WBN Advertising & Sponsored Content Policy

• Editorial staff do not report to commercial leadership on matters of content, coverage, or editorial judgment. The editorial chain of command is independent of the commercial chain of command.
• Commercial staff do not have advance access to editorial content before publication for the purpose of informing advertiser placement decisions or seeking editorial changes on behalf of commercial relationships.
• Advertisers do not receive advance notice of editorial coverage concerning them or their competitors, and do not receive the opportunity to influence coverage as a condition or consequence of their commercial relationship with WBN.
• Commercial relationships do not confer editorial protection. An organisation that advertises with WBN is subject to the same editorial scrutiny as any other. The presence or absence of a commercial relationship has no bearing on how WBN covers an organisation editorially.
• Editorial staff do not participate in commercial negotiations with advertisers or sponsors, except where their involvement is limited to the specific scope of a sponsored content arrangement and is conducted under the oversight of the policies described here.

The separation between editorial and commercial will periodically be tested — by advertisers who believe that a commercial relationship entitles them to editorial consideration, by commercial pressures that create incentives to accommodate those expectations, and by situations where the interests of editorial and commercial happen to align in ways that could be misread. WBN's approach in all such situations is the same: editorial decisions are made on editorial grounds, commercial relationships are managed on commercial grounds, and no individual or circumstance is permitted to conflate the two.

• Accuracy. All advertising published on WBN platforms must be factually accurate. We do not publish advertisements that contain false or misleading claims about products, services, prices, availability, or the nature of the advertiser's business.
• Clarity. Advertising must clearly identify the advertiser. Anonymous or identity-obscured advertising is not accepted.
• Legal compliance. Advertising must comply with the laws of the jurisdictions in which it is served, including laws governing consumer protection, financial services, healthcare, data privacy, and advertising standards.
• Decency. Advertising must meet basic standards of decency. We do not accept advertising that is offensive, exploitative, or demeaning to any individual or group.
• Relevance. Advertising should be appropriate to WBN's professional audience and editorial environment. We reserve the right to decline advertising that is inconsistent with the character of our platforms even if it meets all other criteria.

Any content for which a commercial payment, consideration, or benefit has been received — or for which a commercial relationship with the sponsor exists — is classified as sponsored content at WBN. The relevant question is not whether the content looks like advertising but whether its production was commercially enabled. If it was, it is sponsored content and is disclosed as such.

• Accuracy. Sponsored content published on WBN platforms must be factually accurate. We do not publish sponsored content containing false or misleading claims, regardless of the sponsor's instructions.
• Decency. Sponsored content must meet the same content standards as WBN's editorial output — it must not be offensive, exploitative, or contrary to the values expressed in our Ethics Charter.
• No editorial imitation. Sponsored content must not be designed or formatted to be mistaken for independent WBN editorial journalism. The visual and editorial language of WBN's independent journalism is not available for sponsored content to adopt.
• Sponsor approval does not mean editorial endorsement. WBN's acceptance of a sponsored content arrangement does not constitute WBN's editorial endorsement of the sponsor, their products, services, or positions. This distinction is reflected in the labelling of all sponsored content.

All sponsored content published on WBN platforms is reviewed by WBN's commercial team against the standards described in this section before publication. Where sponsored content raises concerns about accuracy, misleading claims, or content that conflicts with WBN's values, those concerns are resolved before publication — including, where necessary, by declining to publish the content. The sponsor does not have final authority over the publication of sponsored content on WBN platforms. WBN does.

WBN applies a simple test to every piece of commercial content: could a typical reader, encountering this content in its published context, reasonably mistake it for independent WBN editorial journalism? If the answer is yes, the labelling is insufficient. We apply this test at every stage of commercial content production and do not publish content that fails it.

• Prominence. Commercial content labels are displayed prominently — at the point of first encounter with the content, in a size and position that cannot reasonably be missed.
• Clarity. Labels use clear, plain language. Accepted labels include "Sponsored by [Name]," "Paid Partnership with [Name]," "Advertiser Content," and "Presented by [Name]." Vague labels such as "Brought to you by" without a clear indication of commercial nature are not used alone.
• Consistency. Labelling standards are applied consistently across all WBN platforms and formats. The same standard applies whether the content appears on a desktop website, a mobile application, a newsletter, a podcast, or a video format.
• Affiliate disclosure. Where content contains affiliate links — links for which WBN may receive a commission if a reader makes a purchase — this is disclosed clearly in the relevant content. See Section 9 for full details.
• AI-generated sponsored content. Where sponsored content has been generated or substantially produced with AI assistance, this is disclosed in addition to the standard sponsorship label. See Section 14 for full details.

