There could be someone with intent, feeding news stories to the media in order to shape broader trends. Maybe not even feeding them directly, just seeding a range of topics hoping some of them catch fire, or just slow down Tesla by splitting their attention.
To be clear about my statement: I think it's totally possible given the sensationalism around Tesla. Whether it is happening or not is a whole different matter. Hence my interest in watching their stock price when this sort news hits the press.