Edinburgh Wire (edinburghwire.co.uk), owned and operated by Sliema Media Limited, accepts sponsored content as a source of funding but maintains strict editorial independence. All sponsored material is clearly labelled so readers can distinguish it from our independent news coverage. This policy explains how we manage sponsored content, how it differs from affiliate links, and how commercial relationships never shape our editorial conclusions.
What is sponsored content on Edinburgh Wire?
Sponsored content is material that a paying client has commissioned or supplied, and which is published on Edinburgh Wire under a clear “Sponsored” label. Every sponsored article, video or other piece is marked as such at the top of the page, and any promotional messages within the content are disclosed. The label is always visible before a reader engages with the material, and sponsored pieces are separated from our regular news feed in layout where possible.
We require every sponsored piece to comply with our editorial standards for accuracy and legality, but the subject matter and key messages are determined by the sponsor. Edinburgh Wire does not allow sponsored content to claim endorsement from our journalists or to misrepresent our independent coverage.
How does sponsored content differ from affiliate links?
Affiliate links are separate from sponsored content. Affiliate links appear within editorial articles or guides and earn Edinburgh Wire a commission when readers purchase a product or service via that link. These links are always disclosed with a clear statement, for example “We may earn a commission if you buy through this link”. Sponsored content involves a direct fee for a dedicated piece of content, and is labelled “Sponsored” rather than as an affiliate disclosure. Full details of our approach to affiliate marketing are set out in our Advertising & Affiliate Disclosure.
How do we ensure editorial independence?
Commercial relationships – whether display advertising, sponsorship or affiliate partnerships – never influence our editorial conclusions. No sponsor has any say in the news stories our journalists produce, the angles they take, or the publication decisions of Editor‑in‑Chief William Ashby. Our team, including Managing Editor Sarah Mills and Standards & Fact‑Checking Lead Diane Forbes, are bound by the same independence rules as are set out in our Editorial Policy. Sponsored content is clearly separated from news, analysis and opinion written by our staff.
What you can expect from us
Readers can expect full transparency about the nature of any paid material. Every sponsored piece carries a visible label and often a note about the sponsor. The content itself is subject to human editorial review before publication, and AI‑assisted tools are never used to generate sponsored material without human oversight. We do not publish sponsored content that contains false claims, that misleads readers about its origin, or that promotes illegal or harmful products. If we make a mistake in a sponsored piece, we correct it under the same standards as our editorial content – see our Corrections Policy.
Where can I enquire about sponsoring content?
If you are interested in sponsoring content on Edinburgh Wire, please email sponsored@edinburghwire.co.uk. Our commercial team will provide rate cards, audience data and editorial guidelines. All sponsorship proposals are assessed against our ethical standards and must fit within our editorial focus on Edinburgh, the Lothians and Scotland. For general advertising or partnership enquiries, visit our Contact page.
Questions or concerns?
If you have a question about a specific sponsored piece, or if you believe a sponsored article has not been adequately labelled, please contact our editorial team via complaints@edinburghwire.co.uk or use our formal Complaints Procedure. For general queries about how we fund our journalism, see our Ownership & Funding page. We aim to respond to all concerns within two working days.