NewsGuard serves TV-news “nutrition labels” to Madison Avenue

The Future. Journalism and technology company NewsGuard is opening up its TV news “nutrition labels” to ad buyers and brands, so they can make better-informed decisions about where they are placing their ads. With TV news so fractured in viewership, the labels may shift millions of dollars in advertising to programs that are deemed “safer,” even though they don’t command as large of an audience.

Commentary calories
What if you could see how “good” a TV news program is for you?

• After an exclusive run with ad-buying firm Interpublic Group Magna, NewsGuard (which rates the “veracity of new content”) is beginning to license its services to all of Madison Avenue.
• Per Variety, the safety ratings for about 140 cable, streaming, and network shows and full networks will be available starting January 2.
• The reports are provided as “nutrition labels” that provide an overall rating for the risk of running advertising on the shows or networks.

The ratings take into account everything from fact-based reporting to citing credible experts to providing multiple viewpoints. “Low-risk” programs include CNN’s Inside Politics and Fox’s MediaBuzz (both 9 out of 10), and CBS Evening News (10 out of 10). “High-risk” programs include MSNBC’s Morning Joe (4 out of 10) and Fox’s Tucker Carlson Tonight (0 out of 10).

Let’s see which brands decide to move their advertising based on the ratings…