Is it me or is Coach’s Diary nothing more than a thinly disguised advert and piece of extraordinarily crass self promotion? Which frankly I now suspect is starting to back fire and is probably doing her more harm than good? It is either this or the reportage of work that stands comparison with that of Martin Luther King Jr, Mother Theresa of Calcutta and Nelson Mandela all rolled into one. This might be over stating it, but she’s certainly getting there.
The work (nay, glorious accomplishments) outlined in Ms Stefanino’s articles for the most part doesn’t appear to be ‘coaching’ as I would understand it but rather directive advice and consultancy. Furthermore some of the diagnosis presented here appears to be based on nothing other than a few words exchanged between herself and the client. Her ability to understand and recognise the core of her client’s problems in apparently less time than it takes to make a cup of tea is astonishing. And the results that she reports here are frankly both amazing and verging on the phenomenal. Such is her ability and output that she reports here she must be a prime candidate for beatification.
Having said all this I am afraid having read each of the Coach’s Diary entries I am still no wiser how she does it and consequently have learnt nothing from them other than just how amazing she is. I also note that Ms Stefanino never replies to questions raised of either a technical or ethical nature. Is she above responding to mere mortals like us or is it that she has no interest in TrainingZone other than as a form of advertising?
Am I alone in thinking this?
Garry Platt
28 Responses
Links
Here are some links to this series of amazing accomplishments:
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=176762&d=680&h=608&f=626&dateformat=%25e-%25h-%25y
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=175747&d=680&h=608&f=626&dateformat=%25e-%25h-%25y
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=172163&d=680&h=608&f=626&dateformat=%25e-%25h-%25y
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=172616&d=680&h=608&f=626&dateformat=%25e-%25h-%25y
Is it Coaching?
Gary,
I completely agee with your comments, being a Life Coach, and running my own practice for the last 5 years I am astounded by the sometimes miraculous results Ms Stefanino achieves, and with what appears to be very little effort!
As a Coach I would find it extremely useful to fully understand her “Coaching” methology/ethos, as I too see little resemblence to Coaching as I know it.
As you have observed Gary, I too see her “Coaching” as directive advice, I have yet to see in her writing any Coaching questions, observations, reference to widely known Coaching techniques (GROW etc..) instead giving direct advice.
Interesting comment you have made “Ms Stefanino never replies to questions raised of either a technical or ethical nature” Has anyone else from TZ ever had a response to a question posted to her?
Buffy
PR to the guru..?
Hi Garry,
In a new role?
Are you by chance the new marketing & PR rep for the Coach’s Diary – you seem to be promoting links to these ‘wonderful’ articles.
😉
What was it Max Clifford once said… there is no such thing as bad PR… all PR is good PR..?
I’m sold
Olivia was and is clearly a savvy journalist, see here..http://www.thequantumschool.com/categories/20070829_1
also there are some astonishing testimonials here..
“The first call I make when I slip a disk – a monotonously regular occurrence over recent years – is to Olivia. Within ten minutes of localized healing, eighty per cent of the debilitating pain of disk with trapped sciatic nerve accompaniment completely disappears. I leave the remaining twenty per cent to the Chiropractor. My back (a long-standing weakness) is now healthier than it has ever been.”
Suzie Sharpe, Life Mapping Coach and Holistic Trainer
“I can honestly say having met you both – and enjoying your continued friendship – has been one of the most significant factors in my life. To be perfectly frank, I have never experienced the training and therapy techniques practiced by you until we met. In essence, to put it bluntly, I honestly believe you have saved my life. As you both know, for the last nine months, I have been under immense pressure both at work and home – but you have helped me cope with this better than I could have imagined.”
Ken H Simms, Chief Executive
http://www.beyourownguru.com/testimonials.php
“While we do produce a regular newspaper column called the “Business Doctor” together with our own e-zine, its contents are based on an amalgam of case stories in which – of course – fictional names are used.”
Is this story above an amalgam? Have previous ones been? I always took them at face value and assumed they were 100% genuine.
The good news is that “most clients start to see an immediate impact on their bottom line” and there is a 90 day 100% money back guarantee.
It all looks promising.
