Major Minnesota newspaper makes sweetheart deal with state's largest private employer

Post Bulletin, MN - Mayo Clinic has entered into a sponsored content deal with the Star-Tribune to generate health, disease and condition treatment related info-graphics for the Twin Cities' largest newspaper.

The clinic describes the arrangement as an opportunity to distribute its medical content and introduce itself to a broader audience. The newspaper describes the agreement as an advertising deal that enables the paper to offer content from a trusted source of health related information.

.. Former University of Minnesota journalism ethics instructor Gary Schwitzer was the founding editor for one year of MayoClinic.com 14 years ago. As publisher of Health News Review.org he has become a leading voice in the oversight of how health stories are reported in the media.

Schwitzer says it's too early to tell what the arrangement means for health reporting at the Star Tribune but says it warrants scrutiny as the series evolves.

"Not having seen the content, I raise potential concerns that I would raise about any such arrangement," he wrote in an email. "Anytime any health care entity enters into an exclusive sponsorship arrangement with any news organization for placement of that health care entity's information within news space, there is cause for concern. Who will edit, verify, question the information?"