Line between editorial and advertising

[Stitch]

I'm just wondering how much advertising influences editorial? Is any paper immune from this? Just wondering, since I'm in a polite exchange with a radio guy who said he's never been influenced. I call BS, since pressure on the editorial staff is applied somewhere on the chain of command.

 

[KG]

I used to hate having to write about companies (that paid extra for it) when I worked at the magazine. It was always canned bs.

 

[crusoes]

A radio guy who says salesmen haven't influenced him is a stark raving liar.

 

[Rhody31]

I did some golf course reviews and pointed out the good and bad of some local courses.
One of the courses was an advertiser and the owner complained to our publisher. Publisher asked me to go to the course and write a glowing feature. I told her if I went, I'd right a fair and balanced story. If I liked the place, I'd give it the credit it deserved. If I didn't, well, I'd write about it.
She was not pleased and handed the story off to our entertainment guy, who wrote a glowing feature for his section. I was pissed, but felt ethically fine about how I handled it.

 

[Liut]

A radio guy who says salesmen haven't influenced him is a stark raving liar.

Agreed. This particular radioman has, apparently, never done a remote.

 

[DanOregon]

It always amazes me how many radio people have gold and think I should have some too. I wonder, do companies pay for these spots with dubloons?

 

[kleeda]

My short-lived foodie career (I was well qualified) died when my paper went to restuarant-friendly reviews. I'm sorry, but 25-50 percent of restaurants aren't worth the price and your readers should know that.

 

[Lugnuts]

What is this line of which you speak?

 

[apeman33]

We were also known as our local hospital's newsletter when they had a PR person who kept threatening to pull ads over little tiny things. Since she's left, not so much because the new person isn't half as mean and also knows that every time they add a new lunch item to the cafeteria menu, it's not necessarily news.

 

[SoCalDude]

All of the on-air radio guys around here are hawking everything from Toyotas and Fords to hair pieces and stomach stapling.

 

[flexmaster33]

I did some golf course reviews and pointed out the good and bad of some local courses.
One of the courses was an advertiser and the owner complained to our publisher. Publisher asked me to go to the course and write a glowing feature. I told her if I went, I'd right a fair and balanced story. If I liked the place, I'd give it the credit it deserved. If I didn't, well, I'd write about it.
She was not pleased and handed the story off to our entertainment guy, who wrote a glowing feature for his section. I was pissed, but felt ethically fine about how I handled it.

Aggravating to see it sneak into the paper, but well done Rhody...way to stand for something...I'm lucky my higher-ups get it, so I don't have to deal with that junk unless it comes from our ad director, who can be dealt with easy enough.

 

[I Should Coco]

What is this line of which you speak?

Sad but true at many places (including my shop).

Anyone who doubts this, I have two words that should strike fear into your heart: Progress. Section.

 

[I Should Coco]

A radio guy who says salesmen haven't influenced him is a stark raving liar.

Agreed. This particular radioman has, apparently, never done a remote.

May I third that remark.

To borrow a running joke from my old college radio station, commercial broadcasting is "Advertorial Infotainment"

 

[novelist_wannabe]

What is this line of which you speak?

Sad but true at many places (including my shop).

Anyone who doubts this, I have two words that should strike fear into your heart: Progress. Section.

I think I speak for everyone who has ever worked at a small newspaper when I say this: A pox on your house.

 

[cranberry]

What is this line of which you speak?

It was increasingly smudged in print and disappeared altogether on the Internet.

 

[mustangj17]

If it saves jobs I don't care anymore.

 

[mustangj17]

We were also known as our local hospital's newsletter when they had a PR person who kept threatening to pull ads over little tiny things. Since she's left, not so much because the new person isn't half as mean and also knows that every time they add a new lunch item to the cafeteria menu, it's not necessarily news.

You only cover us when we serve Salisbury steak!

 

[PCLoadLetter]

If anyone thinks there is no interference or input from sales on the editorial section, I suggest they try to do a story on ways to save money and avoid ripoffs when buying a new car.

Good luck.

 

[amraeder]

We were also known as our local hospital's newsletter when they had a PR person who kept threatening to pull ads over little tiny things. Since she's left, not so much because the new person isn't half as mean and also knows that every time they add a new lunch item to the cafeteria menu, it's not necessarily news.

You only cover us when we serve Salisbury steak!

Last shop I was at, the local hospital badgered the ME into doing a huge fluffer piece on them that was going to run front and center. I really with I recall what it was, but some huge piece of news broke that night, and the copy desk wasn't allowed to throw the story back in the can for later, or to move it out of front and center. Big, gripping story be damned, that was our center piece. Sigh......

 

[Rhody31]

We were also known as our local hospital's newsletter when they had a PR person who kept threatening to pull ads over little tiny things. Since she's left, not so much because the new person isn't half as mean and also knows that every time they add a new lunch item to the cafeteria menu, it's not necessarily news.

You only cover us when we serve Salisbury steak!

In their defense, Salisbury steak is the premiere meal of the week, so it doesn't hurt to check in once in a while on Shepard's Pie night.