Doing business at the Financial Mail: the operating relationship between specialized print media and advertisers

AbstractThis research aims to determine the extent of the influence of advertisers on thefunction and operations of the Financial Mail and the implications thereof. The studyattempts to contribute to existing research on the impact of income-generatingstrategies on the credibility and independence of print media and on the media’s rolein society by specifically looking at the relationship between the publication andadvertisers. The study will proceed by analysing this relationship; how it influencesday-day operations such as negotiating deals, placing advertisements and planningspecial sections. This study will use critical political economy of the media andtheories of media production as the theoretical approach in the analysis of advertiserinfluence on print media. The methods of analysis include qualitative in-depthinterviews which, combined with the two theoretical approaches, serve to investigatethe effects of commercialisation on print media and its role in society.