The Monitor's Advertising Policy

Advertising is a key component of any newspaper's success. It provides useful information for readers and helps defray production costs.

The founder of this paper, Mary Baker Eddy, made it clear to those who worked with her that she wanted the Monitor to contain a significant amount of advertising every day. On one occasion she wrote to the paper's managing editor chiding him for the fact that advertising was scarce in a particular edition.

In keeping with the standards Mrs. Eddy set for the Monitor, it always has sought to run only advertisements that are honest and in good taste. As an activity of the Church of Christ, Scientist, the paper declines to run advertisements from industries - tobacco, alcohol, and medicine - that are important revenue sources for other publications.

Those of us who publish the paper and those who read it need to value the advertisers who help fund this important work. We encourage support of Monitor advertisers.

While we value those who advertise in our paper, our acceptance of an advertisement is not an endorsement of the product or service it discusses. The Monitor does not endorse products or services.

Our acceptance of an advertisement signifies our view that the product or service is appropriate for a home newspaper. It implies that we believe the product or service will be of legitimate interest to our readers. Finally, acceptance signifies that we believe the claims in the ad are honest to the best of our ability to judge that issue.

Acceptance of an ad for a book, movie, or show does not necessarily imply that the Monitor or the Christian Science Publishing Society endorses the ideas presented or approves of every word in a book, a movie, or a play that advertises in the paper. The reader is expected to do his or her own thinking.

To assist readers in assessing books and movies, the paper publishes frequent reviews in our news columns. The reviews are intended to help readers decide for themselves what films they wish to see or books they wish to read. The Monitor brings the same values to selecting the items we review as we bring to other coverage decisions - namely our desire to be a constructive, healing force in our readers' lives.

We appreciate your continuing support of Monitor advertisers and your calm and thoughtful assessment of the meaning of individual advertisements.

William H. Hill

Manager