More recently passed legislation could make things hard for content creators by changing how their content is funded and labeled in today’s media landscape. One major focus of the new initiative is transparency about third-party funding for both new projects and content already in development. With this move, audiences are always completely up to date. Only then will they be aware of the sponsors funding the content that appears in their general newsfeed, intimidating stories, and interactive infographics.
The initiative also brings in four different labels to show what material is financed by outside participants. These labels—which will be easily identifiable as not real money—will indicate the nature of the funding. They are… ‘Supported by’, ‘Advertising partner/Exclusive advertising partner’, ‘Paid content/Paid for by’, ‘Advertiser content/from our advertisers’. Each of these pieces of content will highlight one of these tags. In doing so, readers will be able to easily identify the source of financial support.
Understanding the Labels
The first label along the bottom, ‘Supported by’, indicates that an outside funder has sponsored the topic. This boosts the credibility and endorsement behind it. This added label helps all readers easily understand the role outside funding had in shaping this content. It invites them to hold this lens as they read and interact with the content.
Secondly, the description ‘Advertising partner/Exclusive advertising partner’ is a clear indication of the partnership between creators and brands. This typically indicates that the material was produced in partnership with an advertiser. It helps to define the working relationship between the two parties.
The third label, ‘Paid content/Paid for by’, communicates that the featured material is sponsored or commissioned by a third party. As today’s post discusses, this label draws attention to how critical financial support is to our content creation. It gives them the tools to critically evaluate what they’re consuming.
Labeled as ‘Advertiser content/from our advertisers’ is a clear signal that the content has an origin where the primary source is an ad. This disclosure protects consumers by making them aware of the commercial nature of the content they are consuming.
Commitment to Transparency
These labels aren’t just cosmetic touches. They’re important for shining a light on the media’s transparency. By firmly establishing which funding stream the initiative is focused on, the initiative empowers the public to be more critical of the information being served to them. This comprehensive commitment to transparency helps answer the increasing outcry about bias and integrity in media reporting.
What’s more is that this labeling system is used consistently across all types of content. No additional labels would be used outside of these four, making it easier to adopt this approach in identifying third-party funding. That consistency is meant to show audiences that the integrity is there, trust is there – the priority is still, and will always be, integrity.
Impact on Content Creation
The art and craft of journalism still benefits immensely from the financial support third parties provide to expand and deepen journalism’s quality. Support for these new projects provides exciting new opportunities for creative storytelling and in-depth coverage on culture, climate justice, equity, and more. At the same time, investments focused on legacy content help keep the effective and valuable work that’s already been produced accessible, current, and relevant.
When media institutions lean into these changes in labeling, they are creating the culture that allows for a better educated public. By allowing readers to more easily and mindfully navigate through the funded content, we can create a healthier relationship between media creators and consumers.