All news organizations, including the Summit Daily News, are divided into two departments: advertising and the newsroom. News coverage is created separately from advertising efforts. While newsrooms and advertising staff occasionally collaborate on business initiatives and projects, all news coverage decisions are made by the editor and independently of any revenue-based influence.
Advertising glossary
Advertorial: An advertisement that is designed to look like editorial content. The term is a blend of the words “advertisement” and “editorial.” Content written by the advertiser will be marked “paid advertising,” while content written by a third-party will be marked “sponsored content.”
Political advertising: Advertising by or on behalf of a political candidate or group that is bound by federal and state campaign finance laws, including expenditure reporting and “paid for by” statements.
Sponsored content: Paid stories that are designed to look like editorial content. The Summit Daily will clearly distinguish this content as sponsored in print and online.
Newsroom glossary
Anonymous source: The writer and editor know who the source is, but the source wishes to remain unnamed, usually for fear of retribution. The Summit Daily seeks to avoid using anonymous sources but occasionally will grant anonymity in cases where naming the source could threaten their life or livelihood.
Off the record: When a source tells a journalist a secret. The source and the journalist must agree that the conversation, or a portion of the conversation, is off the record before it begins. Journalists will never report on off-the-record conversations, not even to say they had them.
On the record: All conversations with a journalist are on the record unless the reporter and the source have agreed otherwise. All quotes will be attributed to a source who is sharing information during an on-the-record interview.
Source: A person, group, organization or publication that provides information to a journalist.
Opinion glossary
Commentary or column: These columns are opinion and not news. They are the thoughts of individual writers. Other news organizations call these columns op-eds or “opposite the editorial.”
Editorial: The opinion of the Editorial Board on a community issue. The board typically consists of the publisher, editor and two community representatives. The Summit Daily does not have an editorial board and does not write editorials.
Source: News Media Alliance and Colorado Mountain News Media staff