Professional Jealousy?
I do wonder that those in favour of the “hocus pocus” method of coaching – namely the school of allowing the particpant to discover all the answers (something that Rus Slater avidly defended in his recent article on here) are grinding out some professional jealousy here.
I think Olivia is pretty good – and I’ve had a couple of responses to comments I’ve made on her articles before.
The warm fuzzy definition of “coaching” that everyone seems to be keen on at the moment doesn’t relate to her practice.
She’s much more in the Alex Ferguson school of coaching, where she actually offers help in the form of advice, and experience as well as direction as part of her coaching. The kind of coaching that I believe in the long run will become the essence of executive coaching – as the school of witchcraft is abandoned in favour of real results.
“I feel better about myself” is not a measurable (or even useful) business objective. And that’s exactly what the definition of “coaching” aluded to by Olivia’s detractors brings in terms of results.
Whereas Olivia – who seems to be altogether better focused – seems to focus on business results – her articles always lay out the issue and the solution – it’s a shame it wasn’t achieved in 4 hours of psychobabble, that would make other “coaches” – but no less valid for it.
So I’d say let’s keep Olivia – and the other “coaches”, please stay in the car-park.
Nik’s Christmas Balls!
What an interesting response Mr Kellingley! Especially for someone who has an almost Pavlovian negative response to articles that do not appear to be based on anything of any substance or research, which is exactly how the Coach’s Diary articles strike me.
The issue here is what techniques *does* Olivia Stefanino use in order to be able to provide such effective, direct and immediate feedback to clients when she appears to have only undertaken the briefest of interviews? The advice she gives seems to be consistently effective, but she fails to detail what the supporting techniques are. Her work according to the stories achieve remarkable results, but the methodology for achieving this is seldom detailed.
You state Nick: “I think Olivia is pretty good – and I’ve had a couple of responses to comments I’ve made on her articles before.”
What responses were these Nick and to what questions? There isn’t a single reply from her on TZ to any of the issues raised about her postings in Coach’s Diary and some of them relate to ethically important issues:
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=172163&d=680&h=608&f=626&dateformat=%25e-%25h-%25y
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=172616&d=680&h=608&f=626&dateformat=%25e-%25h-%25y
Nick you continue: “The warm fuzzy definition of “coaching” that everyone seems to be keen on at the moment doesn’t relate to her practice.”
Two people; myself and Buffy Sparks would like to know how she achieves the results she reports using her method of coaching. I don’t think this constitutes ‘everyone’ nor does it support a ‘fuzzy’ definition in fact I want clarity here.
The only other coaching model that’s been referred to here is the GROW model but you’ve pointed people towards this system your self in the past:
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=140368
Or did you forget about this?
Nick added; “”I feel better about myself” is not a measurable (or even useful) business objective.”
And yet Ms Stefanino uses it: https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=172936&d=680&h=608&f=626&dateformat=%25e-%25h-%25y
I’m constantly driven by business results and view coaching as a legitimate way of achieving this, in fact if it doesn’t achieve this it’s a waste of time. Telling someone what to do however isn’t coaching, its advisory consultancy or directive management. There’s nothing wrong with that but lets be clear and upfront about it.
Nik finished with; “her articles always lay out the issue and the solution”
Well they might do that to your satisfaction but not to mine. They give a minimal overview of the situation and out of nowhere Ms Stefanino makes a judgement or so it seems based on very little data, and always it seems with remarkable results.
As for the ‘professional jealousy’ comment, you are a joker Nick!
Declmatory explanations?
Olivia’s articles are clearly working on you Garry, looks like you are ending your final sentences with a !
Mea culpa!
!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?
Your right! My God, that woman is amazing. I don’t understand why world leaders don’t employ her. I would think twenty minutes of her time would be sufficient to solve the Israel ~ Palestine problem. Another 15 minutes should be just about all it takes to resolve the African Aids crisis and only the better part of an hour to address global warming. World peace would be achievable in an afternoon, with tea breaks of course and a further 60 minutes should see world food shortages a distant memory.
