Jim Edwards at BNET reported on the shakedown tactics employed by ad agencies for the U.S. Census, whereby newspapers were required to provide coverage for cash. Hey, it’s even more outrageous that agencies were actually paid to produce the contrived and concept-free campaign.
Census Ad Agency Demanded Newspaper Coverage for Cash
By Jim Edwards
Ad agencies for the U.S. Census Bureau appear to have learned nothing from a decade-old White House scandal — because they’re busy repeating history.
Back in 2000, the White House was discovered trading ad buys with TV networks in return for positive spin in its war on drugs. That covert operation, which exposed millions to anti-drug propaganda masquerading as drama and sitcoms, ended in disgrace and the White House promised to cancel the program.
Ten years later, that promise is long forgotten. Globalhue, the ad agency that controls much of the government’s ad money targeting minorities for Census 2010, sent a letter to the National Newspaper Association demanding that publishers run six articles about the census or else the government would cancel its ads. (The NNPA represents community newspapers.)
While there was no explicit requirement of positive coverage demanded by Globalhue, the implication is clear: How long do you think the agency would continue placing ads in any newspaper that was digging dirt against the national headcount?
According to congressional hearings in February and March, the letter from Globalhue CEO Don Coleman (pictured) said:
In lieu of free ad space, all papers must agree to running six articles (preferably during hiatus weeks) about the Census 2010 as well as two editorials. If paper does not agree to the added value stipulations, buy will be canceled immediately.
Amazingly, the arrangement proposed in the letter — that ad buys be contingent upon articles written by the papers themselves — is exactly the same as the one conducted by the Office of National Drug Control Policy during its disgraced ads-for-coverage scheme.
Jeff Tarakajian, a vp at DraftFCB, the ad agency that controls the main Census contract, confirmed that the ”request for added value was standard,” according to the Wilmington Journal:
“We seek them, we encourage them but we do not make the requirement that somebody provide added value to literally qualify for a media buy,” Tarakajian said.
If anything, the census effort seems even more blatant than the drug war effort. The ONDCP’s program grew out of a well-intentioned effort to persuade makers of TV drama to depict drug use in an accurate light. It only later spread to news programming on ESPN and other fact-based shows as networks realized that the more drug storylines they scripted, the more ad dollars flowed their way.
For the Census, Globahue seems to want cash-for-coverage from the get-go.
GlobalHue’s Statement Regarding NNPA Allegations
ReplyDeleteGlobalHue has long respected the Black Newspapers and their value to the Black community. We are however concerned about the recent allegations from some members of the National Newspaper Publisher Association (NNPA) – also referred to as the Black Press - which was subcontracted by GlobalHue to negotiate and execute all Black newspaper buys for the 2010 Census.
In 2009, following a competitive selection process, the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) was selected to manage the Black newspaper buy. The NNPA is headed by Mr. Danny Bakewell, publisher of the Los Angeles Sentinel. The NNPA was selected as a subcontractor because of their extensive knowledge about the Black newspaper business. The NNPA is receiving payment for their services, and Mr. Bakewell is one of two NNPA subcontractors actually conducting the work on behalf of the Census Bureau.
In close consultation with GlobalHue, NNPA conducted negotiations with media properties for ad placements. NNPA also made recommendations to GlobalHue on what the terms of the agreement with the media vendors should be. One of the items in the negotiations was the added value the media vendors would offer. All of the more than 3,800 media vendors participating in the 2010 Census media buy were asked to provide added value. This is a standard industry practice and an important factor in informing the public about the Census.
With regard to added value from the Black newspapers, in a proposal dated 12/31/2009, NNPA recommended that GlobalHue request participating Black newspapers promise the following:
“In lieu of free advertising added value, I recommend we ask all participating newspapers to promise to run, during the paid advertising campaign, at least 6 news articles and 2 editorials stressing the important of completing the 2010 Census. African American/Black readers believe in the Black Press. African American/Black readers have been guided by and represented by the Black Press for more than 100 years. The combination of paid advertising and the Black Press endorsement will have great success in increasing the completion ratio.”
GlobalHue accepted the NNPA’s added-value recommendations and issued insertion orders to all newspapers accordingly. The added value guidelines as recommended by the NNPA led to concerns by a few representatives of the Black newspaper community.
In response, GlobalHue amended the value added guidelines and new insertion orders were submitted to all of the newspapers that received the original insertion order. While the new insertion order asked that every paper make an effort to include articles/editorial pieces about the 2010 Census, it also made it clear there was no quid pro quo for advertising buy.
Of the $23 million Black Audience paid media plan, Black newspapers are receiving 11 percent of the ad dollars for this audience. At this time, 173 African American, African, Caribbean and Haitian newspapers in 64 markets across the country are being engaged in the buy.
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