Advertising Policies and Guidelines
Policies
Acceptability
The Daily Campus reserves the right to reject advertising deemed to affect adversely the integrity and credibility of the news site as a source of truthful and accurate information, be repugnant to most of the readers served by the news site, or be in conflict with the educational mission of the university community served.
Liability
Sole responsibility for the content of an ad rests with the advertiser, who unconditionally agrees to hold smudailycampus.com and SMU’s Division of Journalism harmless should a claim arise and to pay for any and all expenses incurred as a result of publication of an ad. Should an ad not be published as ordered, smudailycampus.com cannot be responsible for any losses or damages caused as a result. Should there be an error in an ad, smudailycampus.com’s liability is limited to the amount paid for the portion of the ad containing the error.
Terms of Payment
All rates listed are non-commissionable (net) rates.
Pre-Payment
Make checks and mail orders payable to SMU Division of Journalism and list the publication where the ad will run in the memo.
MasterCard, VISA, American Express and Discover accepted.
Credit
All advertising is payable in advance. Credit is offered on a limited basis to preferred advertisers, and is subject to approval by The Daily Campus’s business office.
Any agency placing an ad will accept full responsibility for placement and pre-payment thereof.
The Daily Campus reserves the right to refuse any ad from any advertiser whose account is past due.
SMU Departments/Organizations
Campus advertisements must be paid in advance with a signed check request, cash, or charged to a campus account number, MasterCard, VISA, American Express or Discover account.
Cancellation
Requests must be received by noon three business days before publication. There will be no refunds after this deadline.
Contract and Copy Regulations
Contracts
Advertisers scheduling yearly contracts will receive our lowest rate. Ask your representative or call 214-768-5769.
Proofs
Available by 3 p.m., three business days before publication. All corrections or changes must be received no later than 3 p.m., TWO business days before publication.
Errors in Ads
The Daily Campus shall not be responsible for typographical errors which do not lessen the value of an advertisement. Liability for an omitted ad shall be limited to rescheduling at the advertiser’s request.
The Daily Campus is not responsible for errors in advertising copy accepted after deadline or when advertisers or their representatives have approved an ad containing those errors.
The Daily Campus will be responsible for only the first insertion of incorrect copy or scheduling. Compensation for errors made by smudailycampus.com is limited to the cost of the first insertion of the ad.
Advertising Acceptability Guidelines
SMU’s Division of Journalism, hereinafter referred to as the “Division,” reserves the right to reject advertising submitted for publication on the Division’s Web sites, for any reason.
1. The Division presumes that most advertising copy submitted for publication will meet the standards embodied in these Guidelines. But, the Division also recognizes that some advertising copy, if published, would diminish the integrity and credibility of student media as sources of truthful and accurate information, would be repugnant to most readers/listeners served by the media, or would be in conflict with the educational mission of Southern Methodist University.
This includes advertising copy that promotes academic dishonesty and/or violates local, state and federal statutes related to libel, obscenity, invasion of privacy and copyright infringement. This includes copy that is misleading or deceptive or that grossly exaggerates or makes unwarranted, unsubstantiated or unfair claims. This includes copy that encourages the evasion or violation of any campus, municipal, state or federal law, regulation or ordinance.
2. The Division holds the advertiser fully responsible for the contents of an advertisement and for complying with applicable legal statutes and Division policies and procedures, and for obtaining model releases and seeking required copyright waivers, etc. Additionally, the Division holds the advertiser fully and unconditionally responsible for all claims as a result of publication/broadcast of an advertisement as well as for any and all expenses arising therefrom.
3. The Division conforms to local, state and federal Affirmative Action and Equal Employment Opportunity guidelines and will not accept for publication advertising that discriminates on the basis of race, age, sex, disability, religion, national origin or sexual orientation, except in those instances in classified employment and housing advertising when gender is a bona fide occupational qualification or when gender preferences are stated in ads involving shared living facilities.
4. The Division will not knowingly accept advertising that (a) encourages students to purchase reports and/or research material done by others; (b) requires readers to send money to obtain further information on a product or service; (c) promotes the sale of such products and services as drug paraphernalia, drugs, fireworks, adoption through/by individual(s), firearms, and organ donations. Advertising of alcoholic beverages is allowed provided the advertisement does not patently encourage and/or promote illegal, inappropriate or irresponsible consumption behavior, e.g., “Drink and Drown,” “Crash and Burn,” “All You Can Drink,” or drinking contests. Advertising copy is expected to conform to requirements of the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission. Statements supporting responsible drinking by those of legal drinking age are encouraged.
5. Additionally, the Division will not knowingly accept advertising that most readers in the University environment would consider offensive or in poor taste. It will submit such copy in advance of publication to an internal review process outlined in the final paragraph of these Guidelines. This copy may include, but not be limited to, products or services that frequently have served as “fronts” for questionable, sometimes illegal or unethical activities, e.g., masseurs and masseuses, envelope stuffing and work-at-home projects, dating or escort services, sex-oriented chat lines and toll/toll-free numbers, modeling, topless clubs, pornographic movies, pregnancy referral, gambling, “get rich quick” promotions, advertising mentioning a product or service other than that provided by the advertiser, or advertising containing the words “must be 18.”
6. The Division will reproduce currency only in black and white and then only in reduced (no larger than 75 percent) or enlarged (at least 150 percent) sizes.
7. The Division will use the University logo and other trademarked University symbols in advertisements promoting non-university sponsored activities and products only if a royalty agreement between the University and the advertiser exists.
8. The Division will consider copy for “personal” ads if (a) the ad is placed in person (no phone orders will be accepted) and (b) photo identification is provided (ID incorporating social security or student identification number and/or valid Texas driver’s license accepted). The Division will record the identification number plus permanent address and phone number on the insertion order.
9. The Division requires that, as a service to readers and as a help in applying the Advertising Acceptability Guidelines, the majority of all advertising copy be in English. Single line deviations to this rule will be allowed for emphasis only.
10. The Division requires that most advertising copy read left to right, and it will accept no advertising designed to run sideways/upside down or with features distracting from aesthetic appearance and violating design standards. Handwritten or typewriter text is discouraged.
11. The Division owns all advertising copy created – in whole or in part – by Divsion personnel.
12. The Division discourages use of advertising design resembling standard news and editorial matter and, when necessary to differentiate between the two, requires that a border be placed around an advertisement using a “news” font and that the word “Advertisement” be clearly and conspicuously printed at the top. The text also may require the name of the sponsor of the advertising.
13. The Division accepts opinion advertising to allow forums for presentation of diverse ideas and opinion, including those differing from the editorial positions of the various media, so long as such advertising is consistent with the Advertising Acceptability Guidelines. The Division requires and will publish full identification of the sponsors of all opinion advertisements. The Division requires evidence that all persons named in the advertising copy have given permission for use of their names.
14. In the event of inclement weather, The Daily Campus will make every effort to publish and distribute in accordance with our publication schedule. The Daily Campus assumes no liability whatsoever for cancelled/late publications or reduced distribution due to inclement weather.
The Division has delegated responsibility for reviewing and making decisions regarding the acceptability of questionable advertising for publication in student produced media to teams of three students, normally the two chief news-editorial staffers and the student advertising manager/sales & marketing manager, i.e., Editor, Managing Editor, and student Advertising Manager for smudailycampus.com. As part of the review process, the team shall seek guidance and information from a variety of sources, including appropriate members of the Division’s professional staff, legal counsel, municipal, state and federal government agencies, and consumer, business and industry trade groups.
