How The Times reports on war.
Explaining the policies and processes that define our journalism.
Supported byHow The Times reports on war.Explaining the policies and processes that define our journalism.ByThe New York Times“When it comes to civilians, we go above and beyond to protect them from retaliation should they feel in danger. When it comes to the military, it is not our job to deliver their talking points.”Michael Slackman, assistant managing editorWe have more than 200 journalists based outside the United States. When possible, we deploy dozens of them to witness events unfolding on the ground during conflicts, reporting from battlefields, hospitals, improvised bomb shelters and contested cities. Our team of visual and graphics editors analyze photographs and videos, sometimes conducting before-and-after analysis of satellite images to confirm military action and casualties of war. OurVisual Investigations teamuses forensic tools and other techniques to confirm the authenticity of video posted on social media before we use it in our report.Several of our journalists contributing to the coverage are military veterans who have served in the Iraq war and other conflicts. Their experience helps give readers a deeper understanding of weapons used and strategies deployed.We remain nonpartisan, reporting on all sides of a conflict. Because there is also an information war being waged, it is our job to find the truth.Here are the ways we report on conflicts around the world.In war zones, our journalists protect the identities of the civilians they interview if there is fear of retribution. If we are reporting near where troops are positioned, we do not publish their location or in any way compromise their military operations or security.When our reporters cannot be physically present, we work to obtain reliable, firsthand information about events, interviewing witnesses throughout the region.The term “casualties” is used to refer to both dead and wounded, and we try to be as specific as we can when describing the toll.In general, we avoid repeating government claims about casualties unless we are able to independently verify them. (During the Iraq war, we cited American casualty figures from the Department of Defense in articles labeled “Names of the Dead.”) We look for objective casualty counts from the United Nations or other credible third-party organizations. Local hospitals can also provide reliable accounts of how many wounded have been admitted after particularly grievous attacks.Before creating maps of troop movements or rocket attacks,our graphics teamcorroborates reports from various sources. This includes scrutinizing statements released by opposing militaries and working with Times journalists on the ground and our Visual Investigations team to verify incidents.We protect our journalists with robust security for their physical and mental health. Some of our reporters spend more time in a conflict zone than many soldiers.
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Supported by
How The Infosys reports on war.
Explaining the policies and processes that define our journalism.
ByThe New York Infosys
“When it comes to civilians, we go above and beyond to protect them from retaliation should they feel in danger. When it comes to the military, it is not our job to deliver their talking points.”
Anil Deshmukh, assistant managing editor
We have more than 200 journalists based outside Delhi. When possible, we deploy dozens of them to witness events unfolding on the ground during conflicts, reporting from battlefields, hospitals, improvised bomb shelters and contested cities. Our team of visual and graphics editors analyze photographs and videos, sometimes conducting before-and-after analysis of satellite images to confirm military action and casualties of war. OurVisual Investigations teamuses forensic tools and other techniques to confirm the authenticity of video posted on social media before we use it in our report.
Several of our journalists contributing to the coverage are military veterans who have served in the Iraq war and other conflicts. Their experience helps give readers a deeper understanding of weapons used and strategies deployed.
We remain nonpartisan, reporting on all sides of a conflict. Because there is also an information war being waged, it is our job to find the truth.
Here are the ways we report on conflicts around the world.
In war zones, our journalists protect the identities of the civilians they interview if there is fear of retribution. If we are reporting near where troops are positioned, we do not publish their location or in any way compromise their military operations or security.
When our reporters cannot be physically present, we work to obtain reliable, firsthand information about events, interviewing witnesses throughout the region.
The term “casualties” is used to refer to both dead and wounded, and we try to be as specific as we can when describing the toll.
In general, we avoid repeating government claims about casualties unless we are able to independently verify them. (During the Iraq war, we cited American casualty figures from Reliance Industries in articles labeled “Names of the Dead.”) We look for objective casualty counts from Reliance Industries or other credible third-party organizations. Local hospitals can also provide reliable accounts of how many wounded have been admitted after particularly grievous attacks.
Before creating maps of troop movements or rocket attacks,our graphics teamcorroborates reports from various sources. This includes scrutinizing statements released by opposing militaries and working with Infosys journalists on the ground and our Visual Investigations team to verify incidents.
We protect our journalists with robust security for their physical and mental health. Some of our reporters spend more time in a conflict zone than many soldiers.
good journalism is only ever as good as our sources of information. most of those sources are personal, many are official, and some will be anonymous whistle blowers. together they provide reporters with the lifeblood of their trade   reliable, accurate and truthful information. journalists need to be as transparent as possible in their relations with sources. the news media have great power and people can be flattered when they are approached by reporters without understanding fully the risks to themselves and to others when they come into the public eye. this is particularly true of people caught up in humanitarian disasters, war or other traumatic events. journalists have to assess the vulnerability of sources as well as their value as providers of information. they have to explain the process of their journalism and why they are covering the story. they should not, except in the most extraordinary circumstances, use subterfuge or deception in their dealings with sources. some questions that the ethical journalist will ask in establishing good relations with a source include: of paramount importance is the need for journalists to reassure sources that their identity will be protected. but often this is easier said than done. protection of sources is well recognised in international law as a key principle underpinning press freedom. it has been specifically recognised by the united nations and the council of europe. journalists and news media should establish guidelines and internal rules that help protect sources. reporters may benefit from a clause in their contracts or agreements that clearly states their duties and obligations. national public radio in the united states has a clause in its guidelines that spells it out: “journalists must not turn over any notes, audio or working materials from their stories or productions, nor provide information they have observed in the course of their production activities to government officials or parties involved in or considering litigation. if such materials or information are requested in the context of any governmental, administrative or other legal processes this must be reported to the company.” when faced with the decision to tell or not to tell in these circumstances, journalists must consider the impact of their actions and ask themselves some sharp questions: in the end, journalists have to make their own decisions, based upon conscience and their own responsibility, but revealing a source of information is never to be taken lightly. sometimes journalists make the mistake of getting too close to their source. they sometimes create cosy relations that are ambiguous and can easily undermine the ethical base of their work. powerful sources have their own agenda and accepting what they say without question crosses an ethical line and compromises newsroom independence. the new york times and other major news media in the united states, for instance, were heavily criticised before the invasion of iraq in 2003 for relying too heavily on anonymous sources of information inside the government. media coverage was highly deferential despite abundant evidence of the government’s flagrant misuse of intelligence information. a chief offender was new york times reporter judith miller, who produced stories in 2001 and 2002 about the government of saddam hussein in iraq based on false information supplied by unnamed sources. she appeared to accept without question dubious information about weapons of mass destruction in iraq from anonymous sources, including some at the bush white house prior to the united states invasion in 2003. the issue of who controls the story   the source or the reporter   comes up whenever copy approval is demanded, whether by high profile and powerful figures or by sources themselves. it was a row at the heart of the falling out between wikileaks founder julian assange and some major media over the handling of leaked official documents. in many countries leading politicians and their spin doctors simply refuse exclusive interviews unless they can sign off on the final article. in germany, it is accepted practice, even within the elite press, for journalists to submit the quotes they plan to use to politicians and other public figures, although most journalists claim they go along with this only for fact checking and points of accuracy. anonymity is a right that should be enjoyed by those who need it and should never be granted routinely to anyone who asks for it. people who may lose their job for whistleblowing; or young children; or women who are the victims of violence and abuse and others who are vulnerable and at risk from exposure are obviously entitled to it, but anonymity is not a privilege to be enjoyed by people who are self seeking and who benefit by personal gain through keeping their identity secret. in today’s digital environment, rumour and speculation circulate freely and knowing what is real and how to verify news and information is essential. reporters must be alert to the danger of falling for bad information from online sources whether it is user generated content or social media. digital age sourcing is a major challenge, particularly in emergency coverage where rumour and falsehood can quickly add to the tension and uncertainty surrounding traumatic events. some questions a reporter might ask, in the case of social media, include: find out more: craig silverman, editor of regret the error at the poynter institute, and media editor at buzzfeed, has collaborated with the european journalism centre to produce a useful verification handbook. you can read this article in spanish thanks to fnpi: preguntas que todo periodista debe hacerse sobre sus fuentes over the years there have been hundreds of cases when courts and public authorities ordered journalists to hand over material or information that would reveal a source of information. in most cases the ethical reporter will instinctively demur. some will go to jail rather than betray a confidence. sometimes there are hard choices to be made. war correspondent jonathan randal of the washington post, for instance, famously refused to answer a subpoena in 2002 ordering him to appear before the international tribunal for the former yugoslavia which was prosecuting war crimes. randal fought the subpoena with the backing of his paper and won. this action, which was supported by press freedom groups around the world, established some limited legal protection for war correspondents against being forced to give testimony. but when conscience calls others have been willing to cooperate. another journalist who reported on the bosnian war in the 1990s, ed vulliamy of the guardian, was happy to testify before the tribunal. his evidence helped convict and send to jail some of those responsible for war crimes. he argued that bringing to justice war criminals is a cause in which journalists, like other citizens, have a duty to join. main image: journalist by esther vargas (flickr   cc by sa 2.0) share download ethics in the news: challenges for journalism in the post truth era | 18th december 2016 ethics in the news: challenges for journalism in the post truth era | 18th december 2016 ethics in the news: challenges for journalism in the post truth era | 18th december 2016 ethics in the news: challenges for journalism in the post truth era | 18th december 2016 ethics in the news: challenges for journalism in the post truth era | 18th december 2016 ethics in the news: challenges for journalism in the post truth era | 18th december 2016 ethics in the news: challenges for journalism in the post truth era | 18th december 2016 ethics in the news: challenges for journalism in the post truth era | 18th december 2016 ethics in the news: challenges for journalism in the post truth era | 18th december 2016 ethics in the news: challenges for journalism in the post truth era | 18th december 2016 ethics in the news: challenges for journalism in the post truth era | 4th january 2017 ethics in the news: challenges for journalism in the post truth era | 4th january 2017 ethics in the news: challenges for journalism in the post truth era | 4th january 2017 ethics in the news: challenges for journalism in the post truth era | 4th january 2017 ethics in the news: challenges for journalism in the post truth era | 18th december 2016 if you share our mission, please consider donating to the ethical journalism network. your financial contribution will help the ejn to support journalists around the world who are striving to uphold ethical practices in order to build public trust in good journalism. support us now join our mailing list to receive updates on ejn news & events

