You're absolutely right—**the press release is ground zero** for most news cycles. Journalists (even independent ones) often **parrot, interpret, or distort** the original statement, adding layers of bias. If you can **access the raw press releases, government/corporate filings, and official statements directly**, you'll **cut out the middleman** and see the **unfiltered source material** before it's spun.  

Here’s how to build a **press-release-first** information pipeline:  

---

### **Step 1: Identify Key Sources**  
#### **Government & Agencies**  
- **Federal**  
  - [**US Government Press Releases**](https://www.usa.gov/news) (all agencies)  
  - [**DOJ News Releases**](https://www.justice.gov/news) (legal actions, indictments)  
  - [**DHS/ICE Statements**](https://www.ice.gov/news) (immigration enforcement)  
  - [**FDA/CDC Updates**](https://www.fda.gov/news-events) (health-related)  
- **State/Local**  
  - [State press offices](https://www.statelocalgov.net/) (e.g., [CA Gov](https://www.gov.ca.gov/newsroom/))  
  - [Police Blotters](https://www.policeone.com/police-blotter/) (local crime logs)  

#### **Corporate & NGOs**  
- **Public Companies**: [SEC Filings (10-K, 8-K)](https://www.sec.gov/edgar/searchedgar/companysearch.html) (official disclosures)  
- **NGOs/Think Tanks**: Direct feeds from orgs like [ACLU](https://www.aclu.org/press-releases), [Heritage Foundation](https://www.heritage.org/press)  

#### **International**  
- [**UN News**](https://news.un.org/en/)  
- [**EU Press Room**](https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/home/en)  

---

### **Step 2: Automate Collection (RSS Feeds & Alerts)**  
Most press releases have **RSS feeds** or email alerts. Use:  
- **FreshRSS** to subscribe to:  
  - Direct agency feeds (e.g., `https://www.justice.gov/feeds/doj-news.xml`)  
  - Google News RSS (advanced search operators: `site:justice.gov "press release"`)  
- **Kill the Newsletter** → Convert email alerts to RSS.  
- **Yahoo Pipes Alternative** (e.g., [RSS-Bridge](https://github.com/RSS-Bridge/rss-bridge)) → Scrape sites without feeds.  

#### **Example Feeds to Add**  
```xml
<!-- DOJ RSS -->
<outline title="DOJ Press Releases" xmlUrl="https://www.justice.gov/feeds/doj-news.xml"/>

<!-- ICE Newsroom -->
<outline title="ICE News" xmlUrl="https://www.ice.gov/rss/news-releases.xml"/>

<!-- White House Briefing Room -->
<outline title="White House" xmlUrl="https://www.whitehouse.gov/feed/"/>
```

---

### **Step 3: Verify & Expand Context**  
Press releases can be **misleading** (e.g., selective data). Cross-check with:  
1. **Primary Documents**  
   - Court cases: [PACER](https://pacer.uscourts.gov/) (federal), [CourtListener](https://www.courtlistener.com/) (free alternative)  
   - Legislation: [Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/) (bills, votes)  
2. **Data Portals**  
   - [Data.gov](https://www.data.gov/) (official datasets)  
   - [ICIJ](https://www.icij.org/) (leaks/investigations)  

---

### **Step 4: Filter Noise, Focus on Signals**  
- **Keyword Alerts**: Use FreshRSS filters to highlight terms like:  
  - `"indictment"`, `"investigation"`, `"new policy"`  
- **Exclude Jargon**: Filter out `"we’re thrilled to announce"` (fluff).  
- **Prioritize Agencies**: E.g., DOJ > random NGO’s "report."  

---

### **Step 5: Archive & Share**  
- **Self-hosted Tools**:  
  - [ArchiveBox](https://archivebox.io/) → Save snapshots of releases.  
  - [Wallabag](https://wallabag.org/) → Highlight/keynote important ones.  
- **Community**: Share findings on decentralized platforms (e.g., [Lemmy](https://join-lemmy.org/)).  

---

### **Example Workflow**  
1. **DOJ publishes** a press release: *"Individual charged with staging kidnapping hoax."*  
2. **Your RSS feed** picks it up **before** CNN/FOX spin it.  
3. You **cross-check** with [PACER](https://pacer.uscourts.gov/) for the indictment.  
4. **Conclusion**: You know the facts **before** the politicized headlines drop.  

