The purpose of this study was to stimulate scholarly investigation of a conflict systems model for news media and the interaction of sources in the wake of an expose. A search of the literature led to nine tentative axioms that focus attention on systemic conflict of media and sources related to cover-ups and suggested additional theory development. Synthesizing and extending concepts from journalism, public relations, political science, psychology, and other behavioral sciences, the study illustrates a holistic social science approach to an area of public relations concern. The conflict systems model described operates at several levels: intermedia competition, intramedium competition, competition on the same organ of media, news sources/media conflict, and conflict among and within news sources. Some of the implications of systemic conflict that are examined include escalation of conflict, aggravation of latent preconditions, and stress. The speech communications concepts of pathological trust and suspicion are applied to press relations systems. (Author/AEA)