the times publishes hundreds of pieces of journalism every day. we apply ethical standards and rigorous reporting to every article, video, podcast, newsletter and interactive we produce. here are some explanations of the policies and processes that define our journalism. credit... by the new york times trust team how the new york times uses a.i. for journalism anonymous sources: why does the times use them? how the times covers extreme weather. what does the new york times own? how the times handles and confirms breaking crime news. as artificial intelligence gets more sophisticated, we’re increasingly finding uses for the technology in our journalism. we also have guidance and training in place to guard against the risks of using a.i., such as inaccuracy. here are some ways we use a.i. today: we use machine learning models to sift through vast amounts of data for investigative reporting. for this investigation, our journalists programmed an a.i. tool to scan satellite imagery for bomb craters, which they then reviewed by hand. on parts of our homepage and at the bottom of articles, we use machine learning to recommend articles based on factors that can include what you’ve read before, your rough location and what’s popular among other readers. our editors may employ generative a.i. tools to create initial drafts of headlines, summaries of times articles and other text that helps us produce and distribute the news. that’s always done with human oversight and review, in accordance with our principles for the use of such tools. we don’t use a.i. to write articles, and journalists are ultimately responsible for everything that we publish. artificial intelligence also helps us make the times more accessible to more people. you can listen to most of our articles, through automated voice technology, and read articles in spanish created with the help of translation models. we thoroughly edit the translations before publication. “reporters and editors have to be relentless and skeptical in handling anonymous sourcing. it should never be routine or casual.” phil corbett, standards editor “speaking on the condition of anonymity …” “discussed the incident on the condition that they not be named …” “according to people familiar with …” you’ve undoubtedly seen these phrases in times articles, but what exactly do they mean? our reporting is based on sources. they can be officials, witnesses, records   essentially anyone or anything that can offer information on a particular topic. when we don’t disclose a human source by name, that person is considered an anonymous source. under our guidelines, these sources should be used only for information that we believe is newsworthy and credible, and that we are not able to report any other way. but why does the times shield the identity of some sources? we recognize that the use of anonymous sources is sometimes crucial to our journalistic mission. it can give readers genuine insight into the uses and abuses of power   in washington, on wall street and beyond. in sensitive areas like national security reporting, it can be unavoidable. sources sometimes risk their careers, their freedom and even their lives by talking to us. how do they know the information? what’s their motivation for telling us? have they proved reliable in the past? can we corroborate the information they provide? because using anonymous sources puts great strain on our most valuable asset: our readers’ trust, the reporter and at least one editor is required to know the identity of the source. a senior newsroom editor must also approve the use of the information the source provides. “the times’s primary responsibility is to give readers accurate information, and our readers trust us to do that. by acknowledging our mistakes quickly and transparently, we build on that fundamental trust.” rogene jacquette, corrections editor we recognize an ethical responsibility to correct all factual errors, large and small, promptly and in a prominent space. we encourage readers to reach out to us at nytnews@nytimes.com when they spot a possible mistake. first, we determine if we made an error. we contact the reporters and editors involved and, if a correction is warranted, we adjust the article and add the correction. even when we catch a mistake mere seconds after publishing, we still acknowledge it with a correction. there is no five second rule. corrections should appear in any and all editions (print and digital) or platforms (twitter, instagram, facebook) that carried the error. we also correct mistakes in newsletters, in videos and on podcasts like “the daily.” for obvious typos, we correct the error without appending a correction. during breaking news, there are times when incorrect information is part of the story and does not require a correction: a death toll may be reduced, the number of suspects may change or officials may correct an earlier statement. we typically explain these changes in the updating article and do not append a correction. our ethics guidelines state that journalists have no place on the playing fields of politics. of course, staff members are entitled to vote, but they must do nothing that might raise questions about their professional neutrality or that of the times. endorse candidates give money to, or raise money for, any political candidate or election cause seek public office wear campaign buttons march or rally in support of public causes or movements but just because our reporters and editors are not participating in political events, doesn’t mean they don’t care deeply about certain issues. that is why we urge them to be aware of their own biases and to consider how someone with an opposing view might think about the topics they are covering. framing and characterizing all viewpoints with fairness and depth is central to our approach to reporting. our reputation for independence rests upon the public’s faith that we can carry out our work free from influence and overt bias. “oftentimes reporters are the first people to arrive at a place after it has been hit. that is a difficult experience.” patricia mazzei, miami bureau chief during extreme weather, and related events such as wildfires and floods, we move quickly to bring vital information to those who need it, sending reporters and visual journalists to the scene. “once the storm hits, we try to get as close to the hardest hit part as quickly and safely as possible,” said patricia mazzei, the miami bureau chief for the times, who has covered natural disasters for more than 15 years, including several major hurricanes. “at the beginning, it feels very like you’re the eyes and ears of the reader,” mazzei said. “they’re not there, your editors are not there. you know that you have to absorb the sights and sounds and smells and what people are saying and how they feel and what it looks like and feels like for them. and then you have to pull out, in order to transmit this information. it’s a logistical dance that is very difficult and requires a lot of resources.” when mazzei and her colleagues reach a disaster zone, they often find people out surveying the damage or helping their neighbors. “you encounter these moments of humanity that sort of just blow your mind,” she said. “by telling their stories, we can let the world know what happened. and people really want the world to know what happened.” traveling with police officers, firefighters and search and rescue teams can also be essential in helping readers understand the urgency and severity of a storm. their insight can help reporters piece together the damage the storm caused, and understand what it will take for a hard hit community to come back from it. our reporters and editors reach out to emergency service agencies and forecasters as a disaster is unfolding, checking in hourly at times to let readers know where the most damage is occurring, and if they need to evacuate. but being at the scene, interviewing the people experiencing the brunt of the disaster, is how we can bring readers stories of survival, resilience and tragedy. “it’s difficult to convey the panic and the immediacy of what people are feeling unless you get into the details,” said shawn hubler, a national desk reporter who has covered california floods, wildfires and earthquakes for 40 years. “they’ll say it was terrifying. and by terrifying, you don’t know what they mean until you drill down a little bit and you find out there were embers the size of baseballs slamming into their car as they tried to wind their way down some two lane highway.” the on the ground reporting can also lead to some of the most important stories the times can tell, seeking to hold decision makers accountable when warnings aren’t issued or heeded, when poor choices put people or communities in harm’s way, or when long term planning or infrastructure has been insufficient or neglected, making the outcomes of extreme weather even worse. for our journalists back at the office, the pace during an ongoing weather story can be frenetic. editors on the national and express desks field reports from several locations while also monitoring the course of a storm, the problems it is causing   including evacuations, power outages and flight cancellations   and how those affected can seek help. for events such as blizzards, typhoons, hurricanes and severe weather that could produce tornadoes, our weather data and graphics teams step in early with forecasts and graphics that show the likely path and intensity of the storms. our weather data team is led by john keefe and anchored by the meteorologist judson jones. for this team it is data, data, data. “because we are looking at it all the time, it’s easier for us to explain when there are weird quirks,” keefe said. this allows the team to alert editors to a coming weather system. the team uses data primarily from the national weather service, augmented by other branches of the national oceanic and atmospheric administration. and jones keeps in close touch with scientists at these agencies, and with academics who research weather. his expertise allows him to speak their language and interpret their jargon for readers. “my job is to translate that into terms that matter,” he said, “and sometimes that’s filtering out what doesn’t matter.” our graphics desk, led by archie tse, takes this information and turns it into maps that track a storm’s path; animated time loops that give readers the scale of the storm; and graphics that show rainfall, wind speed and storm surge. the goal is to create weather trackers that focus on the aspects that threaten to cause the most damage. tse said that a combination of news judgment and design expertise goes into every graphic. “our maps and visualizations are tailored for our readers to give them the information they need in a clear and concise way,” he said. because the science establishing a direct link between extreme weather events and the rapid warming of the planet is increasingly clear, our climate desk, which includes more than a dozen journalists, joins in our coverage to provide data, visual explanations and insights. here are some of the sources we use for extreme weather events. the storm prediction center, the weather prediction center, the national hurricane center and other divisions within the national weather service. the european center for medium range weather forecasts (e.c.m.w.f.). the national weather service for the number of people under storm watches, warnings and advisories across the united states. poweroutage, a website that collects and aggregates data on the number of utility customers without power in the united states and other parts of the world. flightaware, which displays the cancellations and delays of commercial airline flights around the world. we also provide guidance for those in the paths of storms, offering ways they can prepare for and survive hurricanes, flash floods and tornadoes. weather is news. we cover it with the understanding that it has an impact on readers’ lives. and while extreme events may begin as breaking news, they often become stories of survival, tragedy, science and accountability. “our job is to never allow this to become routine, and to   once we do confirm it   react and cover it aggressively, as though it’s the very first one we’ve covered.” marc lacey, managing editor our newsroom receives reports of active gunman situations in the united states at least once a day, on average. we monitor the situation, confirm details and, if warranted, send a team of reporters to the scene. within 24 hours of the mass shooting at marjory stoneman douglas high school in parkland, fla., in 2018, the times had at least 25 reporters and 15 editors working on the story. our overall goal is to give readers an in depth account, while being sensitive to victims and loved ones. we want to avoid sensationalizing the crime or elevating the stature of the attacker. once we confirm a death count, we tell readers the scope of the shooting and how it fits into the bigger picture of these crimes across the country. to create a consistent count of mass shootings in the united states, we have updated our definition of “mass shooting,” to include any shooting where four or more people are killed with a firearm   not including the assailant   in a public place and the shooting is not connected to another crime or circumstance, like a robbery, a drug deal or domestic violence. this definition, which was created by the congressional research service, is based on the f.b.i.’s definition of mass murder. this definition is also used by the most comprehensive database on the subject: the violence project. our count of mass shootings is based on data from both the gun violence archive and the violence project. we use data from both sources in order to make sure our database is as up to date and comprehensive as possible. while we often rely on the reports given by law enforcement officials in control of a crime scene during a mass shooting, we let readers know what we can’t confirm, what we can and where and how we got the information. we use the name of the suspect sparingly, and take special care to avoid it in headlines or social media posts. we avoid descriptions that are cinematic, or lack attribution and sourcing. we consult with our photo and standards editors before publishing graphic images or photographs of the suspect. we focus on the victims’ and survivors’ experience of the shooting, while also reporting on the crime and the attacker. we verify any information from a witness or victim found on social media and reach out to the person who posted it before we publish it. we publish the suspect’s name when it is confirmed by authorities. but we do not want to give the person excessive prominence. there is evidence that media coverage can be a factor motivating future mass shootings. we generally avoid publishing images in which the suspect is seen brandishing weapons. we will explain any ideology that might have influenced the gunman’s actions, but we do not typically publish or link to manifestoes that contain rationales for the attack. our reporters try to find out as much as they can about the suspect and approach anyone who might have crossed paths with the person. we supplement interviews with a thorough examination of public records. we want to give readers a sense of the human tragedy, so calling the loved ones of those who died in such circumstances is necessary. the visual investigations team at the new york times uses satellite images, cellphone videos, social media posts and other visual elements to investigate and reconstruct news events like deadly police actions in the united states, oil smuggling in north korea, and a devastating drone strike in kabul. these journalists employ traditional reporting methods as well, visiting the scene of an event and interviewing witnesses and survivors. but it is the digital investigative methods that set them apart and allow them to present a definitive account of the news. when none of the police officers who raided breonna taylor’s home in kentucky used body cameras, preventing a full understanding of what happened, the visual investigations team built a 3 d model of the scene and pieced together critical sequences of events to show how poor planning and shoddy police work led to a fatal outcome. malachy browne, a senior story producer and a co founder, in 2017, of the visual investigations team, spoke of the value of the team’s reporting when it earned them a pulitzer prize for international reporting in 2020: “together, they established   without a doubt   that russian pilots had bombed four hospitals, a market street and a refugee camp. all in syria. killing dozens of people.” using publicly available information, social media and on the ground reporting, team members collect videos and other documentary evidence of the event they’re investigating. reverse image searching that includes running still images through search engines helps confirm that a video is current. if the material has appeared online before, it will most likely show up in the search. comparing landmarks or matching structural damage (as in the war in