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Have you ever been "influenced"?

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by fishwrapper, Aug 9, 2007.

  1. "Have you ever been influenced?"


    Absolutely not! Never. Not once. Never even been approached by an outside source, advertiser, ad rep or publisher in an attempt to direct coverage or blur the line separating the advertising department from the editorial department.

    I could get used to blue font.
     
  2. joe_schmoe

    joe_schmoe Active Member

    Just don't talk to your advertising department. The less you know about what ads are running, the better off you will be if you worry about it influencing you.
    Now if you have an ad manager who calls you all the time with stuff like that, suggesting you might be covering this crap, you have an easy counter...start calling him back with stuff like "We are covering the Podunk vs. Useless football game this Saturday, you think you can sell those schools a few ads."
     
  3. fishwrapper

    fishwrapper Active Member

    This is an outstanding example. Your dealership owner may not have a choice.
    But, now many do. They go to EBay. They go to AutoTrader. The go to Craigslist. Direct mail. They pay a gorilla to stand on the corner of 1st and Main.
    They have options now.
    And we, as an industry, find ourselves listening more.
     
  4. Meat Loaf

    Meat Loaf Guest

    Well, if my superiors have to force me to sell out one day and alter editorial because of a pissed off advertiser, it better be for more than the shitty sub-$30K per year I make.
     
  5. Tom Petty

    Tom Petty Guest

    i've had a couple ad people attempt to influence my coverage through the years. in those instances, after nicely telling them to go fuck themselves, i've made the walk to the publisher's office and asked him/her at what point in time our newspaper's ethics went up for sale. in every instance said ad dork was called into the "big office" and was chastised.

    the approach doesn't go far in making friends, but it's damned effective ... and i've never wanted to have beers with an ad dork any way.
     
  6. Football_Bat

    Football_Bat Well-Known Member

    I've been under the influence a time or three.

    But influenced by an addy? Are you kidding? Our addies have to sell ads first.
     
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