Newspapers are being “penalised” by advertisers for producing coronavirus-related stories, industry chiefs have claimed.
Regional and national publishers have united with other news organisations to call on advertisers to remove the term “coronavirus” from their blocklists – lists of keywords that businesses put in place to stop their adverts appearing against inappropriate content online.
However the inclusion of the word has had the unintended consequence of penalising newspapers by preventing ads from appearing alongside stories about the outbreak.
Now news industry trade bodies Newsworks, the News Media Association and the Society of Editors have launched the #BackdontBlock campaign, warning news brands are expected to lose a total of £50m if the pandemic lasts for another three months.
As well as national titles, the campaign has been backed by regional publishers Archant, Baylis Media, DC Thomson, Iliffe Media, JPIMedia, the Midland News Association, Newsquest, Reach and Tindle Newspapers.
Newsworks, which wrote the letter on behalf of the industry, said such moves by advertisers had the “unintended consequence of penalising newspapers for producing vital, informative journalism covering the most important issue to affect the country for a generation”.
Newsqorks executive chair Tracy De Groose, pictured, said: “While we have seen a huge surge in demand from readers for trusted, accurate reporting, advertising ‘blocklists’ are preventing adverts from appearing alongside online stories with the word ‘coronavirus’ in them.
“Our unified industry appeal to advertisers is incredibly simple: back, and don’t block British journalism. Please remove ‘coronavirus’ from your blocklists.
“Readers are relying on us right now, and we are relying on advertising to help ensure the public receive information and advice from the very best sources.”
News Media Association deputy chief executive Lynne Anderson said: “The critical role played by news media in getting trusted and accurate information out to the public has been widely acknowledged during the coronavirus outbreak.
“Advertisers should be supporting this vital public service provided by the media.”
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“….Advertisers should be supporting this vital public service provided by the media.”
Someone else who thinks newspaper publishers should be treated as charities and that the public and businesses, all of whom are struggling at this time, have bottomless pockets to prop them up.
Publishers are businesses, they’re not producing newspapers and digital sites out of the goodness of their hearts.
Commercial advertising support has always been decided by how relevant the titles are to businesses and how much of the market they reach.National publishers are providing essential 24/7 content, the regionals less so, and with no customers, many premises closed and nothing to advertise or offer why would anyone expect businesses to advertise at this time?
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I think you are being a little unfair Whistler.
Although I agree, I’ve seen nothing in my local to make me want to read about this crisis, the fact that an algorithm is “punishing” news is not a good thing.
Personally I’d have preferred it if the blacklist included words like Greggs, Lidl, gin, actually, exactly, easyJet, eerie, and all those other clickbatey words that now pass for local news.
And while we are at it, they could include commonly misspelt words.
That would improve local news no end.
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Firms see little point in advertising if they are not trading. And if they are, they do not want to be associated with a virus that can kill. Simple really. But then the newspaper industry has so often been unable to see anyone’s point of view but its own. Yes, it’s tough on the industry. But it’s a lot tougher for others.
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I know it’s April fools day but would any business place advertising when they are closed, have nothing they can sell and their potential customers can’t get out to buy it?
Another day and another demand from within the industry for money from outside sources.
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Throughout my time in newspapers advertisers often asked to avoid certain stories. Motor dealers on car crash stories & furniture shops on house fires. Editors & page planners used common sense. However blanket bans are unfair but advertisers have this power & are fully entitled to use it. Tough but a fact of the wonderful digital world.
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This keyword aspect aside and bearing in mind how many business are currently closed, operating reduced services or are temporarily on hold and losing revenues I’m amazed any are advertising in any regional paper.
Publishers and industry bodies seem to forget that no one has a divine right to business ad budgets so to demand help and to call a perfectly understandable reason to hold off as being “held to ransom” is both unfair and quite frankly ridiculous.
We need to respect the advertisers decision on if ,where and when they place any advertising, it’s their choice, no one else’s
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Hardly a week goes by when one of the industry bodies,or one of the more established regional publishers, doesn’t make a plea to the public,a demand to the government,a call to support or a request for public funding to prop up failing businesses or outdated business plans. If it’s not that it’s one of the groups blaming every outside factor for the downturn in their revenues.
Wouldn’t it be refreshing and laudable if one of them held their hands up and said’ we got it wrong’, ‘ we handled it badly’ ‘we mismanaged it’ or ‘ our products simply aren’t as strong as they once were’?
If someone did ( they won’t ) they’d gain far more respect, credibility and sympathy – very likely support too, rather than blaming everyone and his dog for their latest failings.
Making excuses rather than accepting responsibility
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Of course the irony is that for once web might be making more money than newsprint.
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Why no comments on the government’s coronavirus job destruction scheme?
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