Newspapers promoting product

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?

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 ???

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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No mention of commercial report.