Publishers Launch Cross Media Code

Newspaper and Magazine publishers yesterday launched a new code of practice governing standards of cross-media promotion.

The Cross Media Promotion Code has been drawn up by the Newspaper Society, the Newspaper Publishers’ Association, the PPA, the Scottish Daily Newspaper Society and the Scottish Newspaper Publishers’ Association. The publication of a joint code of practice comes three years after the results of an inquiry into cross-media promotion, which recommended that newspapers establish a code covering both editorial and advertising content.

The code refers to such areas as conditions of supply, non-discriminatory rates for competitors’ advertising, publication of relevant ownership links in editorial and advertising, and the advertising of premium rate telephone.

The code is designed to augment the existing industry codes, governing editorial, (Press Complaints Commission) and advertising (Upheld by the Advertising Standards Authority).

Publications are being encouraged to publish their own in-house guidelines on the coverage of competitors.

Newspaper Society 071 636 7014.