Mea Culpa ~ I’m not quite certain how or why you’re applying this term here. Wikipedia definition: ‘In the popular vernacular, the expression “mea culpa” has acquired a more direct meaning, in which, by doing or performing a “mea culpa”, someone admits to having made a mistake by one’s own fault (meaning that it could have been avoided if that person had been more diligent). It may be used even in trivial situations: if a football player, for instance, admits that his team lost a game because he missed a field goal, this may be called a “mea culpa”, meaning that he admitted his mistake, which he could have avoided (at least in theory), and that resulted in a subsequent evil. In today’s American vernacular, people often say “my bad.”’
!!!!!!!!!!!
You are right, I was being too obtuse for my own good.
Perhaps in an absent, ethereal way Olivia is identifying and bringing to the fore all our faults, yours and mine, and the mere act of discussing her is highlighting our deficiencies. In which case we are responsible for our own conduct and we should look within
…http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mea_culpa
OK, I’ll go back to hibernation now!
(oh no!)
It’s the Emperor’s new clothes
It’s funny – I was just thinking the same when I happened to glance at Ms Stefanino’s article earlier today. She’s not telling us anything useful – and what she has written is pretty obvious.
Look at this little jem: “Laughter and camaraderie cement relationships – whether it’s between team members or salesman and customer.” Really?
Jane
and in the blue corner…
From the perspective of a non-coach, I agree that Coach’s Diary looks like a mixture of “black box” pseudo psycho analysis and fortune teller’s art. Which is a great shame, given that at least two of the coaches I know talk like sensible people and this column would appear to be giving the practice a bad name.
However the place to raise this debate is possibly not this forum, but with the editor, who is responsible for the quality of the content that appears here.
If you go on about this in this way, you run the risk of appearing to have professional sour grapes, being unpleasant to the contributor and giving her more publicity than you obviously think she deserves.
Boredom!
Karen Drury wrote: ‘However the place to raise this debate is possibly not this forum, but with the editor, who is responsible for the quality of the content that appears here. If you go on about this in this way, you run the risk of appearing to have professional sour grapes, being unpleasant to the contributor and giving her more publicity than you obviously think she deserves.’
I take your point Karen. Having read this material for so long however and having posed questions to Ms Stefanino without response on TZ I felt I wanted to raise my concerns with the members of the forum to see whether I was alone in my opinion. That way the editors can tell if it’s just me or whether the ground swell of opinion is that these articles are chronic.
My view is that anybody who actually reads Coach’s Diary and also posses an intellect slightly higher than that of a deranged wombat can immediately tell that these articles are for the most part worthless as developmental vehicles for its readers because of the omissions. It should be obvious that my observations are not driven by ‘professional jealousy’ (You can get paid for jealousy?) or ‘sour grapes’ but merely boredom and resentment at the repeated and what appears to me transparent process of self promotion via this otherwise worthy agency without any consistent attempt to inform or develop its subscribers. There are exceptions, see here:
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=171216&d=680&h=608&f=626&dateformat=%25e-%25h-%25y
But this in my opinion is the best of a fairly dire bunch
Keep it clean!
Just a thought…. Coaching is all about raising awareness in the learner, it is surely not about planting suggestions in their minds.
Ms Stefanino would seem to do a lot of suggesting in her “questioning” technique. For example, in the most recent Diary entry https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=176762&d=680&h=608&f=626&dateformat=%25e-%25h-%25y
we read that she asked “Maybe it’s time to ask yourself how what’s happening around you is reflecting what’s going on inside you. Are you trying to over control of others because you feel out of control yourself? When you say that you’re afraid your staff won’t take you seriously, is it that actually, you’re not taking yourself seriously because you have doubts in your own abilities? Are you concerned with making a good impression on others because you don’t actually have a good impression of yourself?”
How “clean” is this language? How leading are these questions? Are they really “open” questions?
Surely it is a very basic coaching principle that the answers our learners come up with are from their own minds and not put there by their “coach”. Coaches often do have ideas they want to suggest to their clients but these need to be offered openly as ideas for the learner to ponder, not “hidden” in questions of dubious assistance.
As I say, just a thought and I would be interested to hear what others think?
Jenny
hear hear……….
