Jaci Smith began her career as a copy editor at the Racine (Wis.) Journal-Times before moving over to the reporter ranks where she covered higher education, business and public safety, and spent a year and a half as an investigative reporter in New Jersey — her definition of a dream job. She was appointed night city editor at the La Crosse (Wis.) Tribune in her first management job, and has been an editor/coach for more than 20 years at papers ranging in size from 5,000 to 80,000 circulation. Smith has won awards from Minnesota, Wisconsin and New Jersey newspaper associations, and from the Minnesota, Wisconsin and the prestigious New York City Deadline Club branches of the Society of Professional Journalists. She is currently the project manager for APG Media of Southern Minnesota’s institutional fellowship at the Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute.

1. Native advertising in your newsroom
Otherwise known as
“There is no way in
hell
I’m writing an ad.”Jaci Smith, native advertising coordinator
APG Media of Southern Minnesota

2. Seen
this?
http://nyti.ms/1znUQNt

3. It is content paid for by the advertiser that is
created by the publisher or its representative
and that runs in the same format and is of the
same high quality as that publisher’s regular
editorial content.
So, what is native advertising?

4. Source: Sharethrough

5. Source: Sharethrough
Source: Sharethrough

6. It’s all about the content
https://youtu.be/0URMlG5algg

7. • IT’S AN AD: Nope. It should be sponsored content written and
controlled by editorial.
• IT HURTS OUR CREDIBILITY: Nope. Not if the publication adheres
to the same editorial guidelines as it would to create any other
content.
• IT’S A CONFLICT OF INTEREST: It doesn’t have to be. Pay
attention to the beats that can and should be creating sponsored
content.
• IT’S PAY FOR PLAY: Nope. Not as long as there was no influence
into how the journalist constructed the piece.
So … why can’t reporters write it?

8. • ESTABLISH GUIDELINES: Everyone knows the rules of the road
going in.
• EMPOWER YOUR JOURNALISTS: They’re ethical folks. Don’t
force them to be anything else.
• TEACH THEM TO ENGAGE: Perception isn’t everything. Reality is.
Make sure your journalists aren’t afraid to engage all comers about
the content they produce, native or otherwise.
Learn to say “No,” and engage …

9. From the South
Bend Tribune

10. They are
not the
only ones

13. WANT TO LEARN MORE
ABOUT NATIVE ADVERTISING?
http://www.rjionline.org/native-content
jsmith@faribault.com @FDNJaciSmith
linkedin.com/JaciSmith