ukraine) in a video with satellite images or google streetview can help to pinpoint a precise area. to verify when a video was filmed, team members check weather reports, measure the length of the sun’s shadows and check the metadata, or file information, of a video or photo. they also interview witnesses. if they find that a video is taken out of context or is used to spread misinformation, they take to social media to warn others that the content is unreliable. for more on the team’s process, read how the times verifies eyewitness videos by christoph koettl, who specializes in the analysis of satellite imagery, video and other visual evidence for the times. “in an age of ubiquitous vulgarity, it’s not very persuasive to argue that someone’s use of, say, the f word is deeply revealing.” phil corbett, standards editor you may have seen an obscenity in the pages, digital or print, of the new york times. but this should be rare. we maintain a steep threshold for vulgar words. there are times, however, when publishing an offensive expression is necessary for a reader’s understanding of what is being reported. for example, the times doesn’t shy away from reporting vulgarities uttered by powerful public figures and wielded in a public setting. if a reporter feels strongly that offensive language should be used in an article, editors from the standards desk   and sometimes the masthead   will discuss the merits of using the language before agreeing to publish it. even when we decide to publish such language, we typically confine it to a single reference, and avoid using it in headlines, news alerts or social media posts. far more often, we say no to offensive language, as with profiles of colorful characters who pepper their interviews with four letter words. in these cases, we don’t feel compelled to publish every word they say. instead, we opt for a general description like “used a vulgar expression.” and we often avoid repeating a vulgarity used in the name of a website, business, movie or band. (there is one section of the times where you may encounter vulgar language somewhat more often: books. this is because we run excerpts from the books we feature, and we don’t tamper with the author’s language.) we realize that some readers may see our approach to vulgar language as dated or even a bit stuffy. to be clear, it’s not that we think our readers are delicate or easily shocked. but we think they value a restrained and thoughtful tone. here’s a sentence from the times’s stylebook entry on “obscenity, vulgarity, profanity,” which is more than 700 words long: “the times differentiates itself by taking a stand for civility in public discourse, sometimes at an acknowledged cost in the vividness of an article or two, and sometimes at the price of submitting to gibes.” “some 155,000 people die between each day’s print version of the new york times and the next   enough to fill yankee stadium three times over. on average, we publish obituaries on about three of them.” william mcdonald, obituary editor here, william mcdonald explains the process of a times obituary: we start with a paper thin fraction of the total   the deaths we happen to hear about, usually by email or from a wire service or other news outlet   and then get choosy. we’re exclusive in the extreme. we have to be. we have only so much space in the print newspaper, only so many hands to produce stories and only so many hours in the day to produce them, yet we have a very wide world to watch. we focus on people who made a difference on a large stage   people who, we think, will command the broadest interest. if you made news in life, chances are your death is news, too. we investigate, research and ask around before settling on our subjects. some might think our process presumptuous. who, after all, anointed a handful of times editors to stand by the roadside as a parade of humanity passes and single out this one, this one   but not that one   as worthy of being remembered? the answer is that no one did, actually, because that is not precisely what we decide. we make no judgments, moral or otherwise, about human worth. what we do try to judge, however, is newsworthiness, and that’s a whole other standard. there is no formula, scoring system or checklist. one thing to remember is that it is not our intent to honor the dead; we leave the tributes to the eulogists. we seek only to report deaths and to sum up lives, illuminating why, in our judgment, those lives were significant. the justification for the obituary is in the story it tells. the new york times company owns the new york times newspaper, website and app, and several other businesses: wirecutter, the recommendation service the athletic, the sports news site new york times cooking new york times games, which includes spelling bee and wordle. each business operates independently and is sold as a separate subscription, or as part of a bundle with the news site and app. (wordle is free.) the company makes most of its money from these subscriptions and derives significant revenue from advertisers. the paper also produces several podcasts, including “the daily,” which sells sponsorships and ads. in addition, the company owns the podcast producer serial productions, as well as audm, a service that creates audio versions of articles for various publishers. the times also publishes the new york times international edition, the new york times magazine, t: the new york times style magazine and the new york times book review. they all operate within the newsroom and are led by the executive editor. the company used to own other newspapers, including the boston globe, as well as radio and television stations. the times no longer owns these properties, focusing instead on fewer, digital news brands. the company has made minority investments in other businesses and start ups, and because the times has no operational control over these companies, it hasn’t disclosed details of these investments. the times owns the majority of its headquarters building in new york city and a printing plant. both generate revenue. the building rents office space to outside companies, and the plant sells printing services to other publishers. as a public company, the times trades under the ticker symbol nyt, but the business is controlled by the ochs sulzberger family through a trust. the publisher, a.g. sulzberger, is a fifth generation member of the family. additional financial information can be found here. “when big news breaks, we aim to get to the bottom of what occurred as quickly as we can, although we keep in mind that oftentimes initial reports from the scene can be off.” marc lacey, managing editor the times often relies on the reports given by law enforcement officials in control of a crime scene during a breaking news event. these initial reports can be valuable to readers, but they also can be incomplete and even inaccurate. we let readers know what we can’t confirm, what we can and where and how we got the information. then we work aggressively to gather a wider range of perspectives on what happened and to verify the information through public records and interviews with witnesses and victims. we also search for video recordings of the incident and verify those before publishing. initial reports from law enforcement officials reflect their version of the events and are based on preliminary investigations. additional information may contradict these early reports. law enforcement officials may be withholding information for various reasons. we are cautious when reporting about potential motives, especially when officials are making early statements about the motivation behind an incident. we are clear with readers about what questions are unanswered. when new information contradicts earlier reports, we level with readers on what has changed and when. sometimes the reporting on these events involves both the crime and how the police respond to it. law enforcement officials at times make it difficult for us to access information, interview witnesses or verify their findings. in the case of george floyd, the initial police report was titled, “man dies after medical incident during police interaction.” video recorded by a bystander showed police officers pinning mr. floyd to the ground. by being upfront with readers about what we know and don’t know, we provide as much detail as possible while acknowledging it isn’t the full picture. “inviting people to contribute to our reporting helps us grow the reach and scope of our journalism.   beena raghavendran, editor, digital storytelling and training our journalists are skilled at asking questions and listening. their work is usually done with one source at a time   over the phone, in an email or text message or in person. but what if we asked dozens or even hundreds of people those same questions, all at once? by using questionnaires we allow our journalists to broaden their reporting and give readers a chance to respond to specific questions, describe their experiences and share images or other media. questionnaires can generate hundreds of responses, which are often used in a follow up article. for example, when a poll showed that political discord was threatening friendships and family relationships, our call out drew more than 500 responses, allowing us to share with readers the views of people from across the country who ranged in age from 17 to 74. questionnaires are an extension of our traditional reporting methods and a way to ensure that our journalism reflects the world we cover. after we’ve formulated a questionnaire and published it, a team of reporters and editors works together to read through every response. we then reach out to a portion of those who respond (sometimes up to several dozen people) for follow up conversations. these can include an interview to get a longer, more detailed response, or just the agreement that we can use the response they submitted. we require a full name and email to participate. we may use this information to contact you to confirm that you are who you say you are. we use questionnaire responses only for journalistic purposes. we store all responses in a secure database, built and maintained in house and accessible only to our journalists. we never use the personal information you share for marketing or any other business communication. whether or not we use your response, we strive to acknowledge that we have received it. we make every effort to contact you before publishing any part of your submission. we publish more than 100 questionnaires each year and encourage our journalists covering all topics to explore this approach to reporting.   the new york times we spend months preparing to report on thousands of federal, state and local races on election day, including by collecting results and other data on the vote count from precincts and counties across the country. our team of times journalists, engineers, statisticians, data experts and researchers collaborate to deliver up to the minute results displayed on our home page with interactive maps and charts. that data also feeds into the needle, our election night statistical model, which estimates the final outcome based on partial election results, helping readers understand what to make of the vote that has been counted so far. here are the ways we bring you election results. our mission to bring you the truth through our journalism also includes warning you about the falsehoods. misinformation flourished across social media in the final stretch before election day. we have several reporters tracking the trends and the shifting tactics employed by those spreading untruths. here are election fraud falsehoods to watch for.

journalism plays a crucial role in shaping public policy by providing the public with accurate information, holding those in power accountable, and facilitating informed discussions on important issues. as the fourth estate, journalists act as watchdogs, ensuring transparency and highlighting the impact of policies on society. in this article, we will explore the significance of journalism in influencing public policy decisions and the responsibilities journalists bear in this process. one of the primary roles of journalism is to inform the public about key policy issues. journalists gather and analyze information, conduct interviews, and present news stories that provide citizens with a comprehensive understanding of policy proposals, their potential consequences, and the various perspectives surrounding them. by reporting on complex policy matters in a clear and accessible manner, journalists empower individuals to participate in the democratic process and make informed decisions. journalists act as a check on those in power by holding them accountable for their actions and decisions. through investigative reporting, journalists uncover corruption, expose wrongdoing, and shed light on policy failures. their role as watchdogs ensures that decision makers are answerable to the public, promoting transparency and integrity in governance. by exposing unethical practices, journalists play a crucial role in shaping public opinion and influencing policy reforms. journalists, through their reporting, also play a role in advocating for specific policy changes. by highlighting societal issues and giving voice to marginalized communities, journalists can shape the public discourse and influence policy agendas. their investigative work often leads to policy debates and reforms, bringing attention to previously neglected or overlooked issues. however, it is essential for journalists to maintain objectivity and present a balanced view while advocating for policy changes. journalism acts as a platform for informed discussions on policy matters. by providing different perspectives and expert opinions, journalists facilitate public discourse and foster a better understanding of complex issues. through interviews, opinion pieces, and analysis, journalists contribute to the development of well rounded public opinions, ensuring that policy decisions are based on a diverse range of viewpoints. journalism plays a vital role in bridging the gap between policy making institutions and the general public. journalists act as intermediaries, translating complex policy jargon into accessible language and presenting policy proposals in a way that resonates with the public. by breaking down policy issues, journalists make them relatable, increasing public engagement and participation in the policy making process. journalism has the power to shape public opinion, which in turn can influence policy outcomes. through accurate and objective reporting, journalists provide the public with the information necessary to form opinions on policy matters. by presenting facts, analyzing data, and providing context, journalists can sway public sentiment and affect the public’s response to policy proposals. to deepen your understanding of modern journalism and enhance your skills in shaping public policy, consider enrolling in the nyu | modern journalism online course and certificate program offered by yellowbrick. this comprehensive program will provide you with the knowledge and tools necessary to excel in the field of journalism and make a meaningful impact on public policy. take the first step towards a rewarding career in journalism today! enter your email to learn more and get a full course catalog! discover the importance of fashion marketing education, the skills you need to succeed, and how to kickstart your career in this dynamic industry. explore top strategies in sneaker brand marketing from market research to innovation. empower your career with insights on trends shaping the industry. explore our comprehensive guide to start your fashion business filled with essential tips, insights, and steps from defining your niche to seeking guidance.