I read the articles each time as I am interested in coaching and how to achieve results using coaching. And every time I am left disappointed with a sour taste in my mouth.
There is no how to, no detail just amazing leaps from problem to solution. How do you go from laughing to self esteem to fathers advice to six questions to success?
Please tell me I’d love to know.
How?
Jennifer James wrote: ‘How “clean” is this language? How leading are these questions? Are they really “open” questions?’
For my part Jennifer I could live with the unclean language and directive questioning and use it my self if only Ms Stefanino would explain how it seems after the shortest of interviews she comes to understand the deepest inner workings of her client’s mind, report on the true motivations and secret actions of third parties whom she has never apparently met and is also able via, I assume, unconscious installation achieve total significant reframes and input a whole range of competencies and skills? How? If only she would include these details Coach’s Diary would be worth its weight in diamonds.
As it is the Diaries appear to be too short and too thin on detail to be of any real benefit to anybody other than the author as a promotional exercise which I hope is not the whole intention. I could support and look forward to Coach’s Diary being an ‘infomercial’ provided there was some significant information in there that I could learn from, for the most part there isn’t in my opinion. Take this entry for instance taken from:
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=172411&d=680&h=608&f=626&dateformat=%25e-%25h-%25y
‘It was becoming obvious that while Heather clearly loved her husband, since their marriage she had started to lose her confidence. We both recognised that before doing anything else, Heather needed to boost her self-esteem first.
Using my skills as a hypnotherapist, I took Heather on a 30-minute guided visualisation that helped her to both let go of her guilt and step into her space as an equal partner in her marriage. Heather also was able – in this light state of trance – to mentally rehearse the conversation that she needed to have with Mike.
At the end of the session, the colour had come back into Heather’s face and she readily admitted that she felt much stronger. “I now know that by not saying how I feel, it’s not fair to Mike. He has said several times that he is worried about me – and I think he will actually be relieved to know that the cause of my unhappiness is not him but my need to be gainfully employed!”’
Learn anything other than Ms Stefanino’s is a highly competent hypnotherapist?
don’t bite off my head!
With respect Garry, I haven’t had prior notice that you’ve spoken to the author and therefore, I’m afraid, it wasn’t “obvious” that you’re not suffering from sour grapes.
Your irritation is, of course, vividly apparent – but do recognise that I’m in agreement with you!
Apologies
I wasn’t having a pop at you Karen. Sorry if I gave that impression.
The third paragraph of the opening statement of the top of this page indicates the lack of response experienced from Ms Stefanino.
Saint or sinner?
Well, Mr Platt, thank you so much for taking such an interest in the Coach’s Diary!
Firstly, let me apologise for not responding earlier to your comments. Not only have I been away – training and coaching – but to be honest, it would never occur to me to keep re-visiting my own work, just to see if someone’s made a comment. Perhaps I should grow a more robust ego!
Secondly, as I HAVE said before on these pages (only once it’s true, when there was an outcry because of a particular form of questioning that I’d used in a story), writing columns of this nature has to be a fairly superficial exercise because of the space constraints.
Keeping these columns within about 350 words – AND making them readable – results in there being little room for extensive “how to” information.
If you’d like more detailed information, perhaps you’d like to suggest to Training Zone that they give me more space!
Interestingly, I HAVE included details of the processes I use in past columns – and recently have resisted doing so, on the basis that it might, conceivably, be construed that I was trying to promote what I do!
So, I guess the adage that “you can’t please all the people all the time” has just been proven once again.
I would absolutely agree with everyone who’s commented that I’m not a traditional coach. I’m not. And I make no apology for that.
And it would seem that my clients are happy too, with the results that they are getting. Indeed, I’m now offering a coaching challenge on the basis of: “See the results you want in six months or less – or DOUBLE your money back!”
I don’t think I can be much fairer than that!
At the risk of being even MORE “self promoting”, if you’d like to find out more about the methods I use, please do go buy my book, “Be Your Own Guru – personal & business enlightenment in just 3 days!”
I’m sure you’ll absolutely hate it. But it’s only fair to tell you that it is based on a true story. As is all that I write. But as you’d expect, with issues of confidentiality, I do indeed, think that it’s only fair to change names and any identifying circumstances.
