Pink slime local news sites explode in Michigan ahead of election: What to know
Ahead of the 2020 election, outlets masquerading as credible local news websites have increased around the U.S., including in Michigan. A new report published by the Columbia Journalism Review finds an explosion of pink slime local news outlets, especially in swing states, ahead of the November election. The network of pink slime sites has increased from 450 sites in December 2019, to more than 1,200 in 2020, according to the Tow Center. The vast majority of pink slime sites are under the Metric Media umbrella, accounting for about 80 percent of all domains identified by Columbia, including the majority in Michigan. In July, Jessica Mahone and Philip Napoli mapped hundreds of these sites in a report published in Nieman Lab.