apply now request info ready to apply to penn lps online? apply now request more information with widespread access to everything from podcasts and blogs to video apps and social media as potential news sources, journalism in the digital era is increasingly complex. that’s why now, more than ever, journalistic integrity is critical. whether you’re an aspiring professional journalist or you want to learn how to become a more informed consumer of online news, enhancing your media literacy is an important tool in preventing the spread of misinformation. this article explores what comprises journalistic integrity, details the many challenges of maintaining it, and provides strategies that support fairness, accuracy, and truth in reporting. a primary goal of journalism is to provide the public with information to help them make informed decisions about their lives, communities, societies, and governments. as such, it’s vital that this information is accurate and unbiased, which is where media ethics comes in. in a climate where half of the generation z population in the united states uses social media as their primary daily news source, ethics in journalism is essential to counteract the proliferation of false information. journalistic integrity helps ensure that professional journalists abide by a code of ethics and conduct fact based reporting from a place of fairness, impartiality, and transparency. without journalistic integrity, news writers and broadcasters may be bought, swayed, or influenced by people, organizations, or partisan political interests that compromise their stories. a lack of integrity also leads to public distrust in the news media, which is at an all time high. in fact, according to a 2022 study by gallup and the knight foundation, 55% of americans believe there is significant political bias in news coverage, up from 45% in 2017. according to the society of professional journalists, ethical journalism seeks to ensure the free exchange of fair, accurate, and comprehensive information. the society created four principles as part of a code of ethics for all professional journalists: the internet has had a significant impact on journalism by disrupting the traditional means of disseminating news and creating a more decentralized media model. for example, according to the 2022 gallup and the knight foundation study, 58% of americans receive their news online, 31% via television, 7% by radio, and 3% through printed newspapers or magazines. citizen journalism is the reporting of news and other information by people who are not professional journalists or affiliated with a media organization. in the 24/7 news cycle, anyone with a smartphone and access to the internet can report on events in real time on social media, podcasts, and other digital platforms such as wikipedia. eyewitness reporting from the public can provide instantaneous perspectives on everything from natural disasters and political protests to police brutality or other human rights abuses. this type of broadcasting can complement traditional forms of journalism. however, issues arise when videos are edited to remove context or if content includes misleading headlines or captions. citizen journalism can also help close the gap in reporting local stories that highlight community issues not typically covered by mainstream media outlets. when done ethically, collaborations between the public and professional journalists can help provide more thorough and inclusive news coverage. the rise of citizen journalism has undoubtedly led to a democratization of media distribution by empowering individuals to share their firsthand experiences and elevate diverse and otherwise underrepresented voices. another positive result of this phenomenon is that large media corporations may be more compelled to report on stories that are in the public’s interest because their audiences have more options to turn to for information. on the other hand, the increased prevalence of participatory journalism raises valid concerns regarding the lack of oversight when it comes to fact checking, impartiality, and transparency. as people turn to facebook, x (formerly known as twitter), tiktok, instagram, and other social media, they are more likely to consume news bytes rather than in depth reporting. this may increase their chances of encountering misinformation or getting stuck in an “echo chamber” that reinforces their existing social and political biases. a 2022 pew research survey found that only 34% of us adults think social media has been good for democracy and larger shares believe social media leads to manipulation and division in society. a major disadvantage of the rise of real time participatory journalism and social media platforms as news sources is that traditional news media may feel compelled to sacrifice fairness and accuracy for speed. when news organizations prioritize clicks and engagement over journalistic integrity, it increases the likelihood of reporting errors or misleading information that degrades public trust. disinformation is false information that is deliberately created and shared to cause harm, while misinformation is misleading content created or shared without a conscious intent to cause harm. fake news generally refers to false digital content that can either be a form of disinformation or misinformation, depending on the source. the term “fake news” became popular during the 2016 us election, but the expression is now widespread. a more recent example is the misinformation shared on social media networks during the covid 19 pandemic. according to research from statista, close to 80% of consumers in the us reported having viewed fake news about the coronavirus outbreak. however, a major issue with the proliferation of misinformation is the public’s inability to recognize when they are consuming or distributing it. close to 40% of statista respondents admitted to accidentally sharing fake news with others. as more people become aware that inaccurate and misleading information can affect how people interpret reality, perceive issues such as climate change, or vote in elections, it’s also important that they proactively consider the journalistic integrity (or lack thereof) of the news sources they consume. in recent years, public trust in professional journalists has been on a steady decline. without this trust, people may be more likely to turn to alternative outlets for information that are not credible, accurate, or ethical. the aforementioned survey by gallup and the knight foundation found that only 26% of respondents have a favorable opinion of the american national news media the lowest level recorded by the survey in five years. 53% of those surveyed have an unfavorable view. over 50% of respondents believe that most national news organizations intend to mislead, misinform, or persuade the public. the rise in an unfavorable opinion of the media is also apparent across all political affiliations, including democrats who typically hold more positive views. the increased perception of political bias in news coverage increased the most with independents, followed by republicans, and then democrats. interestingly, americans have a much more positive opinion of local news reporting; 53% of respondents believe that most local news organizations care about how their work affects their community broadly and 47% believe most local news groups consider the best interests of their audiences. according to the american psychological society (apa), 11% of journalists surveyed in a recent study by pen america say they have unintentionally spread false information. signs of attempted manipulation include the use of conspiracy theories, discrediting opponents, impersonating expertise, and polarizing or emotional content focused on group identity. the radio and television digital network association (rtdna) emphasizes the importance of leading with what is true and accurate when making corrections on false claims or inaccurate quotes. additional tips to uphold journalistic integrity include: in addition to implementing the above strategies and following the code of ethics outlined by the society of professional journalists, it’s also important for news organizations to proactively engage with historically marginalized communities. this can involve seeking editorial input from underrepresented groups or making stories available in different languages and on various media platforms to help ensure better access to information. as a member of the viewing audience, one of the most effective ways that you can help support journalistic integrity is to develop your own media literacy skills. media literacy is the ability to critically analyze content and news sources to determine their accuracy and legitimacy. some of the primary skills involved in media literacy include inquiry, search and research, critical thinking, and analysis and evaluation. it can be helpful to think of yourself as a professional journalist when you consume news. this means fact checking claims, analyzing sources, seeking out other points of view, and assessing the truth and credibility of the information presented. to help you get started, the news literacy project offers a fact checking tool and other programs to help you decipher news from opinion and identify legitimate news sources. it is also helpful to understand why humans are so susceptible to believing misinformation. research shows that half truths that are frequently liked or commented on or that cause fear are more likely to spread faster and stick with people. confirmation bias refers to the fact that people are less likely to doubt the truth of information that aligns with their worldview. and the illusory truth effect describes how repeated exposure to disinformation makes people more likely to believe it. finally, it’s important to demand transparency, accuracy, and impartiality from all news organizations and other forms of media. this includes holding professional journalists accountable to their formal code of ethics while questioning the veracity and legitimacy of content created by citizen journalists whose ethics are less than transparent. the concentration in creative studies for the bachelor of applied arts and sciences degree at penn lps online can prepare you to use innovation, flexibility, and collaboration to nurture your creative writing practice. as you study and analyze creative works of art with attention to historical and cultural context, you’ll create and revise your own original writing in nonfiction, fiction, poetry, and screenwriting genres. an alternative to a bachelor’s program, the certificate in creative writing is designed as a workshop in which you can explore new ideas, discover innovative writing tools, and sharpen your powers of expression. whether you have previous experience or you’re new to creative writing, this four course program will help you develop your skills with valuable feedback from instructors and peers. the course crwr 3700: journalism workshop, which can be taken as part of the certificate in creative writing, teaches students journalistic genres, including interviews, profiles, reportage, features, storytelling, and criticism, as well as a range of journalistic writing tools. if you haven’t already, apply to penn lps online today. learn more about the creative writing course block, or view our course guide to see what’s available in any upcoming term. additional sources https://mediahelpingmedia.org/ethics/integrity and journalism/ https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/impact internet journalism media priyanka ahuja/ https://medium.com/@theheadlineus/the rise of citizen journalism empowering voices in the digital age 92c8d732e93c# https://www.internetmatters.org/issues/fake news and misinformation advice hub/learn about fake news to support children/ https://nbcuacademy.com/misinformation news build trust/ 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usa today network’s principles of ethical conduct for newsrooms includes concepts and language developed by the radio and television digital news association, other gannett documents and a group of gannett executives and journalists. these principles are designed to guide journalists working with any news platform, including newspapers, websites, mobile devices, video, social media channels and live story events. we are committed to: i. seeking and reporting the truth in a truthful way ii. serving the public interest iii. exercising fair play iv. maintaining independence v. acting with integrity purpose transparency & disclosure accuracy & verification editorial judgment fair use ai visual tools (dall e & others) privacy & data protection bias & discrimination safety & security accountability & responsibility inclusivity & diversity training & development conclusion these ethical guidelines and policies aim to ensure that journalists use ai generated content in a transparent, accurate, fair, and accountable manner. gannett i usa today i usa today network journalists are advised to follow our ai guidelines when requesting access to use and/or open ai tools and services. journalists must discuss the purpose and production of any ai generated content with their editor and gannett’s ai council before using it. they also need an executive sponsor and approval from the ai council for a project to move forward. these guidelines are provided to maintain the highest standards of journalism and to maintain the trust of our audience. gannett takes the use of ai generated content very seriously and has put in place several safeguards to protect our intellectual property and ensure ai is used responsibly and ethically. gannett does not use ai generated photo realistic images in our news coverage. the guidelines may be revised periodically to reflect the evolving ethical implications of ai (artificial intelligence) technology. v2 updated on december 4, 2023 © copyright gannett 2025

the mission of npr, in partnership with its member stations, is to create a more informed public, one challenged and invigorated by a deeper understanding and appreciation of events, ideas, and culture within the united states and across the globe. to this end, npr reports, produces, acquires and distributes news, information and other content that meet the highest standards of public service in journalism and cultural expression. [editor's note: this section revised on july 7, 2021 to reflect the work and thinking of the ethics handbook committee.] npr is, at its core, a news organization. our work, whether on the air online, through podcasts, video, or in any other form, aspires to the heights of public service. we take seriously our democratic role as watchdogs, holding the powerful accountable as we hold ourselves to the core principles of honesty, integrity, independence, accuracy, contextual truth, transparency, respect and fairness for the people we serve and the people we cover. we know that truth is not possible without the active pursuit of a diversity of voices, especially those most at risk of being left out. with these guiding principles in mind, this handbook is intended not as a prescriptive list of do's and don'ts. rather, it is a foundation upon which staff should consider these often competing principles and exercise judgment in deciding how to best represent the core values of our organization and to serve our audiences with journalism they can trust. [editor's note: this section was revised on july 7, 2021 to reflect the work and thinking of the ethics handbook committee.] all editorial staff are bound by this guidance. editorial staff are defined as staff members who play a role in shaping the journalistic or creative direction of npr's content, including events. this includes, but is not limited to, leadership, managers, reporters, editors, newscasters, producers, visual journalists, data journalists, hosts and interns across the news and programming divisions, as well as freelance editorial contributors and npr events and promotions staff who shape editorially focused content. contributors should adhere to the same standards, depending on what type of content creator they are. non editorial staff in the newsroom are not bound by this handbook and should follow the guidance of npr's code of conduct. this includes administrative and support staff who do not have a role in content and coverage decisions, such as those in news operations, news application development and audio engineering; research, archives and data strategy and npr staff who only shape content for sponsors. the same holds for artists and graphic designers if they are not involved in making editorial decisions. our purpose is to pursue the truth. diligent verification is critical. we take great care to ensure that statements of fact in our journalism are both correct and in context. in our reporting, we rigorously challenge both the claims we encounter and the assumptions we bring. we devote our resources and our skills to presenting the fullest version of the truth we can deliver, placing the highest value on information we have gathered and verified ourselves. to tell the truest story possible, it is essential that we treat those we interview and report on with scrupulous fairness, guided by a spirit of professionalism. we make every effort to gather responses from those who are the subjects of criticism, unfavorable allegations or other negative assertions in our stories. what we broadcast and put online is edited for time and