---

### **Final Thought**  
This method turns you into your own **news wire service**. It’s labor-intensive upfront, but once automated, you’ll **see the truth in real time**—not the narrative.  

**Want help setting up specific agency feeds?** (e.g., ICE, CDC, SEC). I can generate OPML files for one-click imports to FreshRSS.

---

That’s a great approach! Using **FreshRSS** (or another self-hosted RSS reader) to tap directly into **primary sources**—rather than relying on corporate-curated aggregators—gives you full control over your information diet. Here’s how to optimize it for **independent, high-quality, and niche content**:

---

### **1. Finding Primary Sources (Avoiding Corporate Filters)**  
Instead of relying on mainstream news feeds, seek out:  
- **Independent journalists** (Substack, Ghost blogs, personal sites)  
- **Academic & research papers** (arXiv, SSRN, ResearchGate)  
- **Government/NGO reports** (UN, WHO, Fed reports, FOIA archives)  
- **Niche forums & communities** (self-hosted forums, mailing lists)  
- **Decentralized platforms** (Blogs on IPFS, Gemini capsules)  

**Tools to discover sources:**  
- **RSSHub** (https://github.com/DIYgod/RSSHub) – Generates RSS feeds for sites that don’t have them (e.g., Twitter users, GitHub repos, podcasts).  
- **Inoreader’s "Discover"** (even if you use FreshRSS, you can scout feeds here).  
- **Alternative search engines** (Wiby.me, Marginalia.nu) to find obscure blogs.  

---

### **2. Optimizing FreshRSS for Your Interests**  
- **Use categories & tags** to organize feeds (e.g., "Tech-Indie," "Gov-Whistleblows").  
- **Filter keywords** (FreshRSS supports regex) to highlight/ignore topics.  
- **Prioritize full-text RSS** (some sites truncate; look for `?feed=rss2` or `/feed`).  

**Pro Tip:**  
- **Combine with Wallabag** (self-hosted "read-it-later" service) to archive key articles.  

---

### **3. Suggested Independent RSS Feeds to Start With**  
*(Mix of investigative, tech, and uncensored news)*  

#### **News & Investigative**  
- **The Intercept** (https://theintercept.com/feed/)  
- **Wikileaks** (https://wikileaks.org/-rss.xml)  
- **Bellingcat** (https://www.bellingcat.com/feed/)  

#### **Tech & Privacy**  
- **Schneier on Security** (https://www.schneier.com/feed/atom/)  
- **Privacy Guides** (https://blog.privacyguides.org/feed.xml)  
- **The Wired Garden** (Gemini-to-RSS proxy)  

#### **Independent Blogs**  
- **Gwern** (https://www.gwern.net/index.rss)  
- **Stratechery** (https://stratechery.com/feed/)  

#### **Decentralized & Offbeat**  
- **Kuro5hin archive** (via RSSHub)  
- **HN Blogs** (RSS feeds of specific HN users' submissions)  

---

### **4. Automating Updates & Avoiding Blind Spots**  
- **Monitor "source of sources"** (e.g., Wikipedia’s "External Links" section on topics).  
- **Set up alerts** (Google Alerts, Yacy search) for niche terms → convert to RSS.  
- **Join curated lists** (like "Indie Bloggers" on GitHub) for hidden gems.  

---

### **5. Going Further: Beyond RSS**  
- **Gemini Protocol** (Use a Gemini-to-RSS proxy like CAPCOM to subscribe to Gemini blogs).  
- **Email newsletters** (Convert them to RSS using Kill the Newsletter or a self-hosted tool).  
- **Podcasts** (Many indie podcasts have direct RSS feeds; add them to FreshRSS).  

---

### **Final Thought**  
The goal is to **cut out the algorithmic middleman** and build a **direct pipeline** to thinkers, reporters, and communities you trust. FreshRSS is perfect for this—you’re not at the mercy of a corporation’s idea of "what’s important."  

Would you like help finding RSS feeds on a specific topic? (e.g., geopolitics, hacking, biohacking, etc.)

---

You're absolutely right—**the press release is ground zero** for most news cycles. Journalists (even independent ones) often **parrot, interpret, or distort** the original statement, adding layers of bias. If you can **access the raw press releases, government/corporate filings, and official statements directly**, you'll **cut out the middleman** and see the **unfiltered source material** before it's spun.  

