Ethical Guidelines in PR and Advertising

I am a member of an organization called Boating Writers International. It's an association made up of editors, journalists, freelancers and PR professionals working in the marine industry. In 2002, I was pleased to serve on a select committee to draft a set of ethical guidelines for BWI members. We addressed head-on some of the thorny issues of editorial independence, PR versus advertising and conflicts of interest. The final document has been approved by BWI members, and is being posted on the association's Website (www.bwi.org).

Our company endorses the BWI ethical guidelines 100 percent, and we are committed to abiding by these principles in our relationships with editors, writers, publishers and clients.

Let me give you a few highlights:

First, regarding editorial independence…

  • A publication's editor should have control over all editorial content. That includes photos and front cover artwork.
  • The practice of trading advertising for editorial content is expressly condemned.
  • Editorial and advertising functions should be separated insofar as possible to avoid the risk of editorial decisions being influenced by advertisers.
  • Editors should not submit copy for prior approval or screening by advertisers. This does not preclude, however, verifying quotes and checking facts.
  • "Advertorial" and sponsored sections should be clearly labeled as such.

Second, regarding accuracy, fairness and truth…

  • Writers and editors must strive for fairness and truthfulness. That means they should never deliberately mislead readers.
  • Factual errors should be acknowledged immediately.
  • Information provided by a manufacturer should be identified as such (for instance, boat performance test data that has not been independently verified).

Third, regarding conflicts of interest…

  • Any potential conflict of interest should be disclosed (for instance, if the writer has a financial interest in the company being covered).
  • Writers and editors should not solicit products for personal use.
  • Acceptance of a product for editorial review does not carry an obligation to give it favorable coverage. Products should be returned after the test is complete.
  • Any product loaned "on consignment" or "long-term test" should be identified as such in the article.
  • Publications should pay travel expenses for editors and writers on assignment whenever possible.

Finally, it should be noted that the ethical guidelines apply equally to the "supply side" of the PR business. PR professionals should never provide misleading or untruthful information to editors and journalists. They should not request, or expect, favorable editorial coverage in exchange for advertising placements, product loans or subsidized travel.

These guidelines, I believe, represent an important step for our industry, and in my opinion they will raise the level of professionalism throughout.

Some of the leading magazine publishers and PR professionals in the boating business have already endorsed the BWI guidelines. I hope all of them will do so.