Ownership, Funding & Commercial Transparency
In accordance with Google News and Google Discover transparency guidelines and international press ethics benchmarks, The National Wales (thenational.wales) publishes clear, accessible disclosures regarding our ownership structure, governance, and financing.
1. Ownership & Publishing Entity
The National Wales is an independent Welsh digital news publication published and directed under the editorial leadership of Eli Nathan (@elinathan1122), based in Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom.
The publication is not owned by any media conglomerate, political party, state entity, foreign government, or special interest lobbying group. Editorial decisions are made entirely independently within our Welsh newsroom.
2. Revenue Model & Sources of Funding
To support high-quality, independent digital journalism and keep our reporting accessible without restrictive paywalls, The National Wales generates revenue through the following streams:
- Digital Programmatic Advertising: Standard contextual and display advertisements served through recognized digital advertising networks (including Google AdSense, Adsterra, and programmatic demand platforms). These automated systems do not influence newsroom decisions.
- Direct Commercial Sponsorships: Transparently labelled brand partnerships. Any sponsored content, native advertising, or paid commercial inclusion is explicitly identified with prominent labels such as “Sponsored Content”, “Paid Promotion”, or “Advertisement” in strict adherence to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) and CAP Code.
- Voluntary Reader Contributions: Voluntary reader support and digital contributions that directly fund regional investigative reporting and grassroots community journalism.
3. Editorial Firewall & Commercial Independence
We maintain an impenetrable wall between our commercial operations and our editorial coverage. Advertisers, commercial partners, and sponsors:
- Have zero influence over story selection, investigative inquiries, or headline choices.
- Receive no right of prior review or approval of editorial copy.
- Are subject to the same rigorous investigative scrutiny as any other commercial or public entity in Wales.
4. Zero State or Political Funding
The National Wales accepts no operational subsidies, donations, or financial grants from the Welsh Government, the UK Government, or any political party. This financial independence guarantees our ability to scrutinise politicians across all parties in the Senedd and Westminster without fear or favour.