Publisher Policies

Last updated: October 23, 2025

The Towson Torch (“Towson Torch,” “we,” “us,” “our”) is a positive, good‑news, local news outlet for Towson, Maryland—Good News from Towson!

These Publisher Policies explain what we publish editorially and commercially, how we label and review paid placements, and which submissions and advertisements we will not accept. They are incorporated by reference into our Advertising Terms & Conditions. Where these Policies and the Advertising Terms & Conditions conflict on advertising matters, the Advertising Terms & Conditions control.

1) Editorial Mission & Scope

• Positive, community‑minded coverage. We focus on local business, food & dining, events, arts & culture, and practical local guides that celebrate Towson people and places.
  

• No politics. We do not publish political news, opinion, or commentary; we do not interview or profile candidates in an election context; and we do not publish editorials that advocate for or against legislation, ballot measures, or public policy.
  

• No crime coverage. We do not cover arrests, police blotters, crimes, or mugshots.
  

• Community submissions. Press releases and event notices are considered at our discretion and may be edited for clarity, length, and style. Publication does not constitute endorsement.
  

2) Legal & Ethical Standards (apply to all content, including ads and submissions)

We will not publish content that is:

• Defamatory, libelous, unlawful, or infringing (including copyright, trademark, publicity or privacy rights).

• Deceptive or misleading, including unsubstantiated claims or manipulated media intended to mislead.

• Hateful, harassing, or discriminatory toward a protected class; bullying individuals; or inciting violence.

• Pornographic or sexually explicit, exploitative, or directed to children under 13.

• Malware, spyware, or security‑compromising; or that attempts to phish, spam, or harvest data without permission.
  

Important:

Towson Torch may refuse, remove, or require changes to any content or advertisement we deem unlawful, infringing, misleading, offensive, or inappropriate—consistent with our Advertising Terms & Conditions. We also will not accept ads that claim endorsement by Towson Torch or that are directed to children under 13.

3) Political Content Policy (zero‑tolerance)

• Editorial: We do not publish political news or opinion; no candidate profiles, endorsements, polling stories, or legislative advocacy.
  

• Advertising: We do not accept political advertising of any kind, including but not limited to: candidate, party, PAC, ballot‑measure, “issue” or advocacy ads; electioneering communications; fundraising solicitations; or calls to contact public officials. Our Advertising T&Cs already require compliance with law and allow us to reject ads under our Publishing Policies; this section makes clear that political ads are categorically prohibited here.
  

4) Crime & Public Safety

• No crime coverage (arrests, investigations, mugshots, or crime incident roundups).
  

• Public service exceptions: We may publish non‑political public safety notices (e.g., weather advisories, verified emergency alerts, road closures) when they serve an immediate community interest.
  

5) Advertising & Sponsorship Standards

We rely on advertising to support our local coverage. To protect reader trust, editorial independence is non‑negotiableand paid placements must be transparent.

5.1 Clear labeling & separation

• Display ads are placed in designated ad slots.
  

• Sponsored content / “Sponsored Post.” Any story, Q&A, guide, or listicle created for or with an advertiser is labeled Sponsored at the top, with the sponsor named, and appears in sections or feeds consistent with that labeling.
  

• Press releases are clearly labeled Press Release and are not independent reporting.
  

• Paid placements do not influence editorial decisions and do not imply endorsement by Towson Torch. (We may reject any ad that “claims endorsement.”)
  

• Our Advertising T&Cs also require that sponsored content be clearly labeled.
  

5.2 Prohibited & restricted advertising categories

Always prohibited:

• Political & issue advertising (see §3 above).
  

• Illegal products or services; counterfeit goods.
  

• Hate, harassment, discriminatory content.
  

• Adult content or services; sexual enhancement products.
  

• Firearms, weapons, explosives.
  

• Tobacco, vaping, and recreational drugs.
  

• “Get rich quick,” multilevel marketing, or payday lending.
  

• Misleading health/medical claims; unapproved pharmaceuticals or supplements.
  

• Content targeting children under 13.
  

Restricted (case‑by‑case; may require age‑gating, disclaimers, or substantiation): alcohol; state‑regulated lotteries; legal gambling; financial services; medical/healthcare providers; weight‑loss programs; cosmetic/medical procedures; contests/sweepstakes; and CBD/hemp products. We may require additional documentation or decline at our sole discretion.

5.3 Truthfulness & substantiation

Advertisers must be able to substantiate all objective claims. Comparative claims require support. No “fake UI,” deceptive CTAs, deepfakes, or manipulated media that could materially mislead. We may request evidence and can remove ads lacking adequate substantiation. 

5.4 Technical & creative specifications

To protect user experience and performance, we currently accept the following (subject to change):

• Display: standard IAB sizes commonly used on local news sites (e.g., 300×250, 728×90, 300×600, 970×250, 320×50).
  

• Formats: JPG/PNG/GIF (no strobing); HTML5 on approval.
  

• Weight limits: Aim for ≤ 300 KB per creative; total polite‑load ≤ 1 MB.
  

• Animation: ≤ 15 seconds; no audio; no auto‑expand.
  

• Links: Use a single click‑through URL; UTM parameters encouraged.
  

• Alt text: Provide concise, accurate alt text for accessibility.
  

• Third‑party tags/pixels: Allowed only with prior approval; no third‑party JavaScript that materially slows pages or collects data beyond agreed purposes.
  

We reserve the right to compress, resize, or ask for revised assets that meet performance or accessibility standards.

5.5 Sponsored content workflow (if elected)

• Brief & concept approval → Draft → Two (2) rounds of edits → Final sign‑off → Publication.
  

• Sponsored content remains evergreen after publication; edit/removal requests are at our discretion.

5.6 Measurement & reporting

We provide good‑faith delivery and basic reporting (e.g., impressions, clicks, publish dates/placements) from our first‑party systems. Numbers are directional and not guaranteed. We do not guarantee specific outcomes (e.g., sales, signups).

6) Conflicts, Gifts & Samples

Our editorial contributors may accept access needed for coverage (e.g., media passes to a festival) but may not accept cash, gifts of more than nominal value, or compensation in exchange for favorable coverage. Complimentary product/service trials for review do not guarantee coverage and must be disclosed if mentioned.

7) Sourcing, Corrections & Updates

• We strive for accuracy and fairness in our positive coverage.
  

• If we publish an error, we will correct it promptly and note the change when material.
  

• Requests for takedown or corrections should include specific URLs, the issue, and any supporting documentation.
  

8) Intellectual Property

Submitting content (text, images, video, logos) means you warrant you own or have permission to use it and to grant us the rights needed to publish it. Do not submit content you don’t have rights to.

9) Privacy & Data

All content and advertising must respect user privacy and applicable laws. Any data collection tied to a campaign must be disclosed and approved beforehand and must not be directed to children under 13.

10) Enforcement

Towson Torch may reject, pause, or remove any content or advertisement that violates these Policies or our Advertising T&Cs, or that we determine, in our sole discretion, is inconsistent with our mission and community standards. We may request revisions or substantiation and can refuse service even after an insertion order is submitted.

11) Changes to These Policies

We may update these Policies from time to time. The current version will always appear at https://www.towsontorch.com/publisher‑policies.12) ContactQuestions about these Policies or about advertising with Towson Torch?

Email: [email protected]