Show, don’t tell. But if you’re going to tell, then don’t lie.

Here’s an ad for a news website. I’ve blocked out the name of the website because it’s not really important and this isn’t about a specific company.

All written word is a form of telling because there’s no direct imagery to “show” like a tv show or a movie, or even a drawing or painting. When I talk about “showing” in written word and informational media, it’s about demonstrating through the meaning behind your words, whether that’s consistent past work that establishes a pattern, or whether that’s just being consistent within your current work that establishes a pattern.

I wanted to highlight this particular pop-up ad because I think it very efficiently tells you something about trust and then equally as efficiently betrays it; and that takes talent in a single pop-up window. And because it’s SO efficient, I have the luxury of going through this one line at a time.

Trusted journalism has never been so essential.

Yes. Absolutely. This is a statement that we can all agree upon. It’s what I call a motherhood statement. Everyone agrees it’s a good to put on a jacket when it’s cold outside. Everyone agrees that journalism should be a trustable entity.

No matter how chaotic the future feels, you can rely on XXX.XX to bring you the information you need to make critical choices about your health and security.

Here is a perfect example of telling and not showing. They have to be short. They have to be quick. It’s a pop-up window for chrissakes. But this is copy that aimed towards people who aren’t subscribers and who are the most likely to have never visited the website in the first place. The reason why established wristwatch companies don’t sell their watches from trenchcoats on the street is because the building SHOWS they have legitimacy. The slogan for Squarespace right now is “A website makes it real,” which is, by far, one of the most deep post-modern slogans I have ever seen, going so far in their ads to show a beautiful website and a person behind the website sitting in an empty room.

If you’re going to _show_ through telling, you need to show proof. “No matter how chaotic the future feels, you can join the millions of readers who have relied on XXXX.com. We bring you information that you need to make critical choices about health and security.”

Full access to our coverage is complimentary — simply register now or sign into your account below. With this simple step, you ensure that we can keep serving you the reporting, analysis and news that interests you most.

And here is the lie that is told and also not shown. In every lie, there is a truth. Yes, it’s true that access won’t cost you any direct money. And yes, it’s true that providing your details through registering WILL enable this media company to continue to operate. However, the way in which it is enabled isn’t actually free.

If you’ve ever lived in a big or even mid-sized city more than 10 years ago, you’ll remember newspaper boxes on the street. Some you had to put change in, others you could just take for free. That’s actually free. It was directly and indirectly free to you. Those free weeklies were funded by advertisers and some also by donations, but you did not have to give the newspaper anything to consume their content.

This local-appearing website is actually owned by a multimedia conglomerate. Hey, conglomerates also need advertising to survive! But make no mistake, what they are asking for is your trust while hiding the fact that your information is being used to not only tailor your news but to sell to advertisers. As the saying goes, “If you’re not paying for the product, you are the product.” And in an ad that wants you to trust, concealing this important detail — the lack of transparency, SHOWS us the betrayal that is not told.

Nothing is free. Someone has to pay the bills for worthwhile work. If what you are asking for is trust, then don’t betray it in the same pop-up window.