Advertising Policy

The Minnesota Star Tribune is dedicated upholding our advertising policy & standards to ensure the trust of our clients and audience, and the transparency we know will help facilitate those endeavors within our sales, advertising, marketing departments. We strive continually to be a trusted source of information that helps people pursue their interests and enrich their lives. We place great emphasis on providing value-added service to consumers and on assisting marketers to successfully communicate with responsive prospects.

Keys to our success are integrity, responsiveness, and commitment to the free flow of ideas and opinions. To attain these high standards, the Star Tribune Advertising department strives to publish advertising which:

• Constitutes a clear statement of a bona fide offer, proposition, or announcement made in good faith.


• Is in compliance with applicable laws and regulations, does not encourage the evasion of any law, and does not incite people to violence. 


• Provides adequate, non-confusing and non-misleading disclosure of information concerning the nature of the product, the terms under which it is offered, and by whom it is offered.


• Is not false, deceptive, fraudulent or untruthfully disparaging of competitors.


• Does not tout health-improvement products and services using claims lacking in reasonable substantiation, or which attempts to swindle or cause injury to the health of consumers.


• Does not maliciously attack, criticize or cast negative reflection against any individual, firm, race, religion, organization, institution, business, profession, or other group of people.

• Contains content in line with reasonable standards of good taste and respect for people, while recognizing that a wide diversity of individuals, views, political or religious beliefs and ethical standards exist.


• Balances the needs of both consumers and marketers.


• Complies with applicable Advertising Policies.

Star Tribune advertising policies are developed and revised as the need arises based on the above principles. Star Tribune uses these policies as a guide to make decisions on acceptability that are separate from our personal values about a product, service or expressed view.

The Star Tribune does not accept advertising which seeks to divert readers or advertisers at the direct expense of Star Tribune, is untrue or misleading, that attacks or questions the quality, integrity, management or productivity of the Star Tribune, or harms its reputation.  Management and legal review are required before any advertisement of this type is accepted. 

Nothing in these standards, the procedures in place to support these standards, or the use of advisory resources, limits the right of the Star Tribune to accept and reject advertising. The Star Tribune reserves the right to promote its own products and services in any one or more products at any time, and reserves the right to reject any ad from any advertiser for any reason.

Star Tribune recognizes that the success of advertising depends upon its credibility.

Accordingly, we strive to ensure that ads appearing in Star Tribune publications are legitimate and in compliance with applicable laws. We address reader complaints and reserve the right to investigate the representations made by advertisers, if we believe an ad may be misleading or fraudulent. To balance the interests of readers, advertisers and our company, Star Tribune reserves the right to decline or discontinue any advertisement if deemed necessary.