Yesterday, I noted the abusive ad contracts Morgan Stanley is promulgating, requiring publications to notify the company of any negative editorial content (Morgan Stanley's Abusive Ad Contracts). Now, Ad Age (reg. req.) reports that British Petroleum is demanding the same (BP Institutes 'Ad-Pull' Policy for Print Publications). Journalists better get together and tell these companies to knock it the heck off. A boycott would be nice. via Spin of the Day

UPDATE 1155 PT

More from Hit and Run (Breaking News). I think Sanchez makes mostly good points, but I believe advertisers should simply make the decision whether to advertise in a particular magazine or not. If BP doesn't want to advertise in "Environmentalist's Monthly," fine. However, having made the decision to advertise, they shouldn't seek to act in any way that would compromise editorial integrity and publications shouldn't let them try.

UPDATE 2 1500PT

Brother Michael O'Connor Clarke: BP "pulls" a Morgan Stanley)

The scope of this new policy is so outrageously broad -- insisting that the company's media buying agency be informed before a publication runs "any editorial that contains fuel, oil or energy news" -- it strikes me that any "ad-accepting" magazine or newpaper agreeing to these terms is accepting much more than BP's advertising.

Every ethical journalist-blogger on the planet is now on notice to look for negative stories about these companies, and seek out the names of companies with similar policies. Once such a story hits any blog it will be everywhere, instantly, thanks to the magic of RSS.

The primary reasons for advertisers to invest in any media product should be the bond that product has with its audience and the relevance of that audience as a marketing target. Such relationships are often based on trust and credibility. Tools such as ad-pull policies can damage that credibility. They make clear to editors and publishers that if they don't create an editorial environment friendly to a marketer's message, the money will go elsewhere.

Marketers should encourage media outlets to serve audiences first, not advertisers. Those that attract the right audience should get the ad dollars. Shame on anyone who believes otherwise.

The power that these firms are trying to wield is an affront to free press, one of the democratic ideals that we should all hold in the highest esteem. If their actions don’t generate good news, then they should fix their company not the news.