Sponsored content is commercial content. It is not independent newsroom reporting and must not be presented in a way that could reasonably cause readers to mistake it for independent editorial journalism.
How Sponsored Content Is Identified
Commercial relationships must be visible to readers. Clear labelling helps distinguish paid material from independent reporting and allows readers to understand the nature of the content before evaluating its claims.
Depending on the format, labels may include:
- Sponsored;
- Partner Content;
- Advertisement;
- Paid Promotion;
- Promotional Feature.
The label should appear clearly enough for readers to understand the commercial nature of the material before or near the beginning of the content. Commercial disclosure should not depend on readers inferring the relationship from tone, branding or links.
What Sponsored Content Is - and Is Not
- Sponsored Content
- Material published as part of a paid commercial relationship with an advertiser, company, institution, event organiser, service provider or other commercial partner.
- Partner Content
- Commercial or collaborative material where the relationship with the partner is disclosed and the content is not presented as independent newsroom reporting.
- Commercial Interview
- An interview or executive perspective published as part of a paid arrangement and clearly identified as commercial material.
- Press Release
- Material supplied by a company or institution for editorial consideration. The Africans Time does not offer paid press-release publication as a standard commercial product.
- Independent Editorial Coverage
- Newsroom content produced independently of a commercial agreement, with editorial conclusions determined by the newsroom rather than by a sponsor or advertiser.
Editorial Boundaries
Payment for sponsored content does not purchase control over unrelated editorial journalism. Commercial cooperation applies to the sponsored material itself and does not create a right to influence independent reporting elsewhere on The Africans Time.
A Sponsor May
- provide factual source material relevant to the sponsored content;
- provide approved commercial messaging for the sponsored material;
- review factual information relating specifically to its own organisation where agreed;
- provide creative assets it has the right to use.
A Sponsor May Not
- approve independent newsroom articles;
- purchase favourable independent coverage;
- remove accurate criticism;
- prevent a correction;
- control unrelated editorial conclusions;
- purchase an editorial ranking position;
- turn promotional material into falsely presented independent journalism.
Paid visibility does not determine editorial ranking position.
Topics We Can Consider
Sponsored content may be considered in subject areas that are relevant to The Africans Time's audience and compatible with the publication's commercial standards.
Business and Investment
- business and corporate developments;
- investment and project finance;
- professional and business services;
- research, data and market intelligence;
- regional economic development.
Infrastructure and Industry
- infrastructure;
- trade and logistics;
- manufacturing and industrial development;
- mining and critical minerals;
- energy and energy transition.
Technology and Future Economies
- technology;
- telecommunications;
- fintech and digital payments;
- artificial intelligence and digital infrastructure;
- data centres and cloud infrastructure.
Professional and Institutional
- education and professional training;
- conferences and exhibitions;
- professional events;
- relevant B2B products and services;
- institutional and industry initiatives relevant to African markets.
Relevance to these topics does not automatically guarantee publication. Commercial material must also meet the requirements on disclosure, evidence and reader safety described in this policy.
Content We Do Not Accept
Paid political or election campaigning is not a standard accepted category and should not be assumed to be available unless The Africans Time creates a separate policy and review process.
Claims and Evidence
Advertisers are responsible for the accuracy of material claims they submit. Commercial presentation does not remove the need for important factual claims to be supportable.
The Africans Time may request evidence for claims involving:
- financial performance;
- investment returns;
- market leadership;
- regulatory approval;
- health or safety;
- environmental performance;
- customer numbers;
- awards or rankings;
- project completion;
- comparative superiority.
Promotional wording should not be used to convert an unsupported claim into an apparent fact.
Sponsored Research, Data and Interviews
The Africans Time may consider commercially supported interviews, executive perspectives, research, data or market-intelligence projects where the commercial relationship is clear.
If a sponsor materially influences methodology, scope or conclusions, that relationship should be disclosed so readers can understand the context in which the material was produced.
Independent editorial findings must not be changed merely because a sponsor dislikes the result.
Links and Creative Assets
Links in sponsored content must be relevant and must not knowingly direct readers to deceptive, unsafe or materially misleading destinations.
The Africans Time does not guarantee search-engine treatment, ranking benefits or SEO outcomes from commercial links.
Advertisers should provide logos, images, copy, trademarks, testimonials and other campaign assets they have the right to use. The presence of advertiser-supplied material does not transfer responsibility for unsupported claims to independent editorial coverage.
No Guaranteed Results
Sponsored content can provide paid visibility, but it does not guarantee:
- traffic;
- SEO rankings;
- Google Discover exposure;
- search visibility;
- sales;
- conversions;
- leads;
- investment;
- business outcomes.
Corrections and Removal
Sponsored content may be corrected where a factual error is identified. A correction does not remove the commercial label or change the sponsored nature of the material.
The Africans Time may reject or remove sponsored material where it contains materially false claims, creates a reader-safety concern, misrepresents its commercial nature, links to unsafe or deceptive destinations, or conflicts materially with our advertising standards.
Contacts
- Sponsored content and advertising
- [email protected]
- Independent editorial submissions
- [email protected]
- Partnerships
- [email protected]
Addis Ababa 1000
Ethiopia