The editorial-style adverts were found to be identical to an article published in another newspaper, Der Standard, where the piece was marked as a paid advertisement. However, the Kronen Zeitung and Kurier articles were not marked as advertisements.
After a reader pointed out the inconsistency to the Austrian press council, it was discovered that the unmarked articles violated points three and four of the Austrian press code of honour. These points call for distinctness and impartiality in editorial content.
The articles featured descriptions of charitable work supported by Casinos Austria and Austrian Lotteries, including a shelter for vulnerable people in Vienna and a Red Cross campaign. A picture owned by Austrian Lotteries, with the text “Austria vaccines initiative,” was included alongside each article.
An analysis by the Senate revealed that the articles were presented in a promotional fashion, lacking criticism or negativity. The language used was of a promotional nature, and the articles were replicated exactly across all three publications.
Even if a promotion is not paid for, it must clearly be marked as an advertisement in any press publication.
The Senate concluded that the articles should have been marked as advertisements and that readers were misled by their presentation as editorial content. The publications were called upon to acknowledge this decision.