Finally, if any practicing coach (or photographer)who reads my articles would like to learn how to use my methodologies – please write to me at [email protected].
Who knows, maybe this could be the start of a new coaching movement?!
Finally, I’m really touched by your suggestion Mr Platt, that I should be put up for beatification. And I thought it was only my mother who harboured such thoughts!
Warmest wishes,
Olivia
PS I should warn you that I’m away for the rest of the week…so you may not get a response from me ’til then!
Saint or Sinner
Ms Stefanino wrote: “Firstly, let me apologise for not responding earlier to your comments. Not only have I been away – training and coaching – but to be honest, it would never occur to me to keep re-visiting my own work, just to see if someone’s made a comment. Perhaps I should grow a more robust ego!”
I don’t think it would be a case of inflating your own ego but just helping people who have questions regarding the stories you write. For instance, do you have responses to the issues raised on the following two articles?
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=172163&d=680&h=608&f=626&dateformat=%25e-%25h-%25y
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=172616&d=680&h=608&f=626&dateformat=%25e-%25h-%25y
And what are your answers to the questions raised here:
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=175747
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=175401
Ms Stefanino wrote; “Secondly, as I HAVE said before on these pages (only once it’s true, when there was an outcry because of a particular form of questioning that I’d used in a story)”
The last time you made any kind of response was back in 2005 and you have never replied to any of the questions I have raised.
Ms Stefanino also wrote: “ ~ writing columns of this nature has to be a fairly superficial exercise because of the space constraints.” ~ “Keeping these columns within about 350 words – AND making them readable – results in there being little room for extensive “how to” information.” ~ “But as you’d expect, with issues of confidentiality, I do indeed, think that it’s only fair to change names and any identifying circumstances.”
The problem is that with all these elements combined it leaves us with what? A ‘short story’ giving the briefest details of an incident, with no indication of just how the results were achieved. What do you expect readers to discover or get from this kind of article? Is the intention just to promote your self and your business which is what you appear to be doing? What is it exactly that you expect people to discover or gain from reading your articles with virtually no specifics, hardly any details and very little content?
I hope in the future that you will return to look at the questions raised by Coach’s Diary and will at least reply to the people who have taken the time to read it, I think that’s a simple and basic courtesy. I look forward to your responses to the questions raised around the 4 articles listed above, though I’m not holding my breath.
Peace and Good Will to All
Freedom of speech is a right which we absolutely take for granted in this country. I court and welcome feedback to articles that are published on Training Zone as the site is, after all, for you the members – more than 46,000 of you and growing!
One of the ways that I gauge the success of an article is by the number of hits each receives: Coach’s Diary is extremely well read and on the whole well received. I have also received several emails over the last few days in support of this column, from members who have been quite shocked at the personal nature of the attack on Olivia Stefanino. After all, this is a diary. It is not supposed to be a detailed expose of Olivia’s training methods.
Olivia Stefanino has answered, very respectfully, Mr Platt’s criticism, and I would like to request we now call this debate to a close.
If anyone feels that they have anything to add to these comments then please do feel free to email your opinion to me at [email protected]
Wishing peace and good will to you all seems appropriate!
Susie Finch, Acting Editor, Training Zone
Free Speech?
Susie Finch Wrote: “One of the ways that I gauge the success of an article is by the number of hits each receives ~ “
I can understand that hit numbers measure success in the sense of visitors. In terms of the articles usefulness, value and even if it was read I doubt that it achieves this.
Susie Finch continued: “I have also received several emails over the last few days in support of this column, from members who have been quite shocked at the personal nature of the attack on Olivia Stefanino. After all, this is a diary. It is not supposed to be a detailed expose of Olivia’s training methods.”
Strangely I too have received communiqués supporting the view that Coach’s Diary reads like an advert and not much more and the majority of people in this discussion appear to be somewhat sceptical about the merits of this column. As for those people who were reportedly ‘quite shocked’ by my postings; they really need to get out more.
Susie Finch added: “Olivia Stefanino has answered, very respectfully, Mr Platt’s criticism, and I would like to request we now call this debate to a close.”
