MSP Radio
Ethics Statement

Effective 2026

MSP Radio exists to provide independent information and value to the IT consulting channel — including MSPs, vendors, and partners of all sizes. Every editorial, educational, and community product MSP Radio operates is governed by the principles below.

These principles apply across all MSP Radio properties: Business of Tech, Small Biz Thoughts, IT Service Provider University, and the SMB Community Podcast. Where a property has specific considerations, those are addressed in the relevant section.

Core Principles

These principles govern all MSP Radio properties and all content produced under the MSP Radio brand.

Independence

• Editorial and educational content is never sold. Sponsors and underwriters do not influence what MSP Radio covers, how it is covered, or what instructors teach.
• MSP Radio does not accept preconditions for coverage of any story or topic.
• Coverage decisions are made solely on editorial and educational merit.

Accuracy and Corrections

• MSP Radio strives to be accurate. When errors occur, they are corrected promptly and the correction is disclosed to the relevant audience.
• Sources are quoted accurately and in context.

Source Confidentiality

• MSP Radio maintains the anonymity of sources when asked to do so and when the information is in the public interest.

Financial Disclosures

• Advertisements and sponsored content are clearly identified as such in all formats.
• There are no paid endorsements. Sponsorship of a product or program does not constitute an MSP Radio endorsement of a sponsor’s products or services.
• David Sobel, CEO, holds stock in N-Able (NABL) as part of compensation from employment between 2013 and 2019. This position is disclosed as a standing conflict of interest.
• Vendors may pay for travel expenses related to events. This does not influence coverage.

FTC Compliance

• MSP Radio makes every effort to follow FTC guidelines across all business activities, including clear identification of advertising, sponsorship, and paid content.

Consulting and Advisory Work

• MSP Radio and its principals may engage in paid consulting and advisory work. These engagements are advisory in nature. They do not purchase editorial coverage or educational content placement.

Business of Tech

Business of Tech is MSP Radio’s flagship daily media program. The following principles govern its editorial standards.

• Advertising and sponsorship have no influence on news reporting. Sponsors are disclosed on the website and advertisements are clearly distinguished from editorial content.
• For in-depth analysis documents, such as strategy briefs, if a vendor is a current sponsor, this is disclosed within the document for transparency.
• Any paid content is clearly positioned as such. Advertisements are distinct in sound and presentation from editorial content.
• There are no paid endorsements.
• MSP Radio does not accept any preconditions for coverage of a story that require saying certain things.
• Interview subjects are not given the opportunity to preview or approve interview questions, nor are they permitted to review content prior to publication.
• AI is not used as a primary source of information. AI may be used for summarization and content assistance. All AI-assisted content is reviewed by a human before publication.
• MSP Radio recognizes standard journalist source protocols. “On the record” is the default: statements may be recorded and reported. “On background” requires mutual agreement and allows discussion without direct attribution.
• MSP Radio honors embargoed statements from companies in the channel under agreed terms.

Small Biz Thoughts Community

Small Biz Thoughts is a practitioner community for MSP operators. The following principles govern its operation.

• Community membership and participation decisions are made independently of vendor relationships.
• Vendors do not receive preferred access, moderation influence, or promotional placement within the community as a result of advertising or sponsorship relationships elsewhere in the MSP Radio portfolio.
• Member data is never shared with sponsors, advertisers, or vendors.
• MSP Radio and its properties may host webinars and events open to the public. Registration information for these public events may be shared with event sponsors where disclosed at registration. This does not apply to SBT community member data, which remains private in all circumstances.

IT Service Provider University

ITSPU is MSP Radio’s educational platform offering practitioner-led courses for IT service providers. The following principles govern its educational standards and sponsorship practices.

Curriculum Independence

• Course content is developed and delivered solely based on the instructor’s professional expertise and judgment.
• No sponsor, advertiser, or vendor has any role in curriculum development, course structure, instructor selection, or the content of any instructional unit.
• Instructors are independent. While instructors are informed of underwriting arrangements associated with their courses, they are not directed by those arrangements in any way.

Educational Underwriting

• ITSPU courses may be supported by educational underwriters. Underwriters receive branding recognition in association with a course. This is the extent of the relationship.
• Underwriting is not endorsement. An underwriter’s support of a course does not constitute a recommendation of their products or services by ITSPU or MSP Radio.
• Underwriting arrangements are disclosed prominently on the course landing page and at the opening of recorded sessions.
• When an underwriter’s product category is related to the subject matter of a course, this relationship is disclosed explicitly. The instructor will note within any relevant curriculum unit that no tools or products discussed are sponsor-endorsed.
• Underwriters may not preview, approve, or request changes to course content, handouts, or instructor materials.
• Student enrollment data is never shared with underwriters. Aggregate enrollment figures may be reported for transparency purposes only.

SMB Community Podcast

The SMB Community Podcast is a weekly program co-hosted by James Kernan and Amy Babinchak. The following principles govern its operation.

• Hosts are independent practitioners. They are not directed by MSP Radio advertisers or sponsors in their commentary or discussion.
• Advertising is clearly delineated from program content.
• Hosts may promote their own businesses and services in the context of their professional identity. Direct selling or vendor pitching during program content is not permitted.
• Sponsorship of the SMB Community Podcast does not purchase editorial influence over topics, guests, or host commentary.

Artificial Intelligence

MSP Radio uses AI tools in content production. The following principles govern that use across all properties.

• No content is published without human review. Responsibility for accuracy rests with the human editor, not the AI tool.
• AI-generated audio or video content is labeled as such, generally in the program description or course notes.
• Multi-language versions of content employ AI translation and are labeled accordingly.
• ITSPU instructors disclose to students any use of AI in the presentation or supplemental materials of a course.

Questions and Clarifications

If something in this statement requires clarification, or if you believe MSP Radio has fallen short of these commitments, please reach out directly at [email protected].

MSP Radio, LLC • Falls Church, Virginia • mspradio.com