Guardian MD says lack of shareholder pressure allows it to pick and choose ad partners
The Guardian Australia’s managing director Ian McClelland has claimed unlike competitors the publication is able to walk away from “millions of dollars” of revenue from potential content marketing partners because it does not have to answer to shareholders.
At a breakfast discussion on content marketing McClelland said being owned by a trust – unlike other media organisations which are privately owned or answerable to shareholders – ensured it could remain “absolutely independent and free from commercial and political interference”, allowing it to walk away from potential partners like “fast food” outlets it does not deem suitable.
While McClellend did not mention News Corp or Fairfax by name during a debate on content marketing and brand journalism organised by PR firm Text100, both major competitors are listed companies.
The discussion heard how brand-led content can work and add value, but only if the reader does not feel duped or hoodwinked.
Fine lines are not the issue. News media have a quality issue. If they keep going down this path the content marketers will be ADDIng value !!!
It’s an issue of integrity.
Audience craves it, industry can’t afford to deliver it.
Pretty sure the Graun is a client of Text100, making this less a debate than a PR event
Well IMO content marketing is a sure sign that news media is near dead.
NRMA’s lifestyle site, live4.com.au has “high quality content produced by journalists”? Have a closer look. It’s produced by King Content which pays “journalists” significantly less for corporate work than they would earn working as a freelancer for Fairfax. They clearly don’t value writing or journalism but hey, it’s a business model that produces some fat profit margins.