Advertising Guidelines

These Guidelines set forth standards that govern Meningitis New’s relationship with its advertising partners and the relationship between editorial and advertising content. The overriding consideration is that Meningitis News must maintain its editorial integrity and the trust of its readers. We believe that establishing, publicly displaying, and adhering to these Guidelines is important to protect the trust and transparency that should exist between a publication, its readers, and its advertisers.

We also recognize that no set of Guidelines can address every situation or issue that may arise in the course of doing business, especially given the pace of change within the media industry. Accordingly, we anticipate that these guidelines will be revisited and updated from time to time. In particular, we will remain teachable and open to suggestions, criticism, and correction from our readers and other interested parties. 

GENERAL ADVERTISING GUIDELINES

The Guidelines in the following section apply to all advertisements and sponsor content served by or appearing on www.MeningitisNews.org, www.MeningitisHealth.com and all related mobile and app extensions. (hereinafter “Meningitis News”).

• Meningitis News will not allow any relationship with an advertiser to compromise Meningitis New’s editorial integrity.

• All advertising content must be clearly distinguishable from editorial content. To that end, Meningitis News will label an advertisement with the word “Advertisement” when, in its opinion, this is necessary to make clear the distinction between editorial material and advertising.

• Advertisers are responsible for ensuring that their ads are adequately substantiated and comply with all applicable laws, regulations, and guidelines. While the content of advertising does not necessarily reflect the views of Meningitis News or its editors, if it comes to the attention of Meningitis News that an ad, in our opinion, contains demonstrably false or unlawful content, Meningitis News will refuse or remove the ad in whole or in part.

• Meningitis News may exercise its discretion to refuse or remove any advertising that is inconsistent with or may tend to bring disparagement, harm to reputation, or other damage to Meningitis New’s brand.

• Although Meningitis News will evaluate whether to work with advertisers on a case-by-case basis, some examples of advertising Meningitis News will not accept are the following:o Advertising that Meningitis News believes, in its opinion, is indecent, vulgar, suggestive, profane, or offensive.
  
  

  o Advertising that Meningitis News believes includes hateful or violent text advocating against any individual, group, or organization.

  o Advertising that Meningitis News determines to be inflammatory.

  o Advertising that Meningitis News determines represents a personal attack against an individual, country, or organization.

  o Advertising that Meningitis News believes will undermine the intellectual integrity, authority, and character of its mission and brand. 
• Advertising for illegal products or services, including drugs, illegal substances, or any related products or services.

All determinations of the application of the foregoing standards to particular advertisements or advertisers shall be within the sole discretion of Meningitis New’s business-side staff and editorial team in deciding whether to accept or reject specific advertisers.

Meningitis News may remove advertising content at any time if such content is inconsistent with the policies described herein, with or without prior notice to the advertising client and regardless of whether the advertising content has been accepted or displayed within Meningitis News for any period of time. 

SPONSOR CONTENT GUIDELINES

The guidelines in the following section shall apply to all Sponsor Content served by or appearing in on Meningitis News. (These are in addition to the general guidelines for advertising content that appear above, which apply to Sponsor Content as well.)

• Sponsor Content is content created or commissioned by advertisers in collaboration with Meningitis New’s marketing team. Meningitis News allows Sponsor Content in two forms: (1) Content produced by our marketing team as commissioned by its advertising partners and (2) Content produced by advertisers.
• As with all advertising, Sponsor Content does not necessarily reflect the views and choices of Meningitis New’s editors. Accordingly, Meningitis News will prominently display the following disclaimer on all Sponsor Content: ‘SPONSOR CONTENT.’ Meningitis News will include a disclaimer on all Sponsor Content that notes the involvement or non-involvement of Meningitis New's editorial staff in curating or creating the Content and clarifies that the Content is made possible by a Sponsor. Meningitis News may additionally include, in certain areas and platforms, further explanation defining Sponsor Content to Meningitis News readers. In addition, Meningitis News will ensure the treatment and design of Advertising and Sponsor Content is clearly differentiated from its editorial content.

• Meningitis News does not require that Sponsor Content steer clear of controversy. Indeed, we expect that Sponsor Content, like our own editorial content, will sometimes address contested issues and will be written with a distinct point of view. That said, even with the caveat that Sponsor Content does not necessarily reflect the views of Meningitis News or its editors, Meningitis News will refuse publication of such content that, in its own judgment, would undermine the intellectual integrity, authority, and character of our enterprise.

• As with all advertising, and consistent with the foregoing General Advertising Guidelines, Meningitis News may reject or remove any Sponsor Content at any time that contains false, deceptive, potentially misleading, or illegal content; is inconsistent with or may tend to bring disparagement, harm to reputation, or other damage to Meningitis New’s brand.

• Meningitis News may, at the Sponsor's direction, enable readers to comment on Sponsor Content on Meningitis News sites. If comment functionality is enabled on Sponsor Content, the sponsor will not have any role in moderating such comments. The only moderation of such comments will be performed by Meningitis News employees who implement Meningitis New’s generally applicable Terms and Conditions (http://www.meningitisnews.org/p/terms-and-conditions.html)—which prohibit spam, obscenity, hate speech, and similar content—elsewhere on the site.