• Partner selection. WBN selects brand partners whose values, conduct, and reputation are consistent with WBN's own standards. We do not enter into partnerships with organisations whose activities are incompatible with our Ethics Charter or our commitment to responsible journalism.
• Editorial ring-fencing. All brand partnerships are structured so that the partner's commercial interests are clearly separated from WBN's independent editorial coverage of that partner and its sector. A brand partnership does not confer editorial protection, preferential coverage, or advance notice of WBN's editorial decisions.
• Disclosure of significant partnerships. Where WBN has a significant commercial partnership with an organisation that is also the subject of WBN's editorial coverage, that relationship is disclosed when it is editorially relevant. WBN's editorial teams covering the relevant sector are informed of significant commercial relationships so that they can manage any actual or perceived conflict appropriately.
• No exclusive commercial agreements affecting coverage. WBN does not enter into commercial arrangements that require or imply any restriction, exclusivity, or obligation affecting the content of WBN's independent journalism.

• Content containing affiliate links carries a clear disclosure notice that explains the nature of the commercial relationship — that WBN may receive compensation if the reader takes the linked action.
• The disclosure appears prominently within the relevant content — not only in a general policy document that readers are unlikely to encounter.
• Individual affiliate links are identified within the content where practicable, so readers know which specific links carry a commercial arrangement.

The inclusion of an affiliate link does not mean WBN endorses or recommends the product or service to which it links beyond the specific editorial context in which it appears. Where WBN editorial content includes genuine recommendations — product reviews, buying guides, service comparisons — those recommendations are made on the basis of editorial judgment, not affiliate commercial arrangements. If a product that would otherwise warrant inclusion does not have an affiliate arrangement, it is included on its editorial merits regardless.

WBN does not accept affiliate arrangements that require exclusive promotion, suppress competitor mentions, or oblige WBN to present products or services in a specific positive light regardless of their actual qualities.

WBN evaluates political advertising on a case-by-case basis, subject to the following principles:

• Accuracy is mandatory. We do not publish political advertising that contains false or misleading factual claims. Political advertising is subject to the same accuracy standard as all other advertising — and given the potential for political advertising to influence public discourse, we apply additional scrutiny to factual claims before publication.
• Clear identification. All political advertising is clearly and prominently identified as paid political advertising, including the name of the funding entity. Opacity about the source of political advertising is not permitted.
• No editorial influence. The placement of political advertising on WBN platforms does not entitle the advertiser to any influence over WBN's political coverage, editorial framing, or news decisions.
• Equal treatment across the political spectrum. Where WBN accepts political advertising from one political party, candidate, or ideological position, it applies the same acceptance standards to advertising from other political parties, candidates, and positions. We do not apply different thresholds for different political affiliations.
• Right to decline. WBN reserves the right to decline any political advertising that conflicts with our values, our content standards, or our assessment of its potential effect on the public interest — regardless of political affiliation.

Advertisers and sponsors may use AI to assist in the production of content submitted for publication on WBN's platforms. This includes AI-generated copy, AI-assisted creative, and AI-produced video or audio. WBN does not prohibit the use of AI in the production of advertising or sponsored content — but the use of AI does not reduce the obligations of the advertiser or sponsor with respect to the accuracy, legality, and compliance of the content they submit.

Where WBN itself uses AI to assist in the production of sponsored content on behalf of a commercial client — including in PromptCast™ or related content services — this is disclosed in the published content in addition to the standard sponsorship disclosure. Readers are told both that the content is sponsored and that AI assistance was used in its production. Human editorial review of all AI-assisted sponsored content is mandatory before publication.

The use of AI in the production of commercial content does not create an exception to WBN's disclosure requirements, accuracy standards, or content review obligations. AI-generated or AI-assisted commercial content is subject to exactly the same standards as human-produced commercial content — and is reviewed with the same rigour, including for accuracy, misleading claims, and compliance with the standards in this Policy.

• WBN's editorial journalism is produced without influence from advertisers, sponsors, or commercial partners.
• All commercial content on WBN platforms is clearly labelled so that it is distinguishable from independent editorial content.
• Commercial relationships that are relevant to the editorial coverage readers are reading are disclosed within that coverage.
• WBN does not sell editorial coverage, editorial mentions, or editorial protection to commercial partners.
• The presence of advertising on a WBN platform does not imply WBN's endorsement of the advertiser or their products.

Readers who believe that WBN has published commercial content that was not adequately disclosed, or that a commercial relationship has influenced WBN's editorial coverage in a way inconsistent with this Policy, are encouraged to raise that concern directly with us at editorial@wbnn.news. All such concerns are reviewed seriously and responded to honestly.

This Advertising & Sponsored Content Policy is reviewed at least annually and updated when WBN's commercial practices, platform capabilities, regulatory environment, or industry standards warrant a revision. The "Last Updated" date at the top of this document reflects the most recent change. Material updates are communicated to advertising partners and, where relevant, to readers through WBN's platforms. Previous versions of this Policy are available on request.

This Policy is owned jointly by WBN's editorial and commercial leadership. Where the two functions have different perspectives on a policy question, the editorial position is determinative on matters that affect editorial independence or reader trust.