Hardy, Jonathan. “Sponsored Editorial Content in Digital Journalism: Mapping the Merging of Media and Marketing.” Digital Journalism, 2021, vol. 9, no. 7, 865-886.
Summary and Review
Jonathan Hardy, from the University of the Arts London Media School, describes the rise of sponsored content in news publications and warns that readers aren't prepared to recognize how it differs from journalism content.
Sponsored content is “material with similar qualities and format to [news] content that is typically published on a platform or by a content provider, but which is paid for by a third party,” such as a company that wants to advertise (865). Sponsors can either create the content or pay the provider to create it. Depending on the creation process and format, sponsored content falls into one of several categories: publisher-hosted branded content, paid content, sponsored content, native advertising, programmatic native, branded journalism, content recommendations, and clickbait (866). Unlike traditional advertising, sponsored content isn't always explicitly persuasive, which, along with the variety of forms it takes, makes it harder for readers to recognize and differentiate from news content (870).
Readers already struggle to separate traditional advertising from news content, and studies show readers "fail to recognize or comprehend disclosure labeling” (879). Inability to distinguish different types of content leaves readers vulnerable to mis/disinformation that could influence their political perspectives, personal beliefs, habits, interactions with others, and views of themselves.
Sponsored content is likely to increase because it generates revenue at a time when many news providers are struggling financially. While traditional advertising still accounts for 70% of provider revenue, sponsored content brings in more revenue than traditional subscriptions and other forms of income (866).
Hardy's article offers opportunities for educators to help students develop information literacy and critical thinking skills that combat vulnerability to mis/disinformation. It could be assigned in a variety of courses. I plan to use it in composition, research, and journalism courses I teach.
Lesson Plan: Identifying and Analyzing Sponsored Content Discussion Part I. Before assigning Hardy's article or covering its content in a lecture, display a news provider's website, such as CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, or CBS, so everyone can see it. Have students narrate what they are drawn to on the site and why. For example, do they go to news or sponsored content? Do they know the difference? Point out the phrase "sponsored content" and ask if students know what it means. Then, ask whether it matters that sponsored content is displayed with news on a journalism site. This discussion could serve as a pre-test or baseline for assessment of media literacy, information literacy, critical reading, or critical thinking.
Part II. After students read Hardy's article, ask them to write a summary of it, either in class or as homework. Then, facilitate a discussion using these questions: Ownership and Content
Studies show that news site users' "recognition of native [traditional] advertising had no effect on their estimation of a news website's credibility" (Hardy 879). Is that a problem? Why or why not?
How might a news provider's ownership influence its content (e.g., General Electric owns NBC, Disney owns ABC, Warner Bros. Discovery owns CNN)? Does ownership or influence matter? Why or why not?
Do you see evidence that the news provider's ownership influenced its content? If so, point it out. If not, explain.
What ethical guidelines should journalists apply when reporting news connected to a provider's ownership (e.g., NBC reporting a safety recall for General Electric appliances, ABC reporting sexual assault allegations made against Disney executives)?
Sponsored Content, Credibility, and Regulation
(Questions 3, 4, 5, 8, and 9 could also be turned into essay prompts.)
Hardy claims, “Publishers moved into activities traditionally undertaken by advertising agencies, carrying out research for brands, creating ads, and promoting branded content across their own outlets and social media” (867). Why does Hardy think this sponsored content is more problematic than traditional advertising? (see Hardy 878 for examples)
Hardy claims that sponsored content is an “economic necessity . . . to aid news publishers in challenging market conditions” (875). Explain why you agree or disagree.
Hardy says that “branded content undermines the capacity to provide the trusted information and commercially disinterested opinion needed for democratic governance that journalists have traditionally been granted” (874). Explain why you agree or disagree.
According to Hardy, “The extension of brand voice into non-commercial spaces increases inequality in communication power” (874). Explain why you agree or disagree.
Should providers include disclosure statements for sponsored content that reveals the content is linked to their ownership? Why or why not?
Hardy claims that increases in sponsored content paired with lack of regulation create three types of problems: “consumer welfare, media integrity, and marketers’ power” (874). Define or explain each problem in your own words. Give 1-2 examples of each problem. Your examples can be real or hypothetical.
Hardy says that "overtly political actors have also adopted sponsored content" (877). How might that impact individual users? How might it impact American society?
Hardy argues that “regulatory conditions” have limited how much sponsored content a provider can include or how overtly content must be identified as sponsored (877). Is that a problem; why or why not?
Should sponsored content be subject to additional regulations? If so, what regulations? If not, why not?
What should individual viewers consider when consuming news from providers that feature sponsored content? What questions should viewers ask before, during, and after consuming news from those providers?
Part III. Display a different provider's website from the one used in Parts I and II. Ask students to describe what they notice about content, advertising, sponsored content, and how each type of content is identified. Have small groups research the provider's owners and, if possible, its revenue streams. Discuss how the provider's ownership and revenue streams might affect its content. If time, ask students to identify the following on the provider's site: paid content, sponsored content, native advertising, programmatic native, brand journalism, content recommendations, clickbait. Discuss whether the information they need to identify each type is readily available.
Parts II and/or III could be used as a post-test or point of comparison for assessment of media literacy, information literacy, critical reading, or critical thinking.
Evaluation
If written summaries are assigned as part of discussion preparation, use the Asynchronous Online Discussion Rubric or Synchronous Discussion Rubric (online or face-to-face) to evaluate students' contributions.
Use a Summary Rubric to evaluate summaries assigned separately from discussions.
If assigning an essay, use the Essay Rubric to evaluate students' contributions.