Transparency Can Make or Break Brand Journalism
Guest column by Alice Bumgarner of News Group Net LLC/News Strategies:
Alice Bumgarner
A recent article on Poynter.org reveals that, in a study, nonprofit news sites were found to be ideological and biased. They’re not transparent about where their money comes from or what their mission is, or even upfront about whether they lean left or right.
The gist is this: Readers can’t really tell the difference between biased and unbiased reporting — and the idea that something might be “hidden” is what leaves a bad taste in their mouth.
That’s one of the points naysayers often make about “brand journalism,” or the increasingly popular practice of having journalists produce a trove of stories for your company about its business, people and challenges. Critics have implied that brand journalism isn’t journalism at all, since the stories couch some hidden motive or corporate bias.
I’ve helped manage brand journalism news sites for companies such as Imperial Sugar Company and the Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board, and one thing that’s been key is transparency. Brand journalism has zero integrity unless you’re upfront about what the mission of the news site is, how it’s being funded, and who the writers are.
Otherwise it comes across as just another form of advertising. And there’s that lingering bad taste again.
Look, I can’t pretend that brand journalism is the same as journalism. It’s not. For example, I’m never going to do a story that my client is patently against, even if it’s a well-reported story. The fact that I’m a hired gun doesn’t escape me.
Yet, I can still be completely transparent about the mission of the news site and tell readers exactly who’s on our team of experienced journalists and photojournalists. You won’t be confused about who our site represents. But you also won’t feel hoodwinked.
When producing brand journalism, we reveal authentic people, struggles and victories. We deal in facts, not wishful thinking.
And when our journalists do the hard stories — when Imperial Sugar executives talk about poor practices that led to an explosion in their plant, or when long-time Louisiana fishermen share their uncertainty about the future of the Gulf — we help our clients engage with audiences who don’t want that bad taste in their mouth after they’ve read a story. Who desperately want transparency.
Related posts:
- Brand Journalism Goes Global
- Advantage of Brand Journalism Delivers Distinction
- Brand Journalism in the Communications Mix
- Essential Elements of Brand Journalism
- The Dynamic Evolution of Brand Journalism
Category: Brand Journalism, Featured
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