Shamwow in the Times

Great news organizations have spent many decades building up reputations for reporting on important topics in accurate, even-handed and meaningful ways. Now, in a desperate attempt to lure online advertisers, some of those news organizations are running paid links that look a lot like news stories. They are actually ads. Does this cheapen the integrity of news organizations, or is this simply what advertising has become? NPR reports.

Questions...

•Describe "The Wall" from the newspaper industry chapter.

•Does the type of advertising discussed here weaken "The Wall"?

•Does this type of ad make the advertiser seem more trustworthy?

•Does this put any additional pressure on news sites to make sure their advertisers are trustworthy?

•Do you find this type of ad more objectionable or less objectionable than traditional advertising?