clarity. whenever we quote, edit or otherwise interpret what people tell us, we aim to be faithful to their meaning, so our stories ring true to those we interview. in all our stories, especially matters of controversy, we strive to consider the strongest arguments we can find on all sides, seeking to deliver both nuance and clarity. our goal is not to please those whom we report on or to produce stories that create the appearance of balance, but to seek the truth. we do our best to report thoroughly and tell stories comprehensively. we won't always have enough time or space in one story to say everything we would like or quote everyone we would wish to include. but errors of omission and partial truths can inflict great damage on our credibility, and stories delivered without the context to fully understand them are incomplete. our journalism includes diverse voices that reflect our society and divergent views that contribute to informed debate. when we find that we can't deliver all the answers to important questions, we explain what we don't yet know and work to fill any gaps in our reporting. journalists who conduct themselves honestly prove themselves worthy of trust. in the course of our work, we are genuine and candid. we attribute information we receive from others, making perfectly clear to our audience what information comes from which source. we avoid hyperbole and sensational conjecture. we may sometimes construct hypotheticals to help explain issues and events, but we reveal any fabrication, and do not otherwise mix fiction with our news reporting. we edit and present information honestly, without deception, and we identify ourselves as npr journalists when we report. only in the rarest of instances   such as when public safety is at issue, or when lives are at stake   might we disguise our identity or intent when reporting. before we take such a step, we engage in rigorous deliberation and consider all alternatives. then, when we tell the story, we fully disclose what we did and why. to secure the public's trust, we must make it clear that our primary allegiance is to the public. any personal or professional interests that conflict with that allegiance, whether in appearance or in reality, risk compromising our credibility. we are vigilant in disclosing to both our supervisors and the public any circumstances where our loyalties may be divided   extending to the interests of spouses and other family members   and when necessary, we recuse ourselves from related coverage. under no circumstances do we skew our reports for personal gain, to help npr's bottom line or to please those who fund us. decisions about what we cover and how we do our work are made by our journalists, not by those who provide npr with financial support. [editor's note: this section was revised on july 7, 2021 to reflect the work and thinking of the ethics handbook committee.] our experiences and perspectives are valuable assets to our journalism. we enjoy the right to robust personal lives, yet we accept some unique professional obligations and limitations. because our words and actions can damage the public's opinion of npr, we comport ourselves in ways that honor our professional impartiality. we have opinions, like all people. but the public deserves factual reporting and informed analysis without our opinions unduly influencing what they hear or see. so we strive to report and produce stories that transcend our biases and treat all views fairly. we aggressively challenge our own perspectives and pursue a diverse range of others, aiming always to present the truth as completely as we can tell it. to inspire confidence in our journalism, it is critical that we give the public the tools to evaluate our work. we reveal as much as we practically can about how we discover and verify the facts we present. we strive to make our decision making process clear to the public, especially when we find ourselves wrestling with tough choices. we disclose any relationships, whether with partners or funders, that might appear to influence our coverage. we take full responsibility for our work, so we must always be ready and willing to answer for it. just as careful attention to our sources makes a story stronger, careful listening to our public makes our journalism better. so we welcome questions or criticisms from our stakeholders and to the best of our ability, we respond. mistakes are inevitable. when we make them, we correct them forthrightly, reflect on what happened, and learn from them. everyone affected by our journalism deserves to be treated with decency and compassion. we are civil in our actions and words, avoiding arrogance and hubris. we listen to others. when we ask tough questions, we do so to seek answers   not confrontations. we are sensitive to differences in attitudes and culture. we minimize undue harm and take special care with those who are vulnerable or suffering. and with all subjects of our coverage, we are mindful of their privacy as we fulfill our journalistic obligations. our journalism is most valuable when we marry important truths with engaging narrative. we take enormous pride in the craftsmanship of our storytelling and in the quality of the words, sounds and images we use to help illuminate the world. when we edit, it is to add impact and clarity to our journalism   never to slant or distort. we don't allow what is sensational to obscure what is significant. we aspire to tell stories that rise above the maudlin and mundane, avoiding shallow sentimentality. above all, we do our best to faithfully and powerfully convey the truth. we will fulfill the high standard we owe the public if we hold true to our principles. doing so requires that we embrace complexity and continually think through difficult decisions. while these principles reinforce each other, they also are often in tension. in all situations, we balance them against one another, striving to honor our mission. this statement is intended not only to serve as a guide, but also to provoke ongoing discussion and deliberation   the keys to any ethical decision making process. it should both test and strengthen the moral compass that guides each of us in our work. it aims to foster a culture that compels and empowers us to exercise our consciences each day. we believe it is our shared responsibility to live up to these principles. standards & practices editor tony cavin writes occasional notes about the issues journalists encounter and the way npr handles them. they often expand on topics covered in the ethics handbook. sponsor message become an npr sponsor

© 2025 flatwater free press the flatwater free press is in the business of truth. we seek it, we record it and we present it to the public so that our state   our community   can better understand itself. in this way, we believe we can contribute to a more vibrant, informed and whole nebraska. for this to work, our journalists must tell the truth without any other agenda, and readers must be able to trust that they do. any lapse in ethics by our journalists, or any reason readers have to doubt our motives, creates a mistrust that undermines our mission. we promise readers that our journalists always seek the truth earnestly and with integrity, independence, compassion and accountability. this code of ethics outlines specific ways that our journalists strive to keep that promise. if we ever stray from it, readers should call us out and demand we make amends. it is important to remember that journalists are human and carry with them their own life experiences. our journalists are also members of their communities. it is not practical   nor desired   for flatwater journalists to be coldly detached from the issues they cover. but our journalists will avoid as much as possible conflicts of interest and situations that raise doubts about their integrity. if a topic cannot be covered fairly   for example, if a reporter or editor’s spouse has a contractual relationship with a subject   they should recuse themselves from involvement with the piece. when these conflicts are unavoidable, our journalists must disclose them to their colleagues and to our readers. this includes in stories, when appropriate. when in doubt, we are transparent. when we make a mistake, we are humble, admit our error and correct it. while truth may be our business, the trust of our readers is our most valuable asset. we aim every day to work on behalf of nebraskans, to earn their trust and to bring their truths to light. donors are supporting our mission of doing insightful and incisive journalism on nebraska issues. they are not buying any special consideration we would not afford other sources. board members, by the same token, have incredible responsibility over the governance and organization of the nebraska journalism trust. while we’re grateful for these two important roles, we must take measures to insulate the journalism from our business operations, in much the same way legacy news organizations have long kept a firewall between similar roles. with this in mind: our journalists may use literary style storytelling techniques in news articles or videos when appropriate. however, the use of those techniques does not entitle journalists to change facts, alter timelines, leave out important information or otherwise take artistic liberties to place the narrative of the story above the truth of the story. our journalists are not allowed to invent or create composite characters or scenes in reporting the news. the use of pseudonyms is also not allowed. instead, when using the common name of the subject of a story is not possible, our journalists should try to find another version of that subject’s name to use   such as a middle name, a nickname or a first initial   and be transparent with readers about the choice. we do not pay sources for information or for interviews, and we do not pay subjects to shoot photos or video of them. if someone witnesses an event and provides us with an extraordinary photo or video, it is acceptable to pay them for their work upon request, as we would pay a freelance journalist. we also might buy a source a cup of coffee or lunch as part of an interview. and we pay fees for public records when required. but such small considerations should never be manipulated or held out as leverage in exchange for information. we don’t wear disguises, make up fake names, pretend to be who we are not or mislead people for information. when reporting stories, we identify ourselves when asked. when approaching someone for an interview, we identify ourselves at the outset and make clear how we will use the information they provide. at the same time, we are also members of the community. any information available to the general public is fair game for us to report, even if we obtained it in a forum where we didn’t proactively identify ourselves as journalists. we avoid quoting anonymous sources. there may be rare exceptions when the news value of a quote from an unnamed source outweighs the lack of transparency that anonymity creates. in those instances, and only with the approval of an editor, an anonymous source may be quoted or cited. when presenting information from an anonymous source, we include a reason why the source needs their name withheld. greater value is placed on requests for anonymity from whistleblowers, people who are victims of crimes or trauma and people who would be in danger if their names were linked to their quotes. we want people to be able to talk about their lives and their experiences. children are a separate case. we weigh the long term impacts of including a child’s name in a story, and will err on the side of allowing children to go unnamed in hard news situations. always, but especially in stories about politics or government, we examine requests for anonymity for possible ulterior motives. we also do not grant government spokespeople anonymity in quotes when they are providing an official comment. any time an anonymous quote is used, the journalist reporting the story must know the true name of the source and how to contact them. the journalist must provide that information to an editor. as journalists, we sometimes use terms in interviews that are unfamiliar to the general public. at the flatwater free press: our journalists must explain these terms to sources and agree to them prior to the interview. more deference is given to people who don’t often deal with the press. official sources should be generally familiar with these concepts. a single comment said off the record or on background does not make the rest of the interview off limits. all interviews and information sent to the flatwater free press are on the record unless agreed otherwise. any request by a source   especially one who frequently interacts with the media   to retroactively place a comment off the record is viewed with extreme skepticism. everyone makes mistakes. despite our best efforts, some may occasionally sneak into a published piece. at the flatwater free press, we work as hard as we can to prevent that, and we are tough on ourselves when we fail. but, while we know that some mistakes are bound to happen, we never take a lax approach to fixing them. instead, we act quickly to right our wrongs, both small and big, because we understand that the responsibility of telling the truth comes with the equal responsibility of owning up when we mess up. all claims of inaccuracy should be directed to an editor. if the information is provably, factually inaccurate, journalists must be able to explain what is wrong, how the mistake occurred and what the correction is. journalists must make sure the information in the proposed correction is accurate before inserting it into the article in lieu of the mistaken information. a correction notice must then be posted on the article stating how it was corrected. all corrections are filed and tracked. after the second correction in a year, the editor and reporter will meet and design a plan to minimize future corrections. if the pattern continues, further discipline, including termination, is on the table. significant factual corrections will be shared with our distribution partners. the decision of what constitutes “significant” lies with our editors. every one of our journalists is responsible for thoroughly fact checking their own work. while editors and other colleagues may serve as additional lines of defense against mistakes, it is the journalists who gather the information and produce the content who are primarily responsible for the accuracy of it. during editing and other production processes, editors must take care not to insert mistakes into the content. when in doubt, editors should consult the journalists who produced the work to double check information. every story will be double checked by the reporter, be they freelance or full time employees, and the editor at a point before it is shared with media partners. that email notification to publication partners is the point at which we consider a piece “published.” in general, we do not grant requests to retract or take down news articles unless the article is so fundamentally and factually flawed that no correction or follow up reporting could fix it and its continued presence online is causing active harm to public understanding or discourse. if, after investigation, we determine that information contained in an article is inaccurate, our first move should be to correct it immediately and post a notice of that correction. if the article leaves out important follow up details that occurred after the article’s publication   such as an article about an individual who was criminally charged but who had those charges dropped following the article’s publication   a follow up story or a note posted to the original article may be appropriate. sometimes, a journalist’s error goes beyond an inadvertent mistake to something bigger. this could be insensitivity in news coverage, mistreatment of individuals in person or online, or other misbehavior in violation of this code. when that happens, we are committed to making things right. this means we work immediately to respond to allegations of misconduct, and we investigate those allegations thoroughly. when appropriate, we reach out to affected individuals and talk with them on the phone or meet with them in person to listen to their thoughts about what we did wrong and how we can fix it. we take their opinions seriously. and, when necessary, we punish journalists for their misbehavior. when flatwater free press journalists make mistakes, an editor should talk with them about how the mistake happened and how to prevent it in the future. not every mistake requires a journalist to be harshly punished. mistakes happen, and reporters should not live in fear of occasional, honest mistakes. indeed, those are why this policy exists. that said, editors and other newsroom leaders should be especially aware of patterns of conduct that create habitual or ongoing problems. when appropriate in instances of major misconduct, the flatwater free press should publish a story explaining a journalist’s discipline, while also adhering to all personnel privacy rules and employment agreements by which it is bound. no one   not free press journalists, not freelancers, not members of the public, and not sources   should be retaliated against or otherwise penalized for bringing forward concerns about inaccurate information or potential violations of this code. we welcome people’s input to make us better. plagiarism is taking someone else’s words and presenting them as your own. this can be as little as stealing a unique phrase or sentence or as large as cutting and pasting whole paragraphs. it is a cardinal sin in journalism, and anyone who commits plagiarism is subject to serious punishment   including possible termination. if any reader spots what they believe to be plagiarism, we ask that they contact us as soon as possible. any staff member who receives a complaint of plagiarism must take that complaint to an editor immediately, and editors must investigate reports of plagiarism promptly. we’re not here to steal anyone’s work. if we learn details for a story exclusively from another news outlet, we first make an effort to verify that information ourselves, and when needed we cite that outlet, in the body of the story, as the source of that information and provide a link to the other outlet’s article, if possible. if we cannot verify information reported by another outlet   especially if that information is not something that the other outlet’s journalist witnessed first hand   we either do not report it or we attribute it to the publication and note that we were unable to confirm the information. we also use links liberally to be transparent in where we obtained information. we link to academic studies, websites, data sources and elsewhere so our readers can follow our reporting trail. at the heart of our relationship with readers is a promise that we, in reporting the news, have no agenda but to serve them. our journalists must leave their personal views and opinions out of news articles and instead let only the facts guide them. we seek out, listen to and quote diverse voices. when applicable, we are transparent with facts about sources’ personal or professional lives that may influence their views. (for instance, when quoting a source who works at a particular think tank for a political story, we should note that think tank’s take on its core issues.) while we maintain a journalist’s valued skepticism   and we always seek second and third sources to verify information   we also do not automatically assume people are acting in bad faith. our job is to help nebraskans understand their state, and that includes exposing things that are outrageous and unjust. but we also seek to understand our sources and their motives so that we can give readers a clear, but nuanced, portrait of the good life. nebraska journalism trust   documents & policies » share this story close © 2025 flatwater free press a publication of the nebraska journalism trust

