The COVID-19 pandemic has generated an unquenchable thirst for information amongst a British population desperate to stay privy to the latest developments and scientific advice; The result is that news outlets are seeing record levels of traffic directed towards their online news stories.

It seems somewhat countercyclical then, that at the time when the demand for online journalism is at its highest, publishers are facing a fall in revenue so severe that it threatens to sever the flow of information so desperately sought after. This is however, the reality British news outlets are currently facing.

When advertisers choose to run digital campaigns they can assign keywords to be blacklisted so that their adverts will not run alongside certain triggers – think words such as “death” or “terrorist” – that will associate their products with the negative connotations of a story.

Publishers across the country are reporting that words relating to the current pandemic are being blacklisted by advertisers. The absence of advertising for UK news outlets on any story relating to the coronavirus means that the industry is facing a £50 million loss in digital revenues.

So while national and regional newspapers are experiencing record levels of traffic, it is not translating into the profits needed to sustain their livelihoods.

Exacerbating the issue is the fact that this blacklist technology is indiscriminate, unable to interpret the tone of a news item. To give an example, a story that provides readers with a recommendation of the 50 best shows to watch on Netflix while they’re stuck inside does not carry with it the negative associations that advertisers are seeking to avoid. However, by virtue of the piece including the word “coronavirus” or “isolation” it will still be absent of adverts.

Speaking to the Guardian, Tracy De Groose, executive chair of Newsworks, the campaigning body for the UK newspaper industry said:

“While we have seen a huge surge in demand from readers for trusted, accurate reporting, advertising ‘blacklists’ are preventing adverts from appearing alongside online stories with the word coronavirus in them…If the pandemic lasts for another three months the total loss across our news brands is expected to be £50m, threatening our ability to fund the quality journalism that is vital to ensure that the UK public is accurately informed during the crisis.”

In an attempt to abate this issue, the UK’s national and regional newspapers have taken a “unified industry appeal”, and published an open letter on Wednesday 8 April 2020, calling on advertisers to reevaluate their decision to blacklist words relating to the coronavirus.

In the letter, De Groose says:

“We understand many marketing budgets are under real pressure now. All we ask is that when you launch your next campaign you check you’re not unknowingly blocking trusted news brands from your plans.”

Publishers also feel they are getting the short end of the stick, with other platforms that are equally awash with pandemic related content – such as Facebook and Twitter – not being treated the same way by advertisers.

Nick Hewat, commercial director at Guardian News & Media said:

“The same advertisers [blocking ads on newspaper sites] are running campaigns on radio and social media, where all the chat is about the virus, which is inconsistent, to say the least…Publishers are the only ones who are punished, in an advertising sense, for reporting and distributing the news that society desperately needs. The system needs an overhaul, the technology needs improving.”