Is the opportunity earned, paid, sponsored, or controlled?

Classify an opportunity by who selected the executive, whether selection required payment, who controls the content, and what the audience is told. Terms such as “featured,” “contributor,” “partner,” and “invited” do not answer those questions. The classification describes the mechanism; audience fit, terms, cost, and outcome evidence determine its value.

Four labels make the selection and control visible

A publicist's fee for finding or pitching an opportunity does not make the opportunity paid. The relevant payment is the one connected to consideration, selection, placement, distribution, or access. Provider commissions and referral benefits still require separate disclosure to the buyer.

Hybrid opportunities must be split into components

An opportunity can combine categories. A company might sponsor a conference while its CEO is independently selected for a panel. An editor may select an article, followed by a paid distribution offer. An award may charge every entrant while an independent panel selects winners.

Record each component, payer, decision-maker, and right separately. A paid promotional package does not erase a prior editorial selection, and editorial selection does not turn the later promotion into earned distribution.

Verify the terms before approving any fee

Request the organizer or publisher's written terms and ask:

• Was the executive selected before payment was discussed?
• Is payment, membership, travel, a table, advertising, or another purchase required for consideration, selection, or participation?
• Who decides the subject, participants, questions, edits, headline, and publication date?
• What disclosure will the audience see on every distributed version?
• Who owns or licenses recordings, clips, photographs, likeness, transcripts, attendee data, and reuse or AI rights?
• Does the provider receive a commission, rebate, credit, or referral benefit?
• What happens after cancellation, postponement, an editorial change, or executive withdrawal?

The executive approves participation, personal exposure, and likeness use. The payer approves fees and commercial rights. The company approves official claims, regulated review, and company-controlled assets. The program manager retains the terms, verifies public descriptions, and escalates changes before payment or participation.

Disclosure must be clear to the audience

The FTC's U.S. native advertising guidance says an advertisement is deceptive if it is not readily identifiable to consumers as an ad. Its 2023-revised endorsement guidance says an unexpected material connection affecting how a significant minority evaluates an endorsement should be disclosed clearly and conspicuously. Platform, publisher, and other jurisdictional rules may add requirements.

The PRSA Code of Ethics calls for disclosure of sponsors and financial interests. Ask for the proposed audience-facing label and placement. An organizer's private assurance does not establish what the audience will see or understand.

Value follows the audience, rights, and total cost

For every type, assess audience relevance, selection criteria, format, preparation load, reuse rights, attendee or subscriber evidence, exclusivity, safety, and total cost. Keep entry fees, sponsorship, travel, production, promotion, and provider commissions visible.

Measure paid access as paid distribution and earned selection as an editorial output. AMEC's Integrated Evaluation Framework separates outputs from audience response, outcomes, and organizational impact. Record the classification, evidence, fees, rights, disclosures, and results in the scope of work and opportunity log.