This is a public-interest archive. Personal data is pseudonymized and retained under GDPR Article 89.

Re: [GWL]: new media online/voices and rant



Claude Sweet wrote

>
> Authors of a web delivered article, free from the constraints of print
> media, generally are inclined to include links to useful sources of a
> product or other sites containing related information.
>
> If links are included in the text to paid advertisers, should not the
> links clearly disclose that the link has been paid for and the linked
> information is an advertisement?

I work mainly for two web sites - one of which is strictly informative - no banner ads, no
selling, and the other a comercial site where my job is to provide content that shows potential
and actual customers different ways to use the products, care for them, etc.

The commercial site doesn't present me with any problems - I'm there to help move products and so
my content is selected on that basis, as are my links.

On the strictly content site I often provide links to places where readers can but the plants
that I write about. Presumably if they took the time to read the article they have an interest in
the plant.

I also maintain a list of small growers and independent nurseries - partly because I like to
support the little guys and partly because these nurseries are often an excellent source of more
unusual varieties of plants than the larger ones. I also send readers to good sources for
ergonomic and enabling tools because I feel that this is needed information, especially with so
many of us baby boomers getting older and stiffer.

So far,. all of these links have been provided for free. That allows me to exercise my judgment
about good products. If we started charging people for the listings I might then be forced to
name sources that I don't fully believe in, or to leave out mentions of truly worthy products
simply because they decline to pay for the mention.

I fully expect that we will have to start doing something along these lines to raise revenue at
some point, but it worried me in an ethical sense. If I name some paid sponsors and indicate that
they are sponsors, can I then also list other products that I personally recommend without doing
a disservice to the sponsors? But if I only link to sponsors am I not then doing a disservice to
my readers if there are better sources for the products, or better products than those I was paid
to name?
Carol
--
Virtually Gardening
http://www.suite101.com/welcome.cfm/virtually_gardening
CURRENT ARTICLE: Memorial Gardens Part 1 & 2
http://suite101.com/article.cfm/virtually_gardening/80525
Black Tuesday: Focus on Healing
http://suite101.com/event.cfm/198

============================================================
You have been selected to get a 1000 Free AwardMiles from
Topica. The process takes less than 30 seconds...
Click here and join Milesource for your Free AwardMiles!
http://click.topica.com/caaadu0bUrGSSbVSZwBf/Milesource
============================================================

Pass the word to garden writers, editors publishers, horticultural businesses about our list.

==^================================================================
EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?bUrGSS.bVSZwB
Or send an email To: Gardenwriters-unsubscribe@topica.com
This email was sent to: topica.com@spamfodder.com

T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail!
http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register
==^================================================================
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index