What access to internet advertising does a City Publications franchisee get?
City_Publications Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
ooperative advertising. Additionally, Franchisee may, with other franchisees, elect among themselves to establish cooperative advertising for a select area encompassing their mutual Exclusive territories.
C. Internet Advertising
Franchisor has established and maintains an Internet website at the uniform resource locator ("URL") www.citypublication.com that provides information about the CITY PUBLICATIONS System and the services that Franchisor and its franchisees provide. Franchisor shall establish a website for the Franchised Business and a link between such website and the CITY PUBLICATIONS website. Franchisee is solely responsible for the maintenance of the website for the Franchised Business. Franchisor may (but is not required to) include at the CITY PUBLICATIONS website an interior page containing information about the Franchised Business. If Franchisor includes such information on the CITY PUBLICATIONS website, Franchisor may require Franchisee to prepare all or a portion of the page, at Franchisee's expense, using a template that Franchisor provides. All such information shall be subject to Franchisor's approval prior to posting. Franchisor retains the sole right to market on the Internet, including all use of websites, domain names, URL's, linking, meta-tags, marketing, auction sites, e-commerce and co-branding arrangements. Franchisee may be requested to provide Franchisor content for Franchisor's Internet marketing and shall be required to follow Franchisor's Intranet and Internet usage rules, policies and requirements. Franchisor retains the sole right to use the Marks on the Internet, including on websites, as domain names, directory addresses, search terms, meta-tags, and in connection with linking, marketing, cobranding and other arrangements, as well as social media and any digital marketing platform, Franchisor retains the sole right to approve any linking or other use of the CITY PUBLICATIONS website. Franchisee may not establish a presence
on, or market using, the Internet, including social media, in connection with the Franchised Business unless Franchisee has obtained Franchisor's express prior written consent and subject to Franchisor's specifications in connection with the same. With regard to any social media accounts maintained by Franchisee or its principal owners, such accounts shall identify Franchisee and its principal owner(s) as franchisees of Franchisor herein, Upon the termination or expiration of this Franchise Agreement, all social media activities of Franchisee relating to City Publications, whether on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram , LinkedIn, NextDoor or otherwise, shall immediately cease. In the event that Franchisee fails to do so, Franchisee shall be fined $1000 per month until resolved. In the event Franchisor approves an independent Franchisee website, Franchisor may require that such site shall be accessed only through Franchisor's home page.
D. Internet Communications
Franchisee shall not use any domain name or other identification except the domain name provided by the Franchisor for e-mail and other electronic communications for the franchise. All materials provided by the franchisee to the advertisers and prospects must meet the criteria set by the Franchisor. Any advertising via e-mail must be approved by the Franchisor. It is further agreed that from time to time, Franchisee may receive email addresses of residents within Franchisee's Exclusive Territory. It is agreed that any such list of those email addresses belongs to Franchisor, and Franchisee may not make any use of such list or addresses without the express approval of Franchisor. Franchisor has the right to require that any email blast or similar communication to such persons be done by the Franchisor, on behalf of the Franchisee, and the Franchisor will be compensated by Franchisee in accordance with Franchisor's fee arrangements for such services
SECTION 12. BOOKS & RECORDS
**A.
Source: Item 23 — RECEIPT (FDD pages 39–129)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to City Publications' 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the franchisor maintains a website at www.citypublication.com that provides information about the City Publications system and services. City Publications will establish a website for the franchisee's business and link it to the main City Publications website. However, the franchisee is responsible for maintaining their individual website.
City Publications may include an interior page about the franchisee's business on the main website, and if they do, the franchisee may be required to prepare all or part of the page at their own expense, using a template provided by City Publications. All information is subject to the franchisor's approval before posting.
City Publications retains the sole right to market on the Internet, including all use of websites, domain names, URLs, linking, meta-tags, marketing, auction sites, e-commerce, and co-branding arrangements. Franchisees may be asked to provide content for the franchisor's Internet marketing and must follow the franchisor's internet usage rules and policies. City Publications also retains the sole right to use the marks on the Internet, including on websites, as domain names, directory addresses, search terms, meta-tags, and in connection with linking, marketing, co-branding, social media, and any digital marketing platform. Franchisees need express written consent from City Publications to market using the internet, including social media, in connection with their franchise business and are subject to the franchisor's specifications. Any social media accounts must identify the franchisee as a franchisee of City Publications, and all social media activity related to City Publications must cease upon termination or expiration of the franchise agreement, or the franchisee will be fined $1000 per month until resolved.
Franchisees must use the domain name provided by City Publications for email and other electronic communications. All materials provided to advertisers and prospects must meet the criteria set by City Publications, and any advertising via email must be approved by City Publications. Email addresses of residents within the franchisee's exclusive territory belong to City Publications, and the franchisee may not use such lists without express approval. City Publications can require that any email blast be done by the franchisor on behalf of the franchisee, with the franchisee compensating City Publications for such services. As part of the royalty fee, franchisees gain access to a website for internet advertising.