If you looked at pages 8A and 9A of today’s DPP [at least in the city edition] you saw an ad for one of the area’s non-union grocery stores. [They would probably want me to name them, but I can see no point in doing that.]
The page on the right [9A] was clearly an ad. The page on the left [8A] contained three news stories interspersed with full-color pictures of what seem to be a grocery bag spilling house brands for that chain.
Newspapers have carried advertisements since the beginning of the business. But this is the first time I think I have ever seen the ads worked into the stories with so little demarcation.
I really don’t know what to make of this. I think it unseemly to mix stories with ads like this, but don’t know what seasoned or professional journalists or ethicists think of this.
The page on the right [9A] was clearly an ad. The page on the left [8A] contained three news stories interspersed with full-color pictures of what seem to be a grocery bag spilling house brands for that chain.
Newspapers have carried advertisements since the beginning of the business. But this is the first time I think I have ever seen the ads worked into the stories with so little demarcation.
I really don’t know what to make of this. I think it unseemly to mix stories with ads like this, but don’t know what seasoned or professional journalists or ethicists think of this.
But the DPP should be encouraged to examine themselves a bit more before doing it again.
ADDENDUM: [5/5/09]: David Brauer of Minnpost noticed this too. You can see his comments and a picture of the pages in his post. [link]
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