Here's an example of PR at its most brazen - an email to a national newspaper journalist from a PR outfit:

 "Dear Journalist,

"Many thanks for considering our free service. With an average of 300 journalists joining Intelligrate Media on a daily basis we are growing at an exceptional rate.

"To benefit from this global service that gives you direct access to
sources and material, we invite you to join us by clicking here.

"Ready-made stories specific to your beat and interest will be sent
directly to your inbox. So if you want to cut-and-paste or research the story
further, Intelligrate Media is a journalist’s tool that is free and saves
time.

"Relevant contacts and pictures are provided with each story for your
convenience.

"We look forward to you joining our global team of journalists."

Intelligrate Media, according to its website, is "a dynamic and unique company established to enable companies to access the media and maximise their exposure both nationally and internationally." To the companies who would like to insert their PR material into news media, they make a simple offer: "Your products, services or message integrated into a ‘hard news’ story.... We advise and suggest appropriate news stories to integrate your company into for maximum credibility and exposure.... Our clients always have the final say before any article is released and as a large majority of our journalists simply cut and paste what we send them, control of what is said or written is more often than not in the hands of our clients."

 That's flat earth news.