A political version of the puff piece, designed to use the mass media to propagate one's favorite ideas and people. Henry Luce, publisher of Life Magazine (then the highest-circulation weekly), helped make Billy Graham a star in the 40's this way. Rupert Murdoch, using any of his vast media holdings, does it today, as does Pat Robertson with his 700 Club broadcast. Randall Terry and Gary Aldrich, et al, owe their 15 minutes of fame, in part, to these. Akin to astroturfing.