chequebook journalism
US /ˈtʃekbʊk ˌdʒɜːrnəlɪzəm/
UK /ˈtʃekbʊk ˌdʒɜːrnəlɪzəm/
1.
the practice of paying people for information or stories, especially in journalism, often criticized for compromising journalistic ethics and accuracy
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The newspaper was accused of chequebook journalism after it paid a large sum for an exclusive interview with a criminal.
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Many argue that chequebook journalism undermines public trust in the media.