BNEWS9 is committed to providing our readers, listeners, viewers and event attendees with a clear understanding of the distinction between our journalism — independent news and editorial content — and sponsored content that appears on the site.
Sponsored content is content provided by BNews9’s advertising partners. This is a paid opportunity for our partners to share their expertise in more detail than a traditional print or digital advertisement. From time to time, BNews9 produces content paid for by outside parties. This important source of revenue allows us to explore topics that we hope are of interest to BNews9 readers. We endeavor to ensure that the presentation of all sponsored or ‘native’ content is clear to readers, and wish to provide clarity around how this editorial content is commissioned and produced, and who has paid for it. BNews9’s newsroom is not involved in the creation of this content. BNews9 maintains a firewall between its editorial and business operations.
BNews9’s editorial team vets all sponsored content before it appears online to ensure the content offers quality information to our audience. We strive to be as transparent as possible about what is editorial content and what is an advertisement. All sponsored content is clearly labeled in the body of the article.
BNews9 follows these guidelines for custom content to ensure full disclosure and transparency. We will always:
- Clearly label sponsored content
- Ensure that all sponsored content is held to the highest standards of honesty, integrity, accountability, accuracy and responsibility
- Ensure that the reader understands the source and sponsor of the content
- Use real names with all work
- Disclose all potential conflicts of interest, both to the client before accepting the assignment and to the reader in the final work
- Report and write stories with fairness and honesty
- Employ distinct design/labeling so readers don’t confuse sponsored content and editorial content
- Ensure that websites/online channels will be updated in a responsible and timely manner
- Reserve the right to approve or reject content to guide against conflicts of interest or potentially harmful alliances
Sponsored Content is not intended to in any way mislead the reader into thinking they are reading editorial content.
Policy Guidelines
- Editorial Independence: We do not accept any compensation for editorial reportage. The business team and editorial team maintain a clear separation, and the business team’s interests can never override our editorial independence.
- Sponsored Posts: The business team develops, reviews and approves content for sponsored posts without involvement from the editorial team. However, if the editorial team raises objections, their decision takes precedence.
- Advertisement Compliance: Advertisers are responsible for ensuring that their content adheres to all applicable laws. Advertised content does not necessarily reflect the views of BNEWS9 or its editors.
- Advertisement Discretion: We reserve the right to refuse or remove any advertisement that we find demonstrably false, unlawful, or harmful to our reputation, brand, or goodwill.
- Transparency: All branded content is clearly marked as “Sponsored Content” to ensure readers’ attention is drawn to its nature.
- Exclusions: We do not accept or publish advertorial content from political parties and candidates, content advocating alcohol, drugs, or tobacco-based products, content with profanity, obscenities, or socially regressive themes, or content containing hateful or violent material.
- Editorial Funding: We may accept funding from global foundations for certain projects, which will be disclosed using the tag “Supported by” in the content.
- Consultation and Decision-making: Before considering new projects or content from third parties, we consult our senior editors, and the most senior editor makes the final decision.
- Editorial Control: The subject matter of editorial content with third-party branding may be suggested by the third party, but our editorial team retains control over writing and editing, adhering to our journalism standards.
- Continuous Improvement: We value feedback from our readers and stakeholders and remain open to suggestions, criticism, and corrections to improve our policies and practices.