# Newspapers promoting product



## G123 (10 Apr 2006)

Not sure if I'm allowed post a link to the article here but I was astounded by the 'Investment Watch' article on the front page of the Property section in yesterday's Sindo.

John O'Keeffe (I presume a journalist) wrote a glowing report for a new development in Budapest. My concern is not on the property itself but how a national newpaper can 'recommend' an investment without any caveats.

Surely this is just an advertisement feature - in that case, shouldn't it be highlighted as such?


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## lukegriffen (10 Apr 2006)

I don't get the Indo, but there was a supplement in the Times on Friday, done in the same format of the rest of the paper, but which had Commercial Report on the top corner of the page, which i presume to be an ad. As soon as I saw it I stopped reading. But I think it's a clever approach to get people reading the articles.

Did the Indo have "Commercial Report" anywhere on the page ? I'd be interested in finding out what the ethics are on putting journalists names under commercial reports. Maybe it was a makey-up name to give it the appearance of a proper article ???


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## DrMoriarty (10 Apr 2006)

No problem linking to it, G123, as long as it's not subscription-only (free registration required).

Do you really expect impartial (or even accurate) journalism from the _Sindo_? On foreign property investment, of all things? 

Mr O'Keeffe seems to have been with the _Sindo_ for some time; back in September 2003, he was writing:


> *My money is on France for elegance, intelligence and sophistication, and when Chirac says he doesn't want war with Iraq, he does it with well - such style. (John O'Keeffe)*


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## G123 (10 Apr 2006)

No mention of commercial report.


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