tw532416
Let's be honest: we're all tired of hearing the phrase "fake news." It's everywhere we turn, and as journalists, we can't escape it. Our very own president has infamously accused the people of the press time after time for reporting fake and misleading stories. As sickening as it is to hear, it really makes us stop and think about it. There truly are misleading stories, information and posts coming from all kinds of different sources.
This problem most recently has translated to advertising. We are now at the point where advertisements have become misleading in the way they appear, especially online and in digital journalism. While ads now are typically what keeps a lot of publications going, they have become somewhat damaging in our ability to trust certain sources.
This new journalistic epidemic is what has become known as "native advertising." This new wave of ads are often disguised in the content of a page and is designed to look as if it is a part of the story or news being presented. This new practice slows the progress we've made over time in trying to become more credible journalists. It's hard to seem credible if our readers feel as if they're being misled. The major dilemma here is that readers aren't always being explicitly informed that they are viewing an advertisement and these ads have become hard to distinguish from real news.
Another ethical issue that many are trying to navigate now is branded content. Many brands and companies now sponsor and pay for specific types of content to be put out. This has mostly become a PR strategy for advertisers looking to get their brands out on another platform. PRSA sets up some helpful guidelines to help with these issues It is helpful in a few ways to publications as well. When the news organizations are looking for both stories and people to pay for those stories, they typically turn to this practice of branded content. It's a win-win for the organization, but some people do have criticisms.
image from Netimperative.com
Personally, I don't believe that branded content is unethical if done right. I feel that sponsoring a story or series can sometimes allow readers and viewers an opportunity to experience that brand in a different way or become more familiar with them. And on the positive side for the publication, there comes money from someone who knows you have an influence on the way that people think and consume content. This is especially important when looking at print journalism because the industry is changing so vastly. Many people aren't reading or consuming print in this day and age. This leaves many publications struggling for money and relying on ads to generate revenue. As advertisers begin to sponsor stories and content, it gives the publication a story and the funding to carry it out.
No comments:
Post a Comment