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The Reynolds Center has announced its 2009-10 free workshop schedule.
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The Reynolds Center registration for Fall 2009 free online seminars.
Hooked on Kindle
By Chris Roush
Tracking the Business Behind the Tomato
By Jonathan Higuera
Five Questions with Bill Choyke
By Jonathan Higuera
Finding the Economy's Silver Lining
By Dick Weiss
Double Whammy: Oil and Housing
By Jennifer Hopfinger
"Brought to you by..."
By Chris Roush
May 8, 2007
I've been thinking about the readers of the Philadelphia Inquirer business section lately, and I wonder if they notice the changes.
The changes that I'm referring to include the name of a local bank right next to the word "Business" in the section's nameplate. In addition, this bank has an ad on the bottom of the section, and it's got its name on top of a new column on the left-hand side of the front page called Phillyinc.
The column has some interesting news items, mainly culled from SEC filings that would typically be placed in a briefs column in the section. And during my reading, they all appear to be newsworthy.
But does that business section reader notice that these news briefs are now being sponsored by this bank? That's the question that business journalists must answer.
Because if the readers notice, that means that the appearance of a conflict of interest is also noticeable. And if the bank is paying for this new column to appear, what's going to happen the first time the business reporters want to include a brief about the bank that could be negative?
More importantly, do the Inquirer's business readers now think that the entire section is being "brought to them" by this bank, much like advertisers sponsor sporting events? As someone who watches a fair number of sporting events, I'm well aware that sponsors of, for example, The Master's golf tournament, have certain guidelines for the announcers about what to say, and what not to say.
And as a consumer of that sporting event, I've learned to tune out a lot of what those announcers say as a result because I know it's really the sponsors speaking and not them.
That's what bothers me about the Inquirer's business section selling a sponsorship of a column on its front. Many readers, jaded from the realization that the column is being paid for by a local bank, will begin to "tune out" the work of these business journalists. And if they tune out this column, what's to stop them from reading the rest of the section?
I'm all for newspapers finding new ways to generate revenue amid dropping circulation and lower ad sales. But selling sponsorships to business news is not one of them. It won't work in the long run because it kills credibility.
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Copyright © 2008 Donald W. Reynolds National Center for Business Journalism
The Reynolds Center has announced its 2009-10 free workshop schedule.
Select a workshop and register from the drop-down menu below.
The Reynolds Center registration for Fall 2009 free online seminars.
By Chris Roush
Tracking the Business Behind the Tomato
By Jonathan Higuera
Five Questions with Bill Choyke
By Jonathan Higuera
Finding the Economy's Silver Lining
By Dick Weiss
Double Whammy: Oil and Housing
By Jennifer Hopfinger
"Brought to you by..."
By Chris Roush
May 8, 2007
I've been thinking about the readers of the Philadelphia Inquirer business section lately, and I wonder if they notice the changes.
The changes that I'm referring to include the name of a local bank right next to the word "Business" in the section's nameplate. In addition, this bank has an ad on the bottom of the section, and it's got its name on top of a new column on the left-hand side of the front page called Phillyinc.
The column has some interesting news items, mainly culled from SEC filings that would typically be placed in a briefs column in the section. And during my reading, they all appear to be newsworthy.
But does that business section reader notice that these news briefs are now being sponsored by this bank? That's the question that business journalists must answer.
Because if the readers notice, that means that the appearance of a conflict of interest is also noticeable. And if the bank is paying for this new column to appear, what's going to happen the first time the business reporters want to include a brief about the bank that could be negative?
More importantly, do the Inquirer's business readers now think that the entire section is being "brought to them" by this bank, much like advertisers sponsor sporting events? As someone who watches a fair number of sporting events, I'm well aware that sponsors of, for example, The Master's golf tournament, have certain guidelines for the announcers about what to say, and what not to say.
And as a consumer of that sporting event, I've learned to tune out a lot of what those announcers say as a result because I know it's really the sponsors speaking and not them.
That's what bothers me about the Inquirer's business section selling a sponsorship of a column on its front. Many readers, jaded from the realization that the column is being paid for by a local bank, will begin to "tune out" the work of these business journalists. And if they tune out this column, what's to stop them from reading the rest of the section?
I'm all for newspapers finding new ways to generate revenue amid dropping circulation and lower ad sales. But selling sponsorships to business news is not one of them. It won't work in the long run because it kills credibility.
Copyright © 2008 Donald W. Reynolds National Center for Business Journalism