The Litmus Test

Within a newspaper, there is often tension between two departments that are, at least in theory, far apart: accounting and editorial. While the journalist focuses on reality, the accountant ensures that the books balance — and those books largely depend on the advertising the publication attracts to its pages. The conflict arises when a news story is critical of a company that advertises in that same medium.

– “But did you really have to publish that? Couldn’t you give it a softer tone?”

This conflict is unavoidable, but it is also survivable. The powers at work manage their differences because the field covered by news reporting is much broader than the specific interests of any single advertiser. Thus, the publication does not depend excessively on any one external source of funding.

A very different situation arises when the publication’s raison d’être is the consumer goods available on the market — and there are many such publications, particularly in Japan. Their fields are diverse: cars, watches, fashion, gastronomy…

Publications in Japan.

And the problem now is obvious — the number of potential advertisers is very limited, and the publication becomes more vulnerable to any negative reaction its reporting might provoke.
But who is the reader of the publication? For whom is it produced? Where does the publication’s loyalty truly lie?

Beyond polite words and public relations, the litmus test is simple: does that publication ever say anything negative about a product? According to them, is there a bad car on the market? A bad watch? A bad pen? Do they ever dare to publish a negative review?

Because at the end of the day, they must decide whether they are in the business of reporting — or in the business of collecting advertisements.

Mannenhitsu-no Yamada – Akkerman #13 Simpliest Violet


Bruno Taut
October 28th, 2025
etiquetas: mercado, publicaciones