Just this last month, I was glancing through another chiropractic publication when I noticed an interesting coincidence. The primary advertisers seemed to also be the columnists. To insure that this was not a hasty judgment, a comparison was made between advertisements and articles to determine just how prevalent this practice was. It should be noted that this is an analysis of a single forty page issue:
One advertiser placed a full-page, two-color advertisement on page 3 and an article by the president of that company appeared on page 25.This really shouldn't have been too surprising, considering the list of contributing editors for this publication. A careful study reveals that a rather large percentage of these editors are actually advertisers.Another advertiser placed a full-page, four-color advertisement on page 9 and was able to promote its product in an article that began on page 17 and continued to page 20.
A different advertiser placed a four-color advertisement on page 21 and received THREE articles. One was by the owner of the company (who is also a "contributing editor") that began on page 27 and continued to page 29. Two additional "articles" appeared on pages 26 and 29 which advertised an upcoming seminar and new workshop.
Three advertisers placed half-page advertisements on pages 14, 15 and 26. These advertisers enjoyed articles featured on pages 15, 24 and 26. In addition, one of the advertisers received an additional article on page 33.
Three more advertisers with smaller ads on pages 15, 23 and 24 enjoyed editorial space on pages 18, 20, 32 and 37. Some of these articles were smaller, perhaps corresponding to the smaller size of the advertisements.
What does the practice of allowing advertisers to control and influence editorial content say about the credibility of a publication?
Is the editorial space truly "for sale" as it appears?
How will these advertising/editorial "alliances" affect the "news" items that appear?
Actions speak louder than words. What other publications do is not as important as what we do.
It is no secret that Dynamic Chiropractic has lost a few major advertisers because we were unwilling to allow their status as advertisers to control or compromise our editorial policies. In addition, there are many smaller advertisers which we continually turn away because we won't "do a deal" which includes free editorial space for paid advertising. These are standards that we will always maintain and will always be proud of.
Our editorial department and our advertising department are completely separate. Each article submitted is reviewed by at least two members of the editorial staff. Due to the large number of articles that are submitted to us for publication, we enjoy the privilege of being able to accept only the best. Even publishing every two weeks, we are forced to reject 70% of the articles we receive.
You probably don't think about a publication's editorial standards or how the lack of standards could influence what you read. You shouldn't have to worry about this. But not every publication has standards as high as DC's. This is one of the reasons why Dynamic Chiropractic is an institutional member of the Society of Professional Journalists.
In a world where quick bucks and easy deals seem to be the order of the day, DC is striving to maintain the highest degree of integrity, credibility, and dedication to the chiropractic profession. That is one of the reasons the Motion Palpation Institute is non-profit. This is also the reason why we enjoy an excellent working relationship with all of the major (and most of the minor) chiropractic organizations in the world.
Dynamic Chiropractic won't be trying to sell you insurance, ask you to hustle mattresses to your patients, teach you how to make more money and increase your practice at the expense of chiropractic research or even form a fifth national organization (not a true non-profit association, but a for-profit corporation).
Instead, we will continue to strive to be just what we are: an open forum for the profession that will keep you informed of every important event occurring in chiropractic.
DMP Jr., BS, HCD(hc)
When sports chiropractors first appeared at the Olympic Games in the 1980s, it was alongside individual athletes who had experienced the benefits of chiropractic care in their training and recovery processes at home. Fast forward to Paris 2024, where chiropractic care was available in the polyclinic for all athletes, and the attitude has now evolved to recognize that “every athlete deserves access to sports chiropractic."
It is estimated that 61% of patients with CTS avoid taking surgical options due to postoperative complications and costly surgical procedures. Chiropractic care offers a comprehensive and effective treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome, addressing the condition from multiple angles. Recent studies also have unveiled a game-changing adjunct to chiropractic treatments for CTS: nerve flossing.
Some doctors thrive in a personality-based clinic and have a loyal following no matter what services or equipment they offer, but for most chiropractic offices who are trying to grow and expand, new equipment purchases help us stay relevant and continue to service our client base in the best, most up-to-date manner possible. So, regarding equipment purchasing: should you lease, get a bank loan, or pay cash?
