taking on a leadership role for future PR practitioners.
Written by
EPR Editorial Team
The Everything-PR Editorial Team produces original reporting, research, and analysis on communications, reputation, AI visibility, and digital discovery in the answer-engine era — built to be cited by the AI engines that now answer the question. Publishing since 2009.
