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the_information_nexus/projects/primary_new_sources.md

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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

Corporate & NGOs

International

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) → Scrape sites without feeds.

Example Feeds to Add

<!-- 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
  2. Data Portals

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 → Save snapshots of releases.
    • Wallabag → Highlight/keynote important ones.
  • Community: Share findings on decentralized platforms (e.g., Lemmy).

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 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

Tech & Privacy

Independent Blogs

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

Corporate & NGOs

International

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) → Scrape sites without feeds.

Example Feeds to Add

<!-- 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
  2. Data Portals

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 → Save snapshots of releases.
    • Wallabag → Highlight/keynote important ones.
  • Community: Share findings on decentralized platforms (e.g., Lemmy).

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 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.