planted story
Deliberately leaked falsehood
A planted story is a news item or rumor deliberately placed in media by someone with an agenda, designed to appear as legitimate journalism rather than propaganda or publicity.
Press offices plant stories with friendly reporters; intelligence agencies plant disinformation; publicists plant flattering profiles.
The term implies deception—the story's true origin is hidden: The exposé turned out to be a planted story from a rival campaign.
- fabricatedInvented, not real
- leakEscape through a breach
- off the recordNot meant for reporting
- disinformationIntentional deceptive falsehoods
- spinRapid rotation around axis
propaganda · talking points · rumor · source · anonymous · journalist · press release · expose · cover-up · narrative · media · media circus · news cycle · whisper · agenda · manipulation · hit piece · headline
- publicitypublicity, PR, press conference, publicist, press release
- misinformationmisinformation, disinformation, fake news, falsehoods, hoaxes
- deceptionlie, lies, lying, fake, fraud
- gossiprumor, rumors, gossip, hearsay, whisper
- PR tacticspress release, press conference, media kit, spokesperson, talking points
- smear tacticssmear, smear campaign, mudslinging, attack ads, hit piece
planted storyinvestigative journalism
In-depth reporting exposing wrongdoing
citizen journalism · breaking news · field reporting · eyewitness account
planted storyindependent journalism
Reporting without external control
editorial independence · ethical journalism · truth-telling · journalistic integrity · watchdog journalism
plant, planted, planting, plants, planter, planters, plantation, plantations, implant