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EDITOR’S NOTE: The Palo Alto Daily News is a free daily newspaper published by Knight-Ridder, which also publishes Berkeley’s East Bay Daily News. The East Bay paper uses the same “Town Talk” format found in its Palo Alto counterpart.  

Like a light bulb flipping on in a dark room, like an epiphany sung sweetly by a choir, new ideas can open new worlds and teach us imaginative and creative ways to approach what we do.  

Since this column is written about people and events in the community, there is now a new policy for anyone who wants to appear in a future column.  

It’ll cost you.  

Checks are OK, but cash is greatly preferred.  

This is not an original idea, however. It’s borrowed from another publication.  

Grade the News, based at San Jose State University (formerly at Stanford University), is a small but respected non-profit effort that critiques Bay Area news media. It is currently publishing a three-part examination of free daily newspapers, including the Palo Alto Daily News.  

It was the first installment that sparked my idea to start charging for this space. The article—entitled, “At free dailies, advertisers sometimes call the shots,” by Associate Director Michael Stoll—is on the organization’s website: www.gradethenews.org.  

Stoll discovered that some editorial content in the Daily News is written by the newspaper’s advertising department.  

The paper’s “Town Talk” is a promotional column that masquerades as editorial content—written by the advertising department—and the paper’s “Buzz” entertainment section “is a seamlessly laid-out blend of articles penned by the advertising staff but presented as news,” Stoll wrote.  

For those unfamiliar with the newspaper business, reporters and editors are responsible for the editorial content (stories, columns, reviews, editorials) while advertising sales representatives persuade advertisers to buy ads to woo readers to become customers.  

This is generally known as the “separation of church and state” in journalism, Stoll notes. Others call it a “firewall” between a newspaper’s journalistic and business efforts.  

The problem is that when one part of a newspaper’s editorial content is bought and paid for it raises questions about all the other editorial content, too.  

Stoll also discovered that Daily News reporters are encouraged to write favorable stories about advertisers—as part of the Daily News’ philosophy, penned in 1995.  

It’s worth quoting in full: “In addition to covering business as a news beat, (the reporter) must also cover local business from the perspective of the business owner, or, as their partner. This means promoting the business as their own. This is the key to early and continued success. If we embrace our advertisers and help them promote with good writing and photos, they will become our strongest supporters.”  

If some news stories are tainted by the newspaper’s business interests, what about all the rest? Where is the line drawn? Is there a line?  

Instead of being rightfully embarrassed by any of this, the Daily News seems proud of it.  

“We’re not going to knock them (the advertisers). That’s our community. They’re our people,” Robby Schumacher, who is both a Daily News entertainment-guide columnist and an advertising sales representative, told Stoll.  

Stoll wrote that Daily News Publisher Dave Price “laughed off any suggestion that the ads-as-news printed in his paper could be misunderstood. ‘Do you have to label a duck a duck?’ Mr. Price said.”  

The Society of Professional Journalists’ Code of Ethics urges reporters and editors to “distinguish news from advertising and shun hybrids that blur the lines between the two.”  

So much for professional ethics.  

In the future, see my agent to place yourself or your business in this prime Page Four space.  

Are you a City Council candidate whose polls are lagging? Don’t give up! Is business at your store slow? The dinner trade at your restaurant leaving too many empty tables? That can be changed!  

Dr. Don’s Elixir of Magic Words can cure whatever ails you!  

I have a brand-new thesaurus with nifty words, called adjectives. I can learn to use them, especially the glowing ones. I also found the never! before! used! exclamation-point on my keyboard. 

And if you pay by check, make it a big one, please. I’ll only be renting this space, but I’ll be selling my soul.  

Republished with permission