This goes for traditional news orgs as well.
Yes, it happens often. Journalists get paid with scoops, etc (aka in the industry as "access") and that buys some favorable pieces and a sympathetic ear on the other side.
Here's an example (there are countless others from all parties and from tons of companies): http://gawker.com/this-is-how-hillary-clinton-gets-the-cover...
>Ergo - every decent news story amounts to 'bribery'?
Where did you came with this weirdo conclusion?
Bribing a journalist/media with scoops if something that happens, not something that ALWAYS happen -- so it doesn't apply to "every decent news story".
For one, not every scoop has been leaked to the outlet breaking it by the company/organization that the scoop is about.
>I think you bit your tongue on that one.
No, he really didn't.
George Orwell's "Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed: everything else is public relations" is the best filter to apply in these situations.