Blog Post 11: Chapter 6 Activity

The case I decided to discuss was called “Games publishers play Allowing an advertiser to call the shots.” It was written by Dave Wright who according to the case was an editor for Let’s Play Hockey, a Twin Cities hockey weekly. The article first talks about how big-time companies can easily replace an advertiser if there is an issue. If the advertiser does not like something, then that publisher can find someone else who fits the job exactly right.

However, those same advantages might not be available for other papers or weekly’s and may be more difficult to obtain advertisers. Wright was the editor for Twin Cities in January 1989. His paper had been in business for 18 years. It wrote about the hockey scene in Minnesota and focused mainly on youth hockey.

Wright had a photographer by the name of Linda Cullen capture a picture of a game that was played outside.  Wright believed the picture was perfect and fit the story accordingly. The picture got ran and Wright did not look back. But the publisher named Doug Johnson did not think that the photo was a good choice to be ran. Johnson felt this way due to certain items being in the photo due to false advertisement. Things like the sticks and equipment were shown and they were not the companies that advertise their establishment.

Johnson believed that it was unnecessary to promoting other brands that do not advertise their weekly. “We have to help our advertisers,” he stated. I believe that it is important to make sure to promote the companies that advertise and sponsor your paper or weekly because they are your acquaintance and it is not a good idea to go against the brand who is helping you profit and gain notice.

Even so that does not give the right for advertisers to control and say what is and is not news. The news is still the news no matter what is displayed or what is hidden. In the end Wright and Johnson decided to part ways and Wright went on to work for Tv Guide. Not too long after this departure, Johnson got rid of his second editor with no regrets.

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