Today, World Press Freedom Day is being celebrated, but a new article suggests that a free press crippled by shrinking newsrooms may be no match for the booming public relations industry. The article, published by ProPublica and the Columbia Journalism Review, reports that PR people now outnumber journalists by more than three to one. As a result, the line between news stories and public relations spin is becoming increasingly difficult to discern.

The PR industry has coexisted with journalism since it began to develop in the early decades of the 20^th century. Back then, the news industry was booming and journalists were, in most cases, able to fully investigate a story relatively free from PR pressures. John Sullivan, author of the article, says that there’s a reason PR’s influence has become more pervasive in recent years:

Now, during a second rise of public relations, we are in an era of massive contraction in traditional journalism. Bureaus have closed, thousands of reporters have been laid off, once-great newspapers like the Rocky Mountain News have died.

Combine understaffed newsrooms with the greater emphasis on speedy reporting required by an online news system, and the result is an increase in stories that draw most, if not all, of their information from groups with an interest in the subject at hand.

How much of our news comes from PR firms? A Pew Center study of six major story lines in the Baltimore news market found that “63 percent of the news about those subjects was generated by the government, 23 percent came from interest groups or public relations, and 14 percent started with reporters.”

To make matters worse, special interests are increasingly hiding behind front groups in promoting their agendas. It can be difficult to track the money trail between special interests and these groups, because the IRS requires organizations to list donations but not donors. According to Sullivan’s article, this loophole made it possible for the health insurance industry to fund the Chamber of Commerce – to the tune of $86.2 million –  to fight health care reform, without disclosing the link to the public. When a PR agenda is funneled through a seemingly neutral third party, reporters and the public alike are misled.

So what can we do to keep the press free from undue influence, and to encourage original reporting that questions, rather than regurgitates, press releases?

Put an End to Fake News: The use of Video News Releases and other forms of embedded advertising continues to grow. Encourage the FCC to strengthen and enforce its rules to ensure transparency on the public airwaves and to protect TV news viewers from deceptive practices.

Challenge Astroturf: Help us unmask the industry-funded front groups that create a false impression of grassroots opposition to real public interest reform. Learn more.

Demand Political Ad Disclosure: The Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision has brought about a staggering increase in political and issue ad spending, and front groups are not required to disclose the identities of the donors who pay for the ads. The public deserves to know who is really behind ads; the FCC is being asked to toughen its on-air disclosure rules. Check out the Media Access Project for more information.

In the end, we need more journalists on the ground to produce original reporting and counterbalance the flood of PR firm-generated “news.” That means finding new ways to underwrite quality journalism, and stepping up to support the journalistic endeavors that already provide us with hard-hitting news and information. Right now, one of our country’s best, most innovative news sources needs your support: our public media system. Learn more and take action.