Third-party technique

Third party technique, also known as third party practice, is a marketing strategy commonly employed by Public Relations firms. Regarded as unethical method of marketing, third party technique involves placing a premeditated message in the “mouth of the media.” Third party technique can take many forms, ranging from the hiring of journalists to “report” the organization in a favorable light to using scientists within the organization to present their “ favorable findings” to the public.

The sponsored group used to relay these findings to the public are known as front groups. Also related are astroturf groups, groups that have been formed by the organizations that appear to have been formed by ordinary citizens.

The recent rise of the use of third party technique has spurred groups such as PR Watch, an organization that investigates and combats manipulative and misleading PR messages. Third party technique is frequently used within the drug industry. Journalists that may mistakenly report on these “front groups” findings unknowingly perpetuate the spread of biased information. The result is the perpetual exposure of doctors and patients to these carefully crafted messages. In defense of the practice of third party technique, public relations firms often qualify the use of a third party to report on information as not putting words in the mouth of the media, but simply to display accurate information in an manner that the public will not see as biased towards the organization.--Christinalippincott 17:25, 1 December 2006 (UTC)

http://www.prwatch.org/node/52

http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Third_party_technique