For nearly half a century, McKenzie River Reflections has chronicled life along the McKenzie River, serving as a trusted voice in our community since 1978. But last week, the newspaper encountered an unusual and troubling disruption.
On the morning of April 2 — just a day after the release of the annual April Fool’s edition — the paper’s official Facebook page was mysteriously renamed “Marketing AI Lexi.” Thousands of posts, including decades of historic images and articles, were relabeled under the new, misleading name.
The motives behind the takeover remain unclear. However, media experts note it may reflect a growing national trend: the rise of “zombie newspapers.” These are defunct publications that continue to publish online content despite no longer operating as legitimate newsrooms.
“Zombie newspapers” can appear active, posting articles regularly, but investigations have revealed much of their content is either AI-generated or attributed to fabricated bylines. Such practices raise serious concerns about misinformation and the erosion of public trust in local media.
Similar cases have been reported in Oregon. The Ashland Daily Tidings, founded in 1876 and closed in 2023, still maintains an active website publishing near-daily articles, many of which appear to be automated and carry fake bylines — sometimes even misusing the names of real journalists. After Medford’s Mail Tribune ceased operations in 2023, its digital presence vanished entirely, later replaced by the Rogue Valley Times, which has since reduced its operations, illustrating the precarious state of local journalism.
The takeover comes as Oregon continues to experience a decline in local news coverage. Studies indicate more than a quarter of small-town newspapers in the state have closed in recent years, leaving 68 percent of Oregon’s incorporated cities — and three entire counties — without dedicated local news sources.
The entity controlling the McKenzie River Reflections’ page, Marketing AI Lexi, was launched by Guo Zhenyu, who left Alibaba in 2024 to create an AI-driven advertising platform. Lexi produces ad campaigns within Meta’s online ecosystem, and the company has already reported rapid international growth.
Even in communities where newspapers survive, many outlets are now owned by hedge funds or large media chains, often operating with skeleton staff. Critics call these operations “ghost newspapers” for their limited reporting and reduced community coverage.
Social media is a crucial distribution channel for small newspapers, meaning that the takeover of an account can instantly sever a paper’s connection with its readers. In this case, decades of historical content accumulated by McKenzie River Reflections have been repurposed under a different identity.
Following the name change several supporters of the newspaper started complaining on the Marketing AI Lexi Facebook page its content was the property of River Reflections. In response, Marketing AI Lexi deleted all previous Reflections posts dating back to 2011.
While the circumstances remain under investigation, media analysts warn this could signal a new tactic: hijacking the digital identity of historic newspapers to lend credibility to unrelated or AI-generated content. Such practices blur the line between legitimate journalism and deceptive publishing, compounding the challenges posed by “zombie news” sites.
In response, McKenzie River Reflections Publisher Ken Engelman said he has filed multiple complaints with Facebook and reported the theft of intellectual property to both the Lane County District Attorney and Oregon’s Attorney General. Legal action is also under consideration as the situation continues to develop, he said.
– This article courtesy of McKenzie River Reflections