Re: Farming and advertising

Dear Gardiner and to Mr. Webster: This time, Mr. Webster, you owe us
all an explanation.
It seems that you are submitting copy to the Farmer's Guardian and
being compensated for that. So, as we research and supply our latest
world-wide news, you apparently use what we post to obtain our insights
and opinions to do your own writing-for-pay. My, isn't that
convenient.

Explanation are in order from you, Webster.....to all of us. As for
being ethical.....it's now obvious you aren't.

Burkie in Kansas
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Pat Gardiner wrote:
How did they get away with it?

How do they get away with it?

One of the reasons is undoubtedly the nature of the farming press.

Like all trade publications everywhere, they depend heavily on advertising
revenue, and you don't get too much of that if your contributors attack the
advertisers.

So, you won't get too articles in farming papers criticising agrichemicals,
veterinary drugs or farming machinery.

You won't get too many criticising farmers either as the balance of the
money comes from the cover charge.

Where farming differs is that unlike most businessmen and women, who read
widely other trade publications, most farmers seem to read little beyond
their daily newspaper and the farming press.

The farming media also takes heavy advertising from government -
specifically Defra, who also are an important source of "information" not to
say propaganda for the journalists and part-timer writers. If either fall
out with Defra, they have no future. Equally, Defra have their favourites.

Take a look at this page:

http://www.farmersguardian.com/story.asp?sectioncode=1&storycode=1499

- the content, naturally, but also the advertising.

Not much chance of an independent voice here, is there?


Regards
Pat Gardiner
www.go-self-sufficient.com

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