Buzz Marketing with Blogs: The New Disclosure Statement

The New Disclosure Statement

You know what they are—the sentence about halfway through the article that says “Microsoft owns Slate,” or that a particular columnist does not own any stocks recommended in his or her columns. (Though there is some debate as to whether columnists ought to own stocks they recommend.)

Jason Calacanis shows what a disclosure statement in a blog world can be, with this missive about his potential conflicts of interest in his coverage of Sundance.

I’m a fan of independent film and for four of the last five years I’ve been lucky enough to attend the Sundance Film Festival. The purpose of this statement is to let you know about my limited history in indie film, my goals for BloggingSundance.com, and a wide group of people I’m associated with who have a direct interest in the indie film industry.

It’s likely that any good blogger or reporter would have as much to say about an industry that they cover. Peter Bart at Variety, for example, has connections just as tight with the studios, but you’d never know it from the Variety staff page. Not to single out that publication—old media just doesn’t disclose like that. It’s a shame, because sharing the context of your relationships gives additional, not less, weight to what you have to say. Kudos to Jason for showing how bloggers can do better.

Disclosure: I used to work for Variety, and was editor of their Web site. Peter Bart was my boss, and I’m still friends with people on staff there. I’ve never been to Sundance, and have met Jason C. once or twice.

Posted by Travis Smith on 01/24 at 07:46 AM • Blogging Tips