Here’s how to build a **press-release-first** information pipeline:  

---

### **Step 1: Identify Key Sources**  
#### **Government & Agencies**  
- **Federal**  
  - [**US Government Press Releases**](https://www.usa.gov/news) (all agencies)  
  - [**DOJ News Releases**](https://www.justice.gov/news) (legal actions, indictments)  
  - [**DHS/ICE Statements**](https://www.ice.gov/news) (immigration enforcement)  
  - [**FDA/CDC Updates**](https://www.fda.gov/news-events) (health-related)  
- **State/Local**  
  - [State press offices](https://www.statelocalgov.net/) (e.g., [CA Gov](https://www.gov.ca.gov/newsroom/))  
  - [Police Blotters](https://www.policeone.com/police-blotter/) (local crime logs)  

#### **Corporate & NGOs**  
- **Public Companies**: [SEC Filings (10-K, 8-K)](https://www.sec.gov/edgar/searchedgar/companysearch.html) (official disclosures)  
- **NGOs/Think Tanks**: Direct feeds from orgs like [ACLU](https://www.aclu.org/press-releases), [Heritage Foundation](https://www.heritage.org/press)  

#### **International**  
- [**UN News**](https://news.un.org/en/)  
- [**EU Press Room**](https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/home/en)  

---

### **Step 2: Automate Collection (RSS Feeds & Alerts)**  
Most press releases have **RSS feeds** or email alerts. Use:  
- **FreshRSS** to subscribe to:  
  - Direct agency feeds (e.g., `https://www.justice.gov/feeds/doj-news.xml`)  
  - Google News RSS (advanced search operators: `site:justice.gov "press release"`)  
- **Kill the Newsletter** → Convert email alerts to RSS.  
- **Yahoo Pipes Alternative** (e.g., [RSS-Bridge](https://github.com/RSS-Bridge/rss-bridge)) → Scrape sites without feeds.  

#### **Example Feeds to Add**  
```xml
<!-- DOJ RSS -->
<outline title="DOJ Press Releases" xmlUrl="https://www.justice.gov/feeds/doj-news.xml"/>

<!-- ICE Newsroom -->
<outline title="ICE News" xmlUrl="https://www.ice.gov/rss/news-releases.xml"/>

<!-- White House Briefing Room -->
<outline title="White House" xmlUrl="https://www.whitehouse.gov/feed/"/>
```

---

### **Step 3: Verify & Expand Context**  
Press releases can be **misleading** (e.g., selective data). Cross-check with:  
1. **Primary Documents**  
   - Court cases: [PACER](https://pacer.uscourts.gov/) (federal), [CourtListener](https://www.courtlistener.com/) (free alternative)  
   - Legislation: [Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/) (bills, votes)  
2. **Data Portals**  
   - [Data.gov](https://www.data.gov/) (official datasets)  
   - [ICIJ](https://www.icij.org/) (leaks/investigations)  

---

### **Step 4: Filter Noise, Focus on Signals**  
- **Keyword Alerts**: Use FreshRSS filters to highlight terms like:  
  - `"indictment"`, `"investigation"`, `"new policy"`  
- **Exclude Jargon**: Filter out `"we’re thrilled to announce"` (fluff).  
- **Prioritize Agencies**: E.g., DOJ > random NGO’s "report."  

---

### **Step 5: Archive & Share**  
- **Self-hosted Tools**:  
  - [ArchiveBox](https://archivebox.io/) → Save snapshots of releases.  
  - [Wallabag](https://wallabag.org/) → Highlight/keynote important ones.  
- **Community**: Share findings on decentralized platforms (e.g., [Lemmy](https://join-lemmy.org/)).  

---

### **Example Workflow**  
1. **DOJ publishes** a press release: *"Individual charged with staging kidnapping hoax."*  
2. **Your RSS feed** picks it up **before** CNN/FOX spin it.  
3. You **cross-check** with [PACER](https://pacer.uscourts.gov/) for the indictment.  
4. **Conclusion**: You know the facts **before** the politicized headlines drop.  

---

### **Final Thought**  
This method turns you into your own **news wire service**. It’s labor-intensive upfront, but once automated, you’ll **see the truth in real time**—not the narrative.  

**Want help setting up specific agency feeds?** (e.g., ICE, CDC, SEC). I can generate OPML files for one-click imports to FreshRSS.