When you read an article on Abendanalyse, you expect honest, independent journalism. This page explains how we handle sponsored content — material that a partner has paid to publish — so you can always tell the difference between editorial reporting and paid promotion. Read on to understand what to look for and how we keep our standards high.
What is sponsored content?
Sponsored content is an article, video, or other material that a commercial partner pays to be published on Abendanalyse. It is written by our editorial team or provided by the partner, but always clearly labelled. We never allow sponsored content that misleads readers or conflicts with our journalistic standards.
Unlike our regular editorial articles, which are driven purely by news value and public interest, sponsored content serves a commercial purpose. Nevertheless, every piece meets the same fact‑checking and ethical guidelines that apply throughout our newsroom. Chefredaktör Matthias Kaiser personally approves all sponsored content proposals before they go live.
How is sponsored content labelled?
Every piece of sponsored content on Abendanalyse carries a visible label — usually ‘Sponsored’, ‘Paid Promotion’, or ‘In cooperation with [Partner Name]’ — placed at the top of the page and repeated in the article summary. The labelling is designed to be unmistakable.
Labels also appear in any newsletter or social‑media post that contains sponsored material. We never use vague terms such as ‘partner content’ or ‘brought to you by’ without a clear explanation. If you are ever unsure, check the top of the article; the label is always present. For more detail on our overall disclosure practices, see our Advertising & Affiliate Disclosure page.
What is the difference between sponsored content and affiliate links?
Affiliate links are ordinary editorial links that may earn Abendanalyse a small commission if you buy a product — they never change the editorial message or create a paid relationship with the seller. Sponsored content is a separate arrangement where a partner pays for the article itself, and the payment is disclosed upfront.
Both practices are transparent, but they serve different purposes. Affiliate links are integrated into standard reporting and are covered by our Advertising & Affiliate Disclosure. Sponsored content is governed by this policy. The editorial team retains full control over the content in both cases; sponsors cannot dictate news coverage or the opinions expressed in our independent journalism.
How this works in practice
For instance, a Swedish renewable‑energy company might sponsor an article about the country’s shift to electric vehicles. The article would be clearly marked ‘Sponsored: In partnership with [Company]’ at the top. Our editorial team retains control over the content and verifies all claims, but the sponsor has no influence over our broader coverage or editorial opinions.
Anna Schulz, our head of fact‑checking, reviews every sponsored piece alongside her regular duties. Claims made in the article are checked against independent sources, and any that cannot be substantiated are removed or rewritten. If the sponsor proposes changes that contradict our editorial standards, we decline them. The final version is approved by Matthias Kaiser before publication. You can read more about our fact‑checking process on our Fact‑Checking Policy page.
Who decides what sponsored content we accept?
All sponsored content proposals are reviewed by Chefredaktör Matthias Kaiser and the commercial team. Acceptance depends on the proposal meeting our editorial standards and not contradicting our mission. We reject any content that promotes falsehoods, illegal activities, or products that clash with our values.
Our ownership structure is separate from any single sponsor: Abendanalyse is owned and operated by Abendanalyse Media Ltd., a private company registered in Gibraltar. The editorial and commercial teams are distinct, and no commercial relationship determines our news decisions. For full ownership details, see our Ownership & Funding page.
If you have a proposal or a question about sponsored content, please email sponsored@abendanalyse.de. For general contact information, visit our Contact page.
In short
Every piece of sponsored content on Abendanalyse is clearly labelled, fact‑checked, and approved by our editor‑in‑chief. You can trust that paid material never disguises itself as independent reporting, and that our editorial team remains in full control of what we publish. If something is not labelled, it is not sponsored.