I think there's some truth in what you say about stroking journalists egos, but remember, nobody is forcing Uber to play so aggressively; they're doing it for the sake of growth.
Revolutionary, fast-growing, successful companies are going to be scrutinized no matter what. It's up to the Uber exec and PR teams to decide when to put on the brakes--at the expense of growth--to avoid it.
Certainly there are other groundbreaking companies (e.g., SpaceX) that haven't found themselves in Uber's position, and it's likely due to their leadership, not their ability or willingness to pay off journalists.
Revolutionary, fast-growing, successful companies are going to be scrutinized no matter what. It's up to the Uber exec and PR teams to decide when to put on the brakes--at the expense of growth--to avoid it.
Certainly there are other groundbreaking companies (e.g., SpaceX) that haven't found themselves in Uber's position, and it's likely due to their leadership, not their ability or willingness to pay off journalists.