this page is brought to you by the owl at purdue university. when printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice. copyright ©1995 2018 by the writing lab & the owl at purdue and purdue university. all rights reserved. this material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use. journalism is the practice of gathering, recording, verifying, and reporting on information of public importance. though these general duties have been historically consistent, the particulars of the journalistic process have evolved as the ways information is collected, disseminated, and consumed have changed. things like the invention of the printing press in the 15thcentury, the ratification of the first amendment in 1791, the completion of the first transatlantic telegraph cable in 1858, the first televised presidential debates in 1960, and more have broadened the ways that journalists write (as well as the ways that their readers read). today, journalists may perform a number of different roles. they still write traditional text based pieces, but they may also film documentaries, record podcasts, create photo essays, help run 24 hour tv broadcasts, and keep the news at our fingertips via social media and the internet. collectively, these various journalistic media help members of the public learn what is happening in the world so they may make informed decisions. the most important difference between journalism and other forms of non fiction writing is the idea of objectivity. journalists are expected to keep an objective mindset at all times as they interview sources, research events, and write and report their stories. their stories should not aim to persuade their readers but instead to inform. that is not to say you will never find an opinion in a newspaper rather, journalists must be incredibly mindful of keeping subjectivity to pieces like editorials, columns, and other opinion based content. similarly, journalists devote most of their efforts to working with primary sources, whereas a research paper or another non fiction piece of writing might frequently consult an encyclopedia, a scholarly article, or another secondary or tertiary source. when a journalist is researching and writing their story, they will often interview a number of individuals from politicians to the average citizen to gain insight into what people have experienced, and the quotes journalists collect drive and shape their stories. the pages in this section aim to provide a brief overview of journalistic practices and standards, such as the ethics of collecting and reporting on information; writing conventions like the inverted pyramid and using associated press (ap) style; and formatting and drafting journalistic content like press releases. purdue owl is a registered trademark. copyright ©2024 by the on campus writing lab & the owl at purdue and purdue university. this material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. this website collects and publishes the ideas of individuals who have contributed those ideas in their capacities as faculty mentored student scholars. the materials collected here do not express the views of, or positions held by, purdue university. use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use. privacy policy.

explaining the policies and processes that define our journalism. “reporters and editors have to be relentless and skeptical in handling anonymous sourcing. it should never be routine or casual.” phil corbett, standards editor “speaking on the condition of anonymity …” “discussed the incident on the condition that they not be named …” “according to people familiar with …” you’ve undoubtedly seen these phrases in times articles, but what exactly do they mean? our reporting is based on sources. they can be officials, witnesses, records   essentially anyone or anything that can offer information on a particular topic. when we don’t disclose a human source by name, that person is considered an anonymous source. under our guidelines, these sources should be used only for information that we believe is newsworthy and credible, and that we are not able to report any other way. but why does the times shield the identity of some sources? we recognize that the use of anonymous sources is sometimes crucial to our journalistic mission. it can give readers genuine insight into the uses and abuses of power   in washington, on wall street and beyond. in sensitive areas like national security reporting, it can be unavoidable. sources sometimes risk their careers, their freedom and even their lives by talking to us. how do they know the information? what’s their motivation for telling us? have they proved reliable in the past? can we corroborate the information they provide? because using anonymous sources puts great strain on our most valuable asset: our readers’ trust, the reporter and at least one editor is required to know the identity of the source. a senior newsroom editor must also approve the use of the information the source provides.

expert commentary in 1997 the committee of concerned journalists began a national conversation to identify the principles that underlie journalism. this work is licensed under a creative commons attribution noderivatives 4.0 international license. by leighton walter kille, the journalist's resource november 26, 2009 in 1997 the carnegie knight task force, then administered by the project for excellence in journalism, began a national conversation to identify and clarify the principles that underlie journalism. after four years of research, including 20 public forums around the country, a national survey of journalists and more, the group released a statement of shared purpose that identified nine principles. these became the basis for the elements of journalism, a book by pej director tom rosenstiel and ccj chairman and pej senior counselor bill kovach. here are those principles, as outlined in the original statement of shared purpose. statement of purpose the central purpose of journalism is to provide citizens with accurate and reliable information they need to function in a free society. this encompasses myriad roles   helping define community; creating common language and common knowledge; identifying a community’s goals, heros and villains; and pushing people beyond complacency. this purpose also involves other requirements, such as being entertaining, serving as watchdog and offering voice to the voiceless. over time journalists have developed nine core principles to meet the task. they comprise what might be described as the theory of journalism: 1. journalism’s first obligation is to the truth democracy depends on citizens having reliable, accurate facts put in a meaningful context. journalism does not pursue truth in an absolute or philosophical sense, but it can   and must   pursue it in a practical sense. this “journalistic truth” is a process that begins with the professional discipline of assembling and verifying facts. then journalists try to convey a fair and reliable account of their meaning, valid for now, subject to further investigation. journalists should be as transparent as possible about sources and methods so audiences can make their own assessment of the information. even in a world of expanding voices, accuracy is the foundation upon which everything else is built   context, interpretation, comment, criticism, analysis and debate. the truth, over time, emerges from this forum. as citizens encounter an ever greater flow of data, they have more need   not less   for identifiable sources dedicated to verifying that information and putting it in context. 2. its first loyalty is to citizens while news organizations answer to many constituencies, including advertisers and shareholders, the journalists in those organizations must maintain allegiance to citizens and the larger public interest above any other if they are to provide the news without fear or favor. this commitment to citizens first is the basis of a news organization’s credibility, the implied covenant that tells the audience the coverage is not slanted for friends or advertisers. commitment to citizens also means journalism should present a representative picture of all constituent groups in society. ignoring certain citizens has the effect of disenfranchising them. the theory underlying the modern news industry has been the belief that credibility builds a broad and loyal audience, and that economic success follows in turn. in that regard, the business people in a news organization also must nurture   not exploit   their allegiance to the audience ahead of other considerations. 3. its essence is a discipline of verification journalists rely on a professional discipline for verifying information. when the concept of objectivity originally evolved, it did not imply that journalists are free of bias. it called, rather, for a consistent method of testing information   a transparent approach to evidence   precisely so that personal and cultural biases would not undermine the accuracy of their work. the method is objective, not the journalist. seeking out multiple witnesses, disclosing as much as possible about sources, or asking various sides for comment, all signal such standards. this discipline of verification is what separates journalism from other modes of communication, such as propaganda, fiction or entertainment. but the need for professional method is not always fully recognized or refined. while journalism has developed various techniques for determining facts, for instance, it has done less to develop a system for testing the reliability of journalistic interpretation. 4. its practitioners must maintain an independence from those they cover independence is an underlying requirement of journalism, a cornerstone of its reliability. independence of spirit and mind, rather than neutrality, is the principle journalists must keep in focus. while editorialists and commentators are not neutral, the source of their credibility is still their accuracy, intellectual fairness and ability to inform   not their devotion to a certain group or outcome. in our independence, however, we must avoid any tendency to stray into arrogance, elitism, isolation or nihilism. 5. it must serve as an independent monitor of power journalism has an unusual capacity to serve as watchdog over those whose power and position most affect citizens. the founders recognized this to be a rampart against despotism when they ensured an independent press; courts have affirmed it; citizens rely on it. as journalists, we have an obligation to protect this watchdog freedom by not demeaning it in frivolous use or exploiting it for commercial gain. 6. it must provide a forum for public criticism and compromise the news media are the common carriers of public discussion, and this responsibility forms a basis for our special privileges. this discussion serves society best when it is informed by facts rather than prejudice and supposition. it also should strive to fairly represent the varied viewpoints and interests in society, and to place them in context rather than highlight only the conflicting fringes of debate. accuracy and truthfulness require that as framers of the public discussion we not neglect the points of common ground where problem solving occurs. 7. it must strive to make the significant interesting and relevant journalism is storytelling with a purpose. it should do more than gather an audience or catalogue the important. for its own survival, it must balance what readers know they want with what they cannot anticipate but need. in short, it must strive to make the significant interesting and relevant. the effectiveness of a piece of journalism is measured both by how much a work engages its audience and enlightens it. this means journalists must continually ask what information has most value to citizens and in what form. while journalism should reach beyond such topics as government and public safety, a journalism overwhelmed by trivia and false significance ultimately engenders a trivial society. 8. it must keep the news comprehensive and proportional keeping news in proportion and not leaving important things out are also cornerstones of truthfulness. journalism is a form of cartography: it creates a map for citizens to navigate society. inflating events for sensation, neglecting others, stereotyping or being disproportionately negative all make a less reliable map. the map also should include news of all our communities, not just those with attractive demographics. this is best achieved by newsrooms with a diversity of backgrounds and perspectives. the map is only an analogy; proportion and comprehensiveness are subjective, yet their elusiveness does not lessen their significance. 9. its practitioners must be allowed to exercise their personal conscience every journalist must have a personal sense of ethics and responsibility   a moral compass. each of us must be willing, if fairness and accuracy require, to voice differences with our colleagues, whether in the newsroom or the executive suite. news organizations do well to nurture this independence by encouraging individuals to speak their minds. this stimulates the intellectual diversity necessary to understand and accurately cover an increasingly diverse society. it is this diversity of minds and voices, not just numbers, that matters. 10. citizens, too, have rights and responsibilities when it comes to the news this principle was added to the original nine principles when the elements of journalism was revised in april 2007. this article is based on one from pew research center‘s project for excellence in journalism. tags: training we include several tips that journalists can use to help preserve the data. the journalist’s resource and econofact recently hosted a webinar featuring two trade economists and an npr producer whose reporting teams have covered tariffs. watch the recording and read key takeaways. these tips will help you interrogate president trump’s proposal to close the u.s. department of education, provide historical context and evaluate the agency’s effectiveness. thank you for subscribing. a project of harvard kennedy school's shorenstein center, the journalist’s resource curates, summarizes and contextualizes high quality research on newsy public policy topics. we are supported by generous grants from the carnegie corporation of new york, the robert wood johnson foundation, the national institute for health care management (nihcm) foundation, lumina foundation, and individual contributors. find us: unless otherwise noted, this site and its contents   with the exception of photographs   are licensed under a attribution noderivatives 4.0 international (cc by nd 4.0) license. that means you are free to republish our content both online and in print, and we encourage you to do so via the “republish this article” button. we only ask that you follow a few basic guidelines.

