catch-and-kill
phrase

- a surreptitious technique employed by newspapers and media outlets to prevent an individual from publicly revealing information damaging to a third party

Wikipedia

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ORIGIN OF PHRASE

The “catch-and-kill” practice gained significant attention during the late 20th and early 21st centuries. In particular, the term became widely known following the Harvey Weinstein scandal in October 2017. Reports suggested that the National Enquirer and its parent company, American Media Inc. (AMI), had employed catch-and-kill tactics to suppress stories about Weinstein’s alleged indecent behaviour, as well as that of other high-profile individuals.

While the phrase "catch-and-kill" may not have been used before the 21st century, the practice of media outlets using various strategies to suppress potentially damaging stories has likely been in existence for much longer.

Famous names from the past where similar tactics were allegedly employed have included: Frank Sinatra, in the 1950s and 1960s; John F. Kennedy, in the early 1960s; Elvis Presley, in the 1970s; Gary Hart, in 1987; and Michael Jackson in the 1990s.

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SILENCED STORIES

Using a legally enforceable non-disclosure agreement, the tabloid purports to buy exclusive rights to “catch” the damaging story from the individual, but then “kills” the story for the benefit of the third party by preventing it from ever being published. The individual with the information frequently does not realize that the tabloid intends to suppress the individual’s story instead of publishing it.

The practice is technically distinct from using “hush money”, in which the individual is bribed by the third party to intentionally conceal the damaging information, but identical for all practical intents and purposes.

It’s worth repeating that examples are based on allegations and rumours. In times of fake news and the politicisation of the media it is becoming difficult to know “What is Truth?” — Drop me a line with your thoughts, I’m always happy to hear from you, Paul :-)

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SYNONYMS

- an attempt to conceal or disguise a wrongdoing or a mistake

banning, camouflage, CATCH-AND-KILL, censoring, censorship, cloud of smoke, cloak, closeting, concealment, conspiracy of silence, cover-up, curtain, deception, deceit, facade, faking, fakery, false colours (front), feigning, fig leaf, front, gagging, hood, hushing up, hush-up, imposture, make-believe, mantle, masquerade, mask, masking, mummery, muzzle, non-disclosure, play acting, pretence (UK), pretense (US), pretension, red herring, ruse, scheme, sham, shroud, show, silencing, smoke, smoke and mirrors, smoke-screen, smothering, snow job, squashing, stifling, stonewalling, subterfuge, suppression, trickery, veil (of secrecy), under wraps, veneer, wall of smoke, window-dressing, wraps

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SMUGGLE OWAD into an English conversation, say something like:

“It’s fascinating to watch the ‘CATCH-AND-KILL’ scandal currently surrounding Donald Trump… Will it strengthen or weaken him?”

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