ADVERTISING PRESSURES

The news medias reliance on advertising revenue raises concerns regarded the impact of advertising
on the news agenda.
The influence of advertising is visible in various and often subtle forms, including:
1. Control over the traditional content of newspapers, magazines, and television.
2. Biased editorial opinions that favor the position of the advertiser.
3. Limited or lack of coverage of controversial topics, issues, or stories that would reflect
negatively on advertisers.
4. Positive coverage of advertisers products, services, or organizations.
5. Purposely blurred lines between advertising and editorial content.

Media attempt to accommodate advertisers range all the way from making no adjustments in
editorial decisions, to increasing advertising space, or to killing a story, in order to avoid causing
advertisers to pull their ads.

Associated Press managing Editors Code of Ethics:

The newspaper should report the news without regard for its own interest. It should not give
favored news treatment to advertisers or special- interest groups.
Journal of Advertising (1992)
- Advertising pressure is a widespread problem.
- A survey of 250 newspaper editors throughout the country found that about 90% of editors have
been pressured by advertisers because of the type and content of stories carried by the paper.
- 77% said they were pressured to kill stories and 90% said advertisers withdrew advertising because
of content disputes.
- More than 1/3 of the respondents reported that advertisers succeeded in influencing the news at their
papers.
- And more than half said there was pressure from within their newspapers to write stories to please
advertisers.
- The study included major metropolitan papers as well as smaller publications that reported
significantly more pressure to please advertisers.

An argument can be made that it is the advertisers, rather then news organizations, who need to clean up
their ethics.
Advertisers who use threats as part of their business strategy should evaluate their standards for dealing
with the news media and define specific boundaries that should not be crossed in their attempts to
influence editorial content.

Mike Haggerty and Wallace Rasmussen:

When an advertiser threatens to pull business unless certain news decisions are made, the world filters
back to reporters and editors in the newsroom and spreads quickly through the building.
Resentment grows against the business exerting such pressure, and that resentment makes it extremely
difficult for the news staff to remain objective about the company wielding the money clout.
Some publishers, stung by pressure or cutbacks from disgruntled advertisers, retaliate by eliminating
from their news columns any mention of those who dont advertise in their papers.
Editor stung by advertiser pressure must also grapple with their ability to make reasonable decisions
about legitimate news stories that involve those who have brought such pressure.

The challenge for media gatekeepers is to ensure that their news judgment is not clouded by advertisers
strong- arm tactics to influence editorial content.
Although most news organizations make valiant efforts to keep the advertising and editorial divisions
separated, the ever- present need to make money may create considerable tension and conflict.