A lot of news can actually be hidden advertising disguised as “independent reporting” to make it look more authoritative.
Jingoism is a term used to describe hidden advertising disguised as ordinary informational material. Its purpose is to quietly promote a particular brand, product, service or political force. It can be quite difficult to recognize a spin-off, as it is often disguised as high-quality journalistic materials. However, there are a number of signs that can help you identify hidden advertising:
1. 1. Mentions and emphasis:
- The material mentions only one trademark (political party, candidate’s name) or presents the other as a deliberately losing one.
- The material is entirely devoted to the brand’s economic or political achievements, without any criticism or alternative point of view.
2. Lack of information drive:
- The material does not have an explicit newsworthiness, i.e. it is not related to a specific event, fact or issue. It can be devoted to general topics that are nevertheless associated with a particular brand.
3. One-sided coverage of the conflict:
- The material on the conflict reflects the position of only one side, while the other side is either completely ignored or presented in a negative light.
4. 4. The problem and its “solution”:
- The article outlines a certain problem and links its solution to a specific brand that supposedly offers the best solution.
5. “Experts” and their “competence”:
- The material features questionable experts who are not qualified or are biased.
- A company (brand) representative acts as an expert, often not in his or her field, which raises doubts about his or her competence.
6. 6. Awards and “successes”:
- The material refers to awards, victories in business ratings or competitions, as well as the brand’s/company’s success in charity. However, this information may be exaggerated or untrue.
7. Placement and headings:
- The material is most often placed in the sections: “Opinion”, “Company News”, “Position”, “Topical”, etc., where readers are less vigilant about the advertising nature of the information.
8. 8. Repetition and “authorship”:
- The identical repetition of material in several sources may indicate the paid-for nature of the publication.
- The material may be published under the signature of a journalist-novice (trainee) or under a pseudonym, which may indicate that the author does not want to associate his or her name with the jeans.
By knowing the signs of hidden advertising, we can protect ourselves from the harmful effects of misinformation, avoid the hook of fraudsters, save our money and keep our minds free from manipulation.
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