Advertising has always subsidized the media, but it’s clearly a love-hate relationship. And now, this story suggests that GM has pulled its advertising in the Los Angeles Times, in an objection to “factual errors and misrepresentations” in the Times’ coverage of GM.
I haven’t looked into this particular matter, but I suppose a free press isn’t really free. And when newspapers who have to kowtow to their advertisers and alter their editorial content to reflect an advertiser’s wishes, readers don’t get all the news they deserve. I’m sure this happens all the time, but still it’s not a good thing.
On the other hand, I once had a client who knew there was going to be a critical report on the local news about her company–on a station that she bought lots of commercial airtime on. Her response was to buy more airtime on the station, to “offset” the report. We recommended against it, but in general, she was dumber than a brick anyway, so maybe GM’s doing the right thing.
I’m conflicted.
