View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

  1. Ads & Marketing
March 8, 2010

Stephen Glover: Guardian offering editorial influence for cash

By Dominic wireposts

Independent media commentator Stephen Glover today criticises The Guardian for inviting advertisers to pay money to influence editorial in sponsored supplements.

He has received a copy of a letter sent out by Wendy Miller, public sector manager of the Society Guardian supplement, offering sponsorships of a supplement on the future of public services at £15,000 each.

She says that the sponsors would get “significant branding space as well as input into the editorial direction and content of the project”.

The Guardian’s editorial guidelines for sponsored supplements state: “The sponsor will have input into the planning (ie synopsis) for the supplement; they will be able to suggest themes, angles and information that they would like to see highlighted; recommend experts for interview; and request certain information be included. The commissioning editor will consider all such suggestions but is not obliged to accept any.”

Glover suggests that “someone should look into the practice of public bodies buying editorial content”.

The Guardian tightened up its editorial guidelines after a row in 2007 when its own columnist, Simon Jenkins, condemned the paper over a supplement about Housing Market Renewal Partnerships. He said the paper was taking government money to portray “public relations as journalism”.

Journalists who take money for editorial not only step into an ethical mine-field, they can also fall foul of the Advertising Standards authority – which has repeatedly rapped the Express over the knuckles for this.

Content from our partners
MHP Group's 30 To Watch awards for young journalists open for entries
How PA Media is helping newspapers make the digital transition
Publishing on the open web is broken, how generative AI could help fix it

Topics in this article : ,

Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog

Select and enter your email address Weekly insight into the big strategic issues affecting the future of the news industry. Essential reading for media leaders every Thursday. Your morning brew of news about the world of news from Press Gazette and elsewhere in the media. Sent at around 10am UK time. Our weekly does of strategic insight about the future of news media aimed at US readers. A fortnightly update from the front-line of news and advertising. Aimed at marketers and those involved in the advertising industry.
  • Business owner/co-owner
  • CEO
  • COO
  • CFO
  • CTO
  • Chairperson
  • Non-Exec Director
  • Other C-Suite
  • Managing Director
  • President/Partner
  • Senior Executive/SVP or Corporate VP or equivalent
  • Director or equivalent
  • Group or Senior Manager
  • Head of Department/Function
  • Manager
  • Non-manager
  • Retired
  • Other
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
Thank you

Thanks for subscribing.

Websites in our network