This document is designed as a clear operational policy. It should be reviewed periodically against changes in Kenyan law and the company’s actual practices.
Commercial clarity without editorial compromise
Advertising supports TPM journalism. Acceptance of payment never guarantees favourable reporting, removal of legitimate coverage or access to confidential editorial work. Commercial material must be legal, truthful, clearly identifiable and suitable for our audience.
1. Identification
Paid material is labelled “Advertisement”, “Sponsored”, “Partner content”, “Paid post” or an equally clear term. Labels appear where a reasonable reader will see them before engagement. Native design must not imitate independent news in a misleading way.
2. Editorial independence
The newsroom decides what to cover and how. Advertisers may not preview unrelated journalism, select reporters, suppress criticism or purchase editorial conclusions. Commercial staff and branded-content producers follow defined approvals and do not promise editorial outcomes.
3. Substantiation
Advertisers must hold evidence for objective claims, prices, comparisons, testimonials, offers, environmental statements and performance outcomes. Material qualifications must be prominent. TPM may request licences, approvals, product information, rights clearances and legal substantiation before or after launch.
4. Restricted and prohibited categories
We reject unlawful, deceptive, discriminatory, exploitative, unsafe, infringing, malware-bearing or privacy-invasive advertising. Political, betting, alcohol, financial, health, property, education, employment and other regulated categories require enhanced review, lawful targeting, age controls and required warnings. We do not accept ads that impersonate journalism, officials or TPM staff.
5. Political and issue advertising
Where accepted, political material must identify the sponsor, comply with election and campaign rules, avoid prohibited targeting and maintain records required by law or platform policy. Acceptance is not endorsement. TPM may decline material that creates an unacceptable misinformation, safety or integrity risk.
6. Data and targeting
Advertisers and vendors may use only data authorised in the campaign agreement and consent framework. Sensitive-category targeting, undisclosed fingerprinting, data leakage from landing pages and combination of TPM data with unrelated profiles are prohibited. Vendors must support deletion, security and audit obligations.
7. Children and vulnerable audiences
Campaigns must not exploit inexperience, encourage dangerous activity, create undue pressure or use inappropriate age targeting. Products restricted to adults must use appropriate placement and exclusion controls.
8. Branded content
Branded content is developed separately from independent news, disclosed throughout, fact-checked for material claims and reviewed for conflicts. The sponsor may review brand facts and confidential product details, but TPM retains control of presentation and required disclosure.
9. Rejection, suspension and complaints
TPM may reject, request changes, pause or remove a campaign for breach, legal risk, user harm, technical danger, rights concerns or material complaints, even after initial approval. Send concerns with a screenshot, destination URL and time seen to adstandards@topprimemedia.co.ke.
10. Commercial terms
Placement, delivery, measurement, payment, cancellation, make-goods, production ownership and liability are governed by the signed insertion order or partnership agreement. This public policy is incorporated unless the signed agreement lawfully provides a stricter standard.