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The successes enjoyed by P. T. Barnum, Buffalo Bill, John Burke, and others demonstrated that publicity not only could stimulate business, it also could help any individual or organization (such as not-for-profit groups and government agencies) spread the word about its value and fulfill its mission. For businesses, press agentry became an important mechanism for generating the profits and (in some cases) bringing in the government funding needed to achieve their mission. However, in these early days of press agents, some tactics used were especially deceptive.

Around 1850, for example, the railroads began hiring press agents to help them obtain federal funds—which hinged on positive public perceptions of the railroads’ value. These agents’ tactics included bribing journalists to write favorable news stories about rail travel. Agents also engaged in deadheading—giving reporters free rail passes with the tacit understanding that they would write glowing reports about traveling by rail. Finally, larger railroads used lobbyists—professionals who seek to influence lawmakers’ votes—to gain federal subsidies and establish policies (such as rate reductions) that made it harder for smaller regional lines to compete. Thanks to such efforts, a few large rail companies gained dominance over the industry.

Utility companies such as Chicago Edison and AT&T also used press agent strategies in the late 1800s for similar ends. Again, some of their tactics were deceptive. For instance, they, too, bought votes of key lawmakers, and they hired third-party editorial services to produce written pieces in their favor. For example, these services sent articles touting the utilities to newspapers, produced ghostwritten articles lauding the utilities’ value, and influenced text-book authors to write historical accounts that put the utilities in a positive light.³