This is an era when the only certain thing about the future is that it’s uncertain, and I’ve thought more than ever this year about what it means to be innovative.

The ways in which multi-platform news media keeps delivering editorially and commercially definitely shows their innovative prowess.

That said, what has been a true game changer so far during this rollercoaster decade has been the extent to which news media organisations have joined forces to tackle issues affecting the future of sustainable journalism.

Just two examples include the news brand industry’s “All together” campaign during COVID-19 and its participation in the wider “Make it fair” campaign to protect the creative industries from AI copyright infringement.

More recent proof of this is the increasing consensus for the need to stand together against a persistent tide of questionable brand safety strategies. These deprive newsrooms of the advertising investment that helps produce quality journalism Brits rely on.

Thus, the News Alliance was born, open to any organisation with a stake in the future of news — in whatever form that takes.

Members currently include organisations such as Newsworks (the organisation for which I work), Thinkbox, and Radiocentre (UK trade marketing bodies for news brands, television, and radio respectively); television and digital media owner Sky Media; media agencies the7stars, Bountiful Cow, and Havas Media Network; and advertising industry news site Campaign and parent company Haymarket, among others.

Don’t be mistaken: Many of us are still competitors, advocates for our own media patch and what makes us special for advertisers and consumers alike. However, we all recognise our shared media ecosystem is what helps us all thrive: producing a news plurality the United Kingdom rightly celebrates.

Brand safety or missed opportunity?

The issue of brand safety has been a rallying cry for the News Alliance and its members. After a 2017 investigation found advertisers were inadvertently placed around inappropriate content such as Islamic State propaganda through the unchecked use of programmatic advertising platforms, the advertising industry’s use of keyword blocklists skyrocketed.

This software is blunt at best and damaging to campaign effectiveness at worst. Words such as “shoot” or “attack” in violent contexts rightfully need attention to ensure the content is brand suitable. However, this software also blocks ads from appearing next to highly relevant and engaging content such as football reports.

While sensitivity was justifiably exercised around terms such as “Paris,” “Ariana Grande,” or “Manchester” when terror attacks made headline news, their continued appearance a decade later means stories about the Paris Olympics, Grande’s new album, or Manchester City have continued to be blocked. With “murder” on the list, even stories on TV phenomenon “The Traitors” haven’t been spared.

Agencies’ and advertisers’ fears of getting on the wrong side of brand safety were laid clear in an Alliance report published in March. The study, based on surveys of 160 professionals from media agencies and clients, found trust in news media to deliver was high.

Seventy-seven percent of agency respondents said they felt confident in recommending news to clients, while 57% of advertiser respondents acknowledged the role news plays in long-term brand building.

However, around half of both groups admit news is under-utilised on media plans, with political sensitivities (54%) and brand safety concerns (40%) being the biggest dealbreakers for agencies.

Fifty-one percent say their clients are wary of news because of brand safety, 45% admit to dropping news because of assumed client bias, and six in 10 report taking news off after a direct client request. Advertisers report similar cautions, with more than 60% saying news is too polarising for bands.

The bottom line of these findings is that more than four in 10 agencies and advertisers would not relax their brand safety settings — despite reports from Bountiful Cow, Stagwell, and Newsworks saying advertising next to news media has no negative impact.

Overcoming the paradox

So, as Alliance Chair and Sky Media Director of Planning Sarah Jones said, “News is trusted in theory but treated with caution in practice.” In other words, a significant number of agencies and clients would still rather lose trusted, effective news from a media plan if it means prioritising brand safety.

This creates quite the puzzle for the Alliance. The advertising industry is largely aware news is trusted and effective, which means the many studies Alliance members have carried out have successfully spread the word. Our challenge now is to square this confidence in news as an advertising space with the persistent fear of trashing brand perceptions with unsuitable ad placements.

The answers to that challenge are a work in progress. However, getting a handle on exactly what’s driving this paradox is vital for all of us in news to act with clarity and purpose.

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