DON'T BELIEVE WHAT YOU READ
I've lost count of the number of times a potential advertisers for my magazine has said: "We'd love to advertise but only if you can write something about our company." My answer is always the same. "No".
I think my magazine is in the minority in Thailand in refusing those kinds of offers. Sure, we're financially worse off for that but our journalistic integrity is something that is also very much in the minority too. Our readers trust what they read to be balanced and impartial.
It really annoys me that advertisers can see the value in appearing in our magazine but will not pay for it. We do sell advertorials but they are clearly labeled and very distinctive from the overall design of the magazine.
What do you think about our policy? Are we wrong and should we take every bit of revenue we can get? Are we right to have such high editorial standards and ethics?
2 comments:
It's certainly clear that you could make more money by changing that policy, but your readership may appreciate your proper line.
Or you find a middle way: Your high standards should speak for themselves and you explain to those clients "Listen, we'd love your ad, but journalistic integrity goes hand in hand with credible reporting. Your ad is safe with us, because we address the correct readership. We will write about you, but trust us and give us editorial independence."
Hey BangkokDan, you've heard my scripted reply before ? ;-)
Seriously though none of the potential advertisers in the scenario I mentioned, including same 'reputable' and 'professional' ones, have ever turned into paying clients. As soon as I say no they lose interest and go to the less-professional titles with fewer readers and even less in the way of ethics.
It bugged me so much a year ago but now it's just another part of life in the Thai publishing industry that I have learned to accept.
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