What are the best ways to handle advertiser conflicts?

2 Avoid self-censorship

One of the most common and subtle forms of advertiser influence is self-censorship. This is when you avoid or tone down topics, stories, or opinions that might offend or alienate your advertisers, even if they are relevant and important for your audience. Self-censorship can erode your journalistic integrity and credibility, and undermine your public service role. To avoid self-censorship, you should maintain a clear separation between your editorial and advertising departments, and resist any pressure or interference from advertisers or managers to change or drop your content.

3 Seek diverse sources of revenue

Another way to reduce your dependence and vulnerability to advertiser conflicts is to diversify your sources of revenue. This can include seeking grants, donations, subscriptions, memberships, events, or other forms of income that are not tied to specific advertisers or agendas. By diversifying your revenue streams, you can increase your financial stability and flexibility, and reduce the potential impact of losing or offending an advertiser.

4 Manage expectations and relationships

Even if you have clear policies and diverse revenue sources, you may still face situations where your advertisers are unhappy or dissatisfied with your content. In these cases, you should manage their expectations and relationships with professionalism and respect. You should explain your editorial policies and decisions, listen to their feedback and concerns, and try to find mutually acceptable solutions. You should also acknowledge and appreciate their support, and keep them informed of your plans and progress.

5 Disclose any conflicts of interest

Sometimes, you may have unavoidable or unintentional conflicts of interest with your advertisers. For example, you may have a personal or professional relationship with an advertiser, or you may receive a gift or benefit from an advertiser. In these cases, you should disclose any relevant information to your audience and your editor, and recuse yourself from any editorial decisions or actions that may be influenced by the conflict. You should also avoid any appearance of favoritism or bias towards your advertisers.

6 Be accountable and transparent

Finally, you should be accountable and transparent to your audience and your profession. You should adhere to the ethical standards and codes of conduct of your media outlet and your industry, and be ready to justify and defend your editorial choices and actions. You should also be open and honest about any mistakes or errors, and correct them promptly and prominently. You should also invite and respond to feedback and criticism from your audience and your peers, and strive to improve your quality and performance.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?