In truth she’s only addressed half of the issues I have raised as my earlier reply has outlined and with the closure of this debate I doubt we’ll ever get a full response.
Dismissal or avoidance?
Come, come dear Editor,
>>>Olivia Stefanino has answered, very respectfully, Mr Platt’s criticism, and I would like to request we now call this debate to a close.>>>>
Garry and several others request for detail on methods employed has not been answered . Olivia’s basic response to this issue simply deflects and ask people to buy the book.
The rules of this forum state
“Blatant promotion of your own business services and postings which ask the questioner to simply contact offline, without providing helpful information on the forum itself will be removed.”
This is a trainers forum, it is perfectly in order and to be professionally expected that trainers discuss and quiz matters related to training and coaching methods, it happens all the time. To allow Ms Stephanino to avoid the question and refer professional enquirers offline is certainly not what I’d call a respectful reply. I’d call it dodging the question posed by several professionally interested readers who want to learn, not interrogate, we are trainers and coaches we live and breathe this stuff.
Let us share and give us our freedom!
You won’t believe it…
…but in fairness to Garry (who I believe – I have rarely if ever agreed with on any topic) this forum is for debating purposes.
While I’m pro-Olivia, I don’t think closing down the debate serves any purpose – and we live in the UK, not Russia so criticism and debate should be viewed as healthy not a category for censorship dear editor.
Cheers!
Appreciated Nik.
Time To Call Time
Yes, it is time to end this thread. Having just got back to the office having been away for a few days, I’ve just wasted a good amount of time reading a debate that has clearly got out of control and is now serving no purpose.
Honestly, if you don’t like what someone writes, then don’t read it…and the problem is solved! Simple!
What?
Tim, could I ask you to reflect on what you’ve written here?
You begin by stating: “I’ve just wasted a good amount of time reading a debate that has clearly got out of control and is now serving no purpose.”
And then added: “Honestly, if you don’t like what someone writes, then don’t read it…and the problem is solved!”
Why didn’t you take your own advice? And the answer Tim might give you the reason I raised this issue in the first place and why it continous to rumble on.
Further thoughts
Some of the comments here from L&D professionals concern me. I doubt very much that Olivia’s style of coaching is what we can expect from executive coaching in the future. If organisations want advice, we bring in consultants. If we want our executives to learn in a way which is generative, to have time and space to think outside the organisational frame, and to be prepared for an unknown future, then we bring in coaches. Yes – coaching has a continuum from directive to non-directive (though I would expect executive coaching to be directive), but what we see in each of these articles is a ‘problem’ diagnosed and then solved by the ‘coach’. Frankly the client needn’t be in the room. This isn’t coaching.
There are many schools of coaching but none that I know of subscribe to the idea that the client is someone to be rescued. Olivia may argue that she is not a traditional coach but that is like a trainer talking at delegates all day long and saying they are not a traditional trainer. With such a strong link between learning and self-esteem, ethical boundaries are a professional imperative – we must first do no harm.
Garry Platt for President.
Pray tell
Lets come at this from a different tack.
TZ assert that the success of an article is measured by the number of hits and infers by continued publication and subsequent defence that it isnt an advert.
Why isnt it an advert?
1. It gets lots of hits, that’s a not demonstration of quality or value (porn gets lots of hits).
2. If its not advertising presumably it contains knowledge, information and insight – I suggest that’s what contributors to this debate have been asking for detail on the knowledge, information and insight as they are unclear on it.
3. It doesnt seek to divert readers elsewhere or attempt to cross sell items to them.
4. Its a diary and the inference is therefore it doesnt have to be detailed and is exempt from wider scrutiny – pray why? HR Practitioner’s diary on your sister site HR Zone contained considerable detail on methodology and the author actively sought debate from readers.
5. If you are self titling yourself up as a “guru” then it is to be expected that disciples will have floods of questions.
Because TZ is free its credibility is built on the strength of knowledge and integrity of its contributors. To not allow this to be queried doesnt aid the reputation of TZ. Is there a filter on articles submitted? Could I claim anything and publish it through your channels? Infommercials?
Would TZ care to address these issues and tell us why it isnt an advert?
Garry Platt for the UN