Advertising Disclosure — How PeopleOnTheNews Labels Paid Content
Quick answer: This advertising disclosure explains how PeopleOnTheNews identifies paid content. We clearly label all advertising, sponsored content, press releases and affiliate links so you can always tell commercial material from independent reporting. Our editorial coverage is never for sale. If anything is ever unclear, let us know and we will fix it.
Key takeaways
- What this covers: how paid and commercial content is labelled on PeopleOnTheNews.
- Standard: disclosure follows the FTC endorsement guidelines.
- Scope: advertising, sponsored content, press releases and affiliate links.
- Editorial: reporting and reviews are independent and never for sale.
- No hidden links: we don’t sell undisclosed or disguised paid links.
Why we disclose
Clear disclosure is both a legal expectation and the foundation of the trust between PeopleOnTheNews and its readers. Entertainment coverage only means something if fans can tell what is independent from what a brand has paid for. Labelling paid content protects readers, protects the credibility of our journalism, and protects the brands who work with us honestly — everyone benefits when the line is obvious.
We treat this as a standing commitment rather than a box to tick. Disclosure is only useful if it is easy to notice and easy to understand, so we label paid content clearly and near the top, in plain language, rather than burying a note where nobody looks. The guiding test is simple: a reader should never finish a piece on PeopleOnTheNews unsure whether it was independent or paid for. If our labelling ever fails that test, we want to know so we can fix it.
What we disclose
In practice, disclosure applies to everything on PeopleOnTheNews that a brand has paid for or supplied. That covers display and sponsorship advertising, clearly labelled sponsored features, company-supplied press releases, and any affiliate links in our articles. Each is handled a little differently, as set out below, but the principle is the same throughout: if money changed hands or the material came from an outside party rather than our newsroom, we tell you. The only content that carries no commercial label is our independent journalism, because there is nothing to disclose about it — it is ours, and it is not for sale.
How we label advertising
Display and sponsorship placements are presented as advertising and are visually distinct from editorial. They are sold through our commercial team and described on our advertise page. Advertising buys attention and placement, never influence over what we report. Where an ad unit sits close to editorial content, we take care that its styling and any labelling make clear it is an advertisement, so the boundary is obvious even at a glance.
How we label sponsored content
Every sponsored feature carries a clear sponsorship label identifying it as paid, branded content. It is kept separate from independent editorial and never presented as our own reporting. Sponsored work does not affect our reviews or ratings. The label appears where a reader will see it before they invest time in the piece, not tucked away at the end, because disclosure that arrives too late to inform the reader is not really disclosure at all.
How we handle press releases
A press release is labelled as a company-supplied announcement so readers know the news comes from the organisation named, not from our newsroom. It is reviewed for accuracy and compliance before publishing but remains clearly commercial. Publishing a release is a distribution service, and it is kept firmly separate from any independent reporting we may or may not choose to do on the same subject; the two are never presented as one.
How we handle affiliate links
Some articles contain affiliate links that may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you. These are covered by our affiliate disclosure, and they never determine what we recommend. Recommendations are editorial and are not for sale, and we don’t sell undisclosed or disguised paid links anywhere on the site. Where an article contains affiliate links, we say so, so you can read our recommendation knowing exactly how it is funded. The commercial relationship sits behind the link; the judgement about whether something is worth your attention stays entirely with our writers.
What this disclosure does not cover
This page explains how we label the commercial content we control. It does not govern third-party advertising networks’ own data practices, external sites we link to, or the terms of services we mention — those are covered by their own policies, and we encourage you to read them. Nor does it change our editorial standards, which are set out separately. What it does promise is that anything on PeopleOnTheNews we have been paid to publish will be labelled as such, and that our independent coverage will never be among it.
Editorial independence
The central commitment behind every label is that our coverage is never for sale. Commercial arrangements are handled separately from the newsroom, which alone decides what to report, review and rate. No advertiser, sponsor or partner receives editorial favour in exchange for spending, and none can veto or shape our journalism.
The labels exist to make that independence visible. When a reader can clearly see the small amount of content that is paid, they can trust that everything else is not — which is the whole reason our editorial is worth reading. Independence is also why we can be a good commercial partner: a labelled placement beside journalism people believe in carries weight that a placement on a compromised outlet never could. Disclosure and independence are not competing goals here; they are two sides of the same commitment.
Questions and corrections
If you spot content you think is inadequately labelled, or you are unsure whether something is paid, please tell us. Use our contact page or email partners@peopleonthenews.com and we will review it promptly and correct anything that falls short. We would genuinely rather hear about a labelling problem than have it go unnoticed, because a disclosure policy is only as good as its weakest example. We also keep this page updated as our commercial formats evolve, so it always reflects how PeopleOnTheNews actually operates rather than how it once did.
PeopleOnTheNews is an independent entertainment publication produced by a named editorial team working to published editorial standards. Learn more about us, meet the team, and read our affiliate disclosure. All disclosure on PeopleOnTheNews follows the FTC endorsement guidelines.
Frequently asked questions
What does this advertising disclosure cover?
How PeopleOnTheNews labels advertising, sponsored content, press releases and affiliate links so you can tell them from independent reporting.
How do I know if something is paid?
Paid content carries a clear label in line with the FTC endorsement guidelines. If it is ever unclear, tell us.
Does advertising influence your reporting?
No. Our coverage is never for sale. Commercial arrangements are handled separately from the newsroom.
What are affiliate links?
Links that may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. They never determine recommendations — see our affiliate disclosure.
Do you sell paid links?
We don’t sell undisclosed or disguised paid links. Any commercial placement is clearly disclosed.
How is sponsored content different from editorial?
Sponsored content is paid and labelled; editorial is independent and never for sale.
What if I think something is mislabelled?
Contact us and we will review it promptly and correct anything that falls short of this disclosure.
Where can I read more about your funding?
See how we make money for a full explanation of our revenue sources.