There have been instances when politicians have accused deliberate negative coverage on the part of media. Question is, how true is the same especially in the case of the phenomenon of political branding?
Unfortunately, negative press has been a "roaring" reality. When I used to follow the press actively, I saw many examples of deliberate deceitful coverage of events , groups, and persons. I took for granted that political branding has been a favorite game of the media. Of course, these activities are paid for and thus the perpetrators are both directed & controlled.
In my opinion, the glitter of the press or media has diminished these days. The younger generation does not have the persistence to read long articles or comments. The social medias have beaten the "traditional" medias with respect to attracting attentions & some expect that many closures are on their way.
Yes, I believe negative press is a reality. The question I ask myself is: What economic benefit does reporting this story have for the reporting agency? If the economic benefit is overwhelming, I tend to be suspicious of the story.