ABSTRACT

This study explores a 1905 New York Legislature investigation of life insurance company practices, including the widespread use of press agents to shape newspaper content. The principal targets of the so-called Armstrong Committee hearings were Mutual Life Insurance Co., Equitable Life Assurance Society, and New York Life Insurance Co. Committee hearings found that company executives made low interest loans to each other, funded political campaigns, used corporate money to buy controlling interests in other companies, and received inflated salaries while policyholder dividends dwindled. They also purchased favorable publicity from newspapers and magazines while the committee hearing was in session. Allan Forman, editor and publisher of the Journalist, was among prominent newsmen tainted by their involvement in the public relations effort. This and other discoveries ignited a debate about what constituted legitimate public relations practices and their relationship to news organizations.

摘要

本研究探讨了 1905 年纽约立法机关对人寿保险公司做法的调查，包括广泛使用新闻代理来塑造报纸内容。所谓的阿姆斯壮委员会听证会的主要目标是互惠人寿保险公司、公平人寿保险公司和纽约人寿保险公司。委员会听证会发现公司高管相互提供低息贷款、资助政治活动、使用公司钱购买其他公司的控股权，并在保单持有人股息减少的同时获得高额工资。在委员会听证会期间，他们还从报纸和杂志上购买了有利的宣传。艾伦福曼，记者的编辑和出版商，是因参与公共关系工作而受到玷污的著名新闻人物之一。这一发现和其他发现引发了一场关于什么构成合法公共关系实践及其与新闻机构的关系的辩论。