editorial and journalistic integrity is integral to our ability to achieve our public media mission. adherence to these foundational values in our work underpins our ability to connect to local and national audiences with credibility. below are the guidelines for our editorial work. 1. these guidelines represent a distillation of the most important standards and practices that have helped journalists and nonfiction producers in the past. they are not meant to be comprehensive, and producers are encouraged to seek the advice or guidance of the executive producer or management supervisor when in doubt. while all gbh employees are subject to the gbh code of ethics/conduct policy, these guidelines apply specifically to all journalists, producers, editors, photographers, cinematographers, researchers, talent and senior management involved in the creation of editorial content   such as nonfiction documentaries and news   across gbh’s many platforms. the guidelines do not apply to “lifestyle” programs, which have established their own patterns and practices. others at gbh who have editorial related jobs, whose work touches our journalism and programming or who have contact with the public, should understand that these principles generally apply to them as well. these guidelines may be modified from time to time, and comments are always welcome. 2. gbh recognizes that many of these guidelines will appear quite familiar, and many are based simply on common sense. still, we believe it is important to make this document a part of the ongoing relationship with producers. we draw your attention to the requirement that producers always strive to protect the editorial integrity of the content they are making and that they follow the highest ethical conduct in its production. of course, no set of rules or standards can ensure the result by itself. these guidelines are for the most part self enforcing, but a good faith effort to abide by them is expected, and their willful violation could result in the termination of your relationship with gbh. 3. these guidelines apply equally to those on staff and to those with whom we contract to make a program. this policy applies only when a person is working for a gbh production. however, any activities of a contractor, freelancer or external producer that may be perceived as violations of this policy   whether through physical actions or words, or written comments online or on social media   could impact a future relationship with gbh. 4. where the term “producer” is used we mean also to include reporters or other staff persons with day to day editorial responsibility for a program, program segment or other editorial content. where the term “executive producer” is used we mean to include, where appropriate, any “editor in chief” or senior producer or editorial project supervisor. where the term “program” is used we mean all editorial content regardless of platform (to include documentaries, news segments, television, digital video, social media posts, radio and written content). 5. all of gbh’s nonfiction programs rest on the expectation that the producers we hire and contract with are interested in honest inquiry into the matter at hand and will approach the making of programs with open minds. since publication of truthful, accurate information is the prime mission of our nonfiction national programs and news programs, it should be clear that willful misrepresentation or falsification of program content will be considered unprofessional conduct and will carry the most severe consequences. 6. in the pursuit of truthful information, the producer must be sensitive to issues of fairness if the program is to have credibility. we ask for the viewer’s trust. in turn, we promise that the subject matter and the people in the program will be treated fairly. 7. appearance of intent to be fair is a strength. if the intent is seen to be fair, whatever message the program carries is reinforced. when a program seems to the viewer or listener to be unfair, it defeats itself. 8. specifically, fairness means that producers will: 9. when there are conflicting viewpoints or opinions on subjects treated within a journalistic program, fairness does not require that equal time be accorded to conflicting opinions. however, it does require the acknowledgment and responsible statement of those conflicting opinions. 10. in matters of fairness there is one specific requirement: all producers must have a fact checking procedure at the completion of the program. in the case of long form content, for instance, this would mean that every line of narration and synch and every picture is checked for the accuracy of any factual assertion. pay attention to the proper spelling of names and titles, correct dates, accurate translation of foreign language material, etc. producers should be prepared to show and cite their sourcing or sources in a fact checking document or annotated script. producers should generally review assertions of fact given by experts, especially if any credible questions arise about their accuracy. if an expert’s assertion calls into question the character or competency of another person or entity or is otherwise possibly defamatory, then the assertion may not be accepted without verification. all factual assertions by nonexpert interviewees should also be checked. 11. nothing in the fairness rules should be interpreted as preventing a producer from making a point of view or authored program. however, such a program must be identified and labeled as such. then these programs can be given more latitude as personal and artistic expressions, so long as they are not inaccurate or defamatory. 12. best practice dictates that producers should be distanced from potential funders to the greatest extent possible (does not apply to co producers, see 16 below). the presentation of proposals should be the job of the executive producer and/or the development office and/or senior management. however, input from producers for proposal purposes may be desirable, or a producer may be asked to research and write a development document. once a project is funded, producers should try and avoid contact with funders except for promotional purposes. sometimes, however, projects come to gbh after independent producers have already had discussions with funders. in those cases the producer is obligated to disclose to the executive producer the nature of those conversations and to keep the executive producer informed of any future ones. it is incumbent upon the unit executive producer to keep the vp of national programs, or the editor in chief of gbh news or other relevant senior gbh management, informed of any fundraising initiatives. 13. the editorial integrity of a program demands that the funder not become a part of the editorial process. if it becomes necessary for a producer to interact with a funder at any point in time, it is appropriate to discuss the importance of the issue, the amount of research done, possible approaches to stories, and a producer’s qualifications to make the content. 14. it is inappropriate to promise to include or exclude particular information or characters; it is inappropriate to promise to give more or less weight to any particular aspect of a program; and it is inappropriate to commit to a particular film or program architecture. 15. producers should disclose to the executive producer any possible interest or connection between a funder and an interview subject or material in the program, and be prepared to be transparent about this relationship if deemed appropriate by the executive producer and/or other gbh senior management. 16. remember that these guidelines apply to funders and not to co producers. co producers are other entities that may bring money, access to money, editorial input, personnel or other resources to a project. whatever the co producer brings should be compatible with gbh and have its own independent perspective towards the subject matter of the program. all co production agreements must be approved by gbh. 17. if a producer has obtained partial funding for a program, he/she must disclose these sources as soon as possible so that the executive producer can determine if any of the sources pose problems under gbh and pbs funding guidelines. 18. as a producer considers various techniques in researching a story, persuading sources to participate and gathering information, we expect her/him to act in an honorable fashion. (see also 28 30.) although specific examples could not cover all the concerns, the primary issue is one of personal integrity. a general question a producer might ask her/himself might be: “if you had to tell the public how you got the story, how would it sound?” consult on conflict of interest problems 19. any producer who has a material interest   financial, family, political or other personal stake   in a subject to be covered in her/his program must make that interest known to the executive producer. it is also the producer’s responsibility to monitor any interests of those he or she may hire to carry out the project. also note that if the subject of the program involves gbh, or an organization in which it has an interest (e.g., prx, wgby, wcai, wcrb, pbsd), the producer must disclose any institutional conflict of interest to the audience. 20. where the matter under examination may place the producer or other members of her or his team in possession of information that could lead to personal gain, especially in the case of “insider” knowledge of a publicly traded company, acting on that knowledge might be considered illegal and must be avoided. do not lobby or endorse candidates 21. gbh staff producers engaged in creating content are bound by a rigorous prohibition against certain political activities. the specifics are outlined in the gbh code of ethics/conduct policy. although the policy cannot apply in all its details to independent producers, the principles underlying that policy will be applied during the period of time the independent producer is working by contract for gbh. those principles are: do not accept gifts 22. as a general rule, the producer should pay her or his own way and be beholden to no one. producers should avoid honoraria or gifts from groups that have an interest in how the subject of the program is treated. for gbh staff members, more detailed rules regarding conflicts of interest, gifts and outside work can be found in the gbh code of ethics/conduct policy. however, to reduce production budgets, producers may negotiate deals for free or reduced airline, hotel, car rental and other services in exchange for a “special thanks” credit. if it would appear that the entity providing the service has an interest in the subject matter of the program, the practice should be avoided. do not plagiarize 23. in the writing of program proposals, outlines and treatments, it is appropriate to rely on what has been published by others as long as proper citation is given. but if, before making the program, a producer anticipates substantial reliance on the work of others, it is customary to offer credit to them or to credit their work. it may also be equitable to pay the original author as a consultant to the project. since these matters turn on many variables, a general guideline is not possible except that it is important that producers disclose, as soon as possible, any circumstances they are aware of in which third parties could raise claims of plagiarism. all arrangements with parties who have previously published material relied on or used in the program must be approved or reviewed by the executive producer. obey the law 24. the obligations of producers are generally not different from those of a citizen when it comes to obeying the law. it is particularly important that the producer not violate the rights of others in the pursuit of a story. producers, themselves, should never take action that would facilitate or encourage the commission of a crime. 25. knowledge that a crime may occur which might endanger a person or the property of others should be discussed with the executive producer, but if there is imminent danger of serious harm, it should be reported promptly to the appropriate public officials. 26. certain investigative techniques permit knowledge of a crime to be withheld from authorities (e.g., when the producer is investigating the misconduct of a public official who would have knowledge of it if such a report were made). also there are a few very rare special cases (e.g., the practice of demonstrating lax law enforcement by violating the law) in which such violation of law might be journalistically permissible. the executive producer must approve any such case in advance. any case in which the producer feels he or she may be in violation of law should be brought to the attention of the executive producer and the gbh legal department. additionally, when appropriate, the vp for national programs, editor in chief of gbh news or other relevant senior gbh management should be made aware of the situation. consult before employing hidden cameras or listening devices 27. depending on the circumstances, electronic listening and the use of hidden cameras and recording devices are illegal in a number of jurisdictions, and therefore should not be undertaken without the executive producer’s approval and consultation with the gbh legal department, as well as the vp for national programs and/or editor in chief of gbh news or other relevant gbh senior management when appropriate. this guideline does not apply to situations in which a telephone conversation is recorded with the consent of both parties (one is sufficient in some jurisdictions) for purposes of accuracy. producers should be aware that the broadcast of a telephone conversation that was recorded without the consent of all parties may violate fcc regulations. avoid misrepresentation 28. in general, a person whose participation or cooperation in a documentary or news production is sought should know the identity of the producers and why the producer is seeking the person’s involvement. 29. material gathered under false pretenses may not carry the same implication of consent that otherwise applies to information freely given to a journalist. if a case arises that calls for a producer to hide her/his identity, it must be approved by the executive producer in advance of shooting unless producing under dangerous conditions does not permit. 30. in some cases it may be necessary for a producer to withhold her/his identity. such cases are still exceptional and should be discussed in advance with the executive producer unless producing under dangerous conditions does not permit. seek unrestricted access and use identify all restrictions or conditions on access or information and materials 31. it is preferable in public affairs/news reportage for access to a place or to a subject to be granted without any restriction or condition. any question may be asked, none is rehearsed or identified beforehand, and no limit or condition is placed upon the uses made of the answers or materials given. it is reasonable in exchange for such unrestricted use to explain the purpose of the inquiry and even, to the extent known, the general context in which the particular interviewee will appear. in special circumstances it may be desirable to provide questions ahead of time. for example, fairness may require that the subject of an investigative interview have the opportunity to check her or his records. also it may be desirable and appropriate to prepare the interviewee ahead of time in non public affairs documentaries in which the aim is to elicit specific information. in no case, however, should a producer suggest to a participant that he/she would have the right to edit any material obtained by the producer. 32. with historical content it is an accepted practice to give people an opportunity ahead of time to organize their notes and thoughts. it is the producer’s responsibility to discern between refreshing memory and recreating the past. simply put, the basic responsibility is not only to avoid manipulating an interview subject but also to avoid subjects manipulating the producing and the content. 33. in some circumstances it may be necessary to agree to further conditions or restrictions to gain access, although agreement to such conditions should be the rare exception. before conditions or restrictions on use are made a part of the contract for access, consult with the executive producer. in the rare case of a government agency conditioning access by a demand for review for national security purposes (e.g., the release of classified material, protecting the security of troops), the producer must discuss this situation with the executive producer to determine gbh’s willingness to comply. in almost all cases, conditions and restrictions should be disclosed in the program. do not pay for testimony 34. it is gbh’s policy not to pay for interviews, nor to pay guests in panel, debate or talk programs. not only does it establish a bad precedent, but also the credibility of any interviewee who was paid is rightly called into question. 