Advertising Policy

Last updated: July 9, 2025

The Belmont Voice is an independent, nonprofit community newspaper supported in part by advertising. We strive to ensure that the advertisements we publish are accurate, respectful, and consistent with our values as a trusted source of local news.

Editorial Independence

We maintain a clear separation between editorial and advertising content. Advertisements do not influence our reporting, and we do not accept sponsored content.

What We Accept

We welcome ads from businesses, nonprofits, and community organizations offering legitimate goods, services, or public information. All ads must:

• Be truthful and not misleading
• Comply with local, state, and federal laws
• Be appropriate for a general audience

Some categories of ads may require additional review, especially those involving:

• Financial, legal, or health-related services
• Job postings or recruitment
• Contests, time-limited offers, or claims of guaranteed outcomes

We may request documentation to verify the advertiser’s identity or claims.

What We Don’t Accept

We do not accept ads that:

• Contain false, deceptive, or unverifiable information
• Promote scams, predatory financial services, or multi-level marketing schemes
• Include hateful, discriminatory, or sexually explicit content
• Imitate the style or tone of news content
• Target vulnerable groups with exploitative messaging
• Disparage individuals, groups, or other businesses

We reserve the right to reject or remove any ad at our discretion if it violates these standards or does not align with the values of our publication.

Political Advertising

To comply with nonprofit regulations and uphold editorial independence, The Belmont Voice does not accept:

• Advertisements from political candidates or their campaigns
• Advertisements advocating for or against ballot measures, referendums, or legislation

We may accept advertisements from elected officials sharing non-campaign, public service information such as office hours or community updates. These ads:

• Must not include campaign slogans, endorsements, or appeals for votes or contributions
• May be funded with campaign funds but must be nonpartisan and informational
• Are subject to review and potential blackout periods

Acceptance of any ad does not imply endorsement by The Belmont Voice.

Community Feedback

We value feedback from our readers. If you have a concern about an advertisement, please contact us at advertising@belmontvoice.org. We take all inquiries seriously and will review them promptly.

Advertiser Agreement

By submitting an advertisement, advertisers agree to abide by this policy. The Belmont Voice reserves the right to revise these guidelines as needed to reflect evolving standards and community expectations.