The trends continue...

A few days ago, Morgan Stanley told print publications that its ads must be removed immediately from any edition that contains "objectionable editorial coverage." Now, another mega-company is doing the same.

According to AdAge.com, the online version of Advertising Age, a copy of a memo on the letterhead of BP's media-buying agency, WPP Group's MindShare, states that the global marketer has adopted a zero-tolerance policy toward negative editorial coverage. The memo cites a new BP policy document entitled "2005 BP Corporate-RFP" that demands that ad-accepting publications inform BP in advance of any news text or visuals they plan to publish that directly mention the company, a competitor or the oil-and-energy industry.

Soon, the CEO of Wal-Mart will want to sit on the editorial board of the New York times. What's even worse, is that they'd probably let him.