PBS Internet Sponsorship and Advertising Guidelines

Updated October 2006

If you are interested in learning more about sponsorship on PBS.org, or if you have questions about these guidelines, please contact us.

Overview

In order to continue to provide access to a wide range of free, high-quality content and services, PBS is exploring new, responsible ways to expand our funding; Internet sponsorship is one part of this effort. Revenue from these activities will be reinvested in the television programs, educational services, Web sites and more that PBS provides. The guidelines below were developed to protect and maintain the character and integrity of content throughout the PBS.org domain.

PBS Review

PBS has the right to review and approve all sponsorship material, with the exception of sponsored links, before it is posted on PBS.org. PBS retains the right to remove previously approved material if PBS later determines that the material is not consistent with or does not comply with our guidelines.

In reviewing online sponsorship material, in addition to applying these guidelines, PBS will consider editorial appropriateness, particularly when the content subject matter is sensitive, or when the perception of sponsor involvement with particular content on a page or area of PBS.org is too high.

Sponsorship messages that seek to promote public television generally or align with the PBS mission are encouraged.

All sponsorship messages must contain a descriptor/designation of the sponsoring entity.

Accuracy

All product claims must be substantiated by evidence in the possession of the sponsor. Evidence of claims that focus on relative ranking, preference or efficacy must be presented on the landing page following a click on the sponsor message.

Privacy/Personal Data Collection

PBS is committed to protecting the private information of our visitors. PBS expects its sponsors to operate in a manner that is consistent with our collection and use of personal data, per the PBS privacy policy posted here:

http://www.pbs.org/aboutsite/aboutsite_privacy.html

Sponsors must have a privacy policy that is clearly posted and linked to on the destination site's landing page or home page.

Where personal information is collected on the sponsor's landing page:

• Collection of that information must be in compliance with all privacy laws
• Sponsor must state how it will use the information collected
• Collection of the information must be in a secure environment
• Sponsor will not willfully disclose personal information collected to any third party without first receiving permission
• Sponsor may only use personally identifiable information for activities stated in its privacy policy
• If a user does not want their information to be collected or used, sponsor must provide an opportunity for the user to opt out

Categorical Exclusions

The following sponsor material is inappropriate for PBS.org and will not be accepted under any circumstances (this list is for illustrative purposes and does not include all types of material that PBS may find objectionable):

• Tobacco of any kind
• Weapons of any kind
• Alcohol of any kind
• Illicit drugs
• Pornography/adult content/adult themes
• Gambling
• Political entities or messages that express a political view about a matter of public importance or opposes/supports a political candidate (lobbyists, political advocacy groups, etc.)
• Material promoting religious conversion or religious participation
• Material that violates laws, rules or regulations (slander, libel, etc.)
• Material that is disguised as editorial content
• Material promoting violence or advocating against any organization, person or animal (public, private, or protected)
• Material promoting pyramid or multi-level marketing schemes
• Material that directly advertises products to children
• Sponsorship messages for "M" rated video games
• Sponsorship messages from direct competitors as defined by PBS
• Sponsorship messages promoting human body parts for transplant purposes.
• Sponsorship messages offering products made from the fur or hide of animals included on endangered species lists.
• Sponsorship messages offering the sale of knock-offs, counterfeits or replicas of nationally advertised merchandise.
• Sponsorship messages for radar detectors or other devices that are designed to enable motorists to evade traffic safety or anti-speed laws.

Strictly Prohibited Units/Creative/Message Content

The following types of messaging units and creative are prohibited:

• Pop-ups or pop-unders
• Sponsorship messages that extend beyond the space dedicated without user initiation
• Sponsorship messages that do not retract to the dedicated space upon user scroll off
• Audio and/or video clips that begins without user initiation
• Audio and/or video clips that can not be ended with user initiation
• Sponsorship messages that do not allow users to return to PBS.org by clicking once on the browser's "Back" button
• Sponsorship messages that strobe
• Sponsorship messages that mimic computer functions
• Sponsorship messages that include a game, contest, sweepstakes for prizes or other compensation, or other enter or register to win scenarios
• Sponsorship messages that contain excessive capitalization or punctuation
• Messages containing crude or indecent language
• Messages that express or imply discrimination on grounds of race, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status or disability.
• Material containing deceptive, fraudulent, misleading, or false information
• Material considered inappropriate for children, even though it may not explicitly target children (death, sensationalism, frightening images, etc.)
• Indecent, vulgar, suggestive or other advertising that, in the opinion of PBS, may be offensive to good taste.
• Unreasonable, unlikely or extraordinary product/service claims
• An implied affiliation for favored status with PBS, PBS.org or any member station
• Unauthorized or unapproved use of any PBS, PBS producer, or member station's creative assets (logos, characters, names, etc.)
• Sponsorship messages containing U.S. Currency that do not comply with U.S. Treasury regulations.
• Sponsorship messages containing telephone toll line numbers.
• Sponsorship messages that promote medicines, supplements, or medical devices that lead to self-diagnosis or self-treatment of serious medical conditions, or claim to prevent, treat, or cure serious medical conditions.
• Sponsorship messages that contain unsubstantiated "miracle" weight loss claims.
• Sponsorship messages for fortune telling, dream interpretation, and horoscopes when the emphasis is on serious interpretation rather than entertainment.

Strict Review

The following sponsor material is questionable and will be subject to PBS' strict review. Particular attention will be paid to the execution of the following message elements:

• Prescription or over the counter drugs
  • May include drug brand name and indication of the condition/illness treated by the drug
  • May not include statements about the symptoms or nature of the condition/illness treated by the drug or side effects of the drug
  • Drugs/products for use in birth control, personal care or the treatment of sexually related conditions are not permitted
• Sponsorship messages for "R" rated movies
  • Creative may not contain (in text or images) any vulgar, sexual or violent themes (see above)
  • Content/themes should be in keeping with the context of the PBS site and content
• Controversial topics
  • Vulgar, sexual, violent, and discriminatory content (text or images) are not permitted (see above)
• Material that contains superlatives
  • Superlatives may not be used to make extraordinary product claims (see above)
  • Superlatives may not be used to support prohibited calls to action (see below)
  • Excessive use of superlatives is not permitted
• Material that makes competitive claims
  • Direct reference to specific competitors is prohibited
  • Extraordinary and unsubstantiated claims are not permitted (see above)
• Calls to action:
  • Calls to action can not be the primary focus of the creative
  • Visually intrusive text or images are prohibited
  • Can not imply specific (time/day) deadlines
  • Can not focus on discounting or price offers
  • Can not imply any personal or general penalty for failure to act
  • Calls to action should be unique to the message, service or product provided.
  • Landing page must relate directly to the content of the ad
• Pricing/Offers:
  • Price and value offers are not permitted
    Ex: Flights from $109, Available from $15,995, Now $25.95, Only $12.95, valued at $199.95.
  • Purchase with purchase or gift with purchase offers are not permitted
    Ex: buy one - get one free, free gift with purchase.
  • Limited time savings offers are not permitted
    Ex: order now and save

Sponsored Links Guidelines

Sponsored links are paid text advertisements provided by Google. Advertisers sign up with Google to have their text links appear on Google's network of search and content partner sites (including pbs.org). Google's technology displays advertiser links relevant to page content or a user's search. When users click on a sponsored link, they leave pbs.org and go to the advertiser's Web site. Neither Google nor any advertiser featured in Google's sponsored links has any control over, or involvement in, PBS' editorial process.

Google has strict guidelines for ads that it accepts into its network. Google's policies can be viewed here:

https://adwords.google.com/select/contentpolicy.html
https://adwords.google.com/select/guidelines.html

Beyond the policies outlined by Google, PBS has also established its own sponsored links guidelines, which provide additional filters. This blocklist reflects the exclusions noted above. In the event that a text link appears on pbs.org that PBS deems editorially inappropriate, we will make every effort to remove the text link as quickly as possible and block it from appearing again.

If you are interested in learning more about sponsorship on PBS.org, or if you have questions about these guidelines, please contact us.