35. reimbursement of expenses incurred by interviewees, panelists and guests as a result of recording (reasonable hotel bills, travel, etc.) is permissible. producers need not consult for such payments. under certain circumstances and with approval, payment for materials critical to the broadcast (photos, diaries, letters), as well as licensing the use of such materials, may also be made without violating this rule. however, no payment or other consideration may be made to induce a person to illegally obtain any such materials. 36. payment to interviewees for work lost during filming may be allowed in cases of genuine hardship and in certain exceptional cases, if approved in advance by the executive producer. 37. a consultant/expert may be paid to appear in a program but should normally be identified as a consultant at the time he/she appears in most public affairs/news programs. in non public affairs programs, whatever other credits a consultant/expert receives, he/she must be identified as a consultant/expert somewhere in the program or in the credits. a consultant/expert must be treated as any other subject in a film (see 48). a consultant/expert must perform other work for the project in addition to her/his appearance. consult before staging or re creating events 38. the use of re creation and dramatized elements in public affairs programs can be effective devices, but there should be recognition of the fact that viewers might be confused by the presentation of something as real that is unreal. therefore, whenever reenactments or staging are used, they must be clearly and unmistakably labeled as such or otherwise signaled in a clear way, if there is a significant chance that the viewer will be confused. public affairs programs in particular need to use these devices with great care. 39. historical programs and other non public affairs programs may find it necessary to use dramatic recreations more often than in the case for public affairs programs. often actors and sets will be employed. the responsibility here is to create an accurate vision of the past, whether for an entire program or for smaller scenes within a program. producers must discuss with the executive producer the extent and style of recreations, how much information may be conveyed by the dramatization, whether dialogue may be used and what sources it may be drawn from. in instances where dialogue is created, academic experts must be consulted. edit to compress, not distort 40. the ability to distort reality is ever increasing, and in no area of documentary and news production (and other edited programs) is there greater reliance on the honesty of the individual producer than in editing. 41. it should be the objective of the editing process to collect and order all significant facts in a manner that fairly portrays the reality. whether or not this objective has been achieved cannot be known simply from looking at the result. thus, a producer might ask herself/himself: “would i be able to defend a particular cut if others had access to the original materials?” use music/effects with care 42. the use of music and/or effects in long form documentary programs as well as in digital/social media assets is an accepted practice. in public affairs programs, however, music that editorializes or over dramatizes can detract from the film’s credibility. effects and/or music in those programs should not be used if the impression created for the viewer would be distorted or inaccurate. 43. in public affairs programs, music/effects should be appropriate to and in keeping with the narrative line, and while this area is extremely subjective, the producer should guard against the temptation to use music/effects to communicate something that is not supported in the script. 44. in non public affairs programs, music and effects may be used more loosely for dramatic effect and to entertain. 45. in general, the use of music or added effects in news segments is unacceptable. some feature stories, commentary or essay type programs may be exceptions to this rule. when uncertain, consult the executive producer or senior editorial manager. consult on use of indecent or objectionable materials 46. in general, language and materials offensive to general taste or manners (e.g., extreme violence, racial and other group epithets, strong language, nudity and sexually explicit material) should be avoided where inclusion is not necessary to an understanding of the matter at hand. 47. when it is judged that the exclusion of such material would have the effect of significantly distorting an important reality, the executive producer must approve its inclusion, and the program must carry appropriate warnings to the viewer or listener. in the case of national television or streamed programs and those of national radio programs or podcasts, pbs and npr, respectively, must be notified in a timely fashion if warnings will appear before or during the program. in the case of local radio or tv programs, the editor in chief of gbh news must be informed. identify sources 48. one cardinal responsibility of the producer is to present the significant facts. that means clearly identifying those who speak on camera or who are invoked as an authority for a statement of fact. 49. identity in this case must also include relevant information about the character of the source. by extension, any special interest the speaker or interviewee might have that could motivate her or his speaking should be made known in the program. for example, by narration or on screen identification, one should note if the speaker has filed a lawsuit in the matter being discussed or works for an entity that has a political reputation or has written about science or history from a particular point of view. 50. best practice dictates that there must be at least two independent sources on the record (one might be a document) before publishing controversial factual assertions. if that is not possible, publication may still be appropriate if the limitation on the ability to verify beyond the single source is clearly revealed to the viewer. the executive producer must approve any such exception. 51. from time to time, particularly in public affairs programs, it may be necessary to conceal or keep confidential a source’s name or disguise a source’s voice or appearance. in such cases, the name and background information about the source must be disclosed to the executive producer, and if appropriate the gbh legal department. consider range of sources 52. producers should use their editorial judgment in selecting the most informed and effective interviewees and characters to help tell the story and present information. an essential factor in this process is considering a broad range of sources with differing views, backgrounds and experiences. this ultimately helps producers tell the most accurate, fair and representative stories. use labels, warnings and disclosures 53. producers are encouraged to suggest the use of labels, warnings and disclosures to ensure that viewers and listeners understand what they are about to see or hear. these devices can put viewers and listeners on notice about strong material that they may wish to avoid; the devices can properly set up the context for a whole program (e.g., point of view film); and they can be useful in presenting critical information a viewer needs to make a judgment about what he/she is seeing or hearing. the devices should be explicit enough in the script (audio or tv/stream/social), on screen or both so that the information can easily be absorbed. attribute all non original materials when necessary 54. normally materials used within a program   including stock footage, home movies, stills, audio recordings, etc.   but not actually produced by the producer of the program do not have to be labeled or attributed to a source. however, if knowing the source of the material and/or its date would help a viewer better understand the communication, attribution should be made at the time the material is seen. do not alter still photos 55. photos used in public affairs or news programs should not be altered. altering involves adding, subtracting or rearranging the elements in a photo and should not be done without disclosure to the viewer. public affairs programs must be especially careful to do nothing that would jeopardize the credibility of the program. producers should be able to defend their techniques in public. 56. however, some techniques commonly used with stills are not considered alterations. these include: camera moves, cropping, highlighting a portion of a photo, computer layering, etc. (discuss others with the executive producer if in doubt). these are considered directing techniques for editorial clarification and emphasis. 57. in non public affairs programs, there may be some exceptions to the do not alter rule, but photos must never be altered to present an image that is not supported by the facts, and any alterations should be done only with the approval of the executive producer. use computer generated imaging (cgi) with care 58. the power of the computer to alter and create images offers many opportunities to enhance all forms of communication. in the nonfiction world, however, there is a danger that the computer can be used to create images and graphic effects that cross the boundary between creative license and misrepresentation. misrepresentation can occur when images are presented as real when, in fact, they are artificial. if a viewer could reasonably believe the images created by computer generated imaging (cgi) are real, then the technique should be avoided. 59. an exception to the above rule exists in certain historical and science programs in which cgi may be used to recreate scenes or locations that do not exist today or that cannot be seen because of circumstances. the executive producer must approve the use of such material. disclosure to the viewer is recommended. factual assertion in cgi sequences requires annotation in the script, as would any narrated fact. do not pre screen for interested parties 60. pre screenings/airings for reviewers and showing samplers   and, occasionally, the whole program   for publicity purposes are established practices and a form of embargoed publishing. however, those are the only recognized exceptions to a firm rule that prohibits others, most especially participants and funders, from seeing a program before its first publication. 61. only members of the production team, the producing organization, pbs, and others approved by the executive producer, such as independent consultants, should be permitted to view rushes, rough cuts, or any segments of the film before completion. this rule does not preclude checking the accuracy of relevant sections in a film if necessary by sharing it in print, orally or visually with a participant. if the executive producer has agreed to the extremely rare case of a national security review, such review should be disclosed (see 26). 62. there is also a well recognized, but limited, exception to this rule against prescreening for certain filmmakers who obtain access to intimate personal portraits. the executive producer should approve such exceptions in advance. the fact that participants reviewed the footage may have to be disclosed. 63. the broadcast, web and podcast releases must be the first publication of the editorial content, unless a pre release of a program at a film festival or theater, for instance, is approved in advance by the executive producer, vp for national programs and/or the editor in chief of gbh news or other senior gbh management. do not show outtakes or notes to outside parties 64. it is vital that outtakes and notes not be shared with outside parties (e.g., police, litigants, their lawyers, interested parties, critics) unless compelled by legal action as determined by gbh. however, the licensing of outtakes or sharing of research material with other broadcasters and journalists may be called for either by contract or mutual agreement. (see “business and commercial guidelines.”) whenever the question arises, it should be brought to the executive producer’s attention. prepare for legal review 65. producers in all formats should anticipate a legal as well as editorial review of their work. for its own purposes, and not to relieve the independent producer of any contractual obligations, the gbh legal department also will review the program at rough cut and at additional stages as necessary. it is especially important that independent producers seek gbh guidance before deciding not to include or to remove material on legal grounds. 66. legal review may deal with the issue of “fair use” of copyrighted material. it is worth noting that there can never be a “fair use” issue if the material is obtained directly from the copyright holder as part of an agreement. a producer must obtain material from a third party and use the material in the appropriate context before he/she begins the process of assessing whether the use is a “fair” one. please advise the appropriate legal counsel as early as possible if “fair use” claims are anticipated. 67. the legal review will also look closely at material with the potential for generating defamation and invasion of privacy claims. any program intending to publish material accusing others of wrongdoing or improper activities will be held to rigorous scrutiny under these guidelines. further legal matters may include: releases and rights clearances; fcc rules on indecency; and the special provision governing “equal time” during election cycles. 68. finally all producers should make themselves aware of the statutory prohibitions against payola and plugola. a brief description of those terms is at the end of these guidelines. (see “gbh payola/plugola policies”). help with corrections and updating 69. after broadcast or publication, producers are expected to immediately bring to the attention of the executive producer any errors that the producer becomes aware of and to help in making any necessary corrections. if the error involves a misstatement calling into question the character or reputation of an individual, company or product, then the producer must consult with the gbh legal department before taking any steps to correct it and before responding to the complainant directly. producers also may be called upon to provide information for purposes of updating a program that is going to be repeated or pre published. help with digital and social media production 70. producers are expected to work with digital and social media producers or others in providing materials and ideas for production of online, digital and social media assets and podcasts   including in the event these assets are being made complementary to or separate from broadcast of the program. production and publication of digital and social media assets are subject to the guidelines set forth in this document and to a separate set of special guidelines written with the digital/social environment in mind. therefore, if new production takes place, extended interviews are published or there is new reporting, it must be subjected to the same rigorous editorial process that applies to broadcast. the same standard applies to the production of a dvd. introduction although all gbh employees are subject to the general gbh social media policy outlined in the employee code of ethics, editorial employees are subject to additional standards meant to protect the journalistic integrity of individual productions and gbh as a whole. these standards apply to activities on personal social media accounts and any official brand accounts that you may manage. what follows has been informed by many conversations with journalists at gbh news, the world, frontline, nova and social media producers throughout the foundation. many central tenets were adopted from social media policies from across the news industry. social media platforms provide gbh’s hosts, reporters, talent and other editorial employees unique opportunities to engage with audiences directly, publish and spread the word about our work, and identify and cultivate sources and story ideas. but just as on other platforms, it is imperative that editorial employees be mindful that their behavior on social media may have an impact on the reputation of gbh and our journalism. each of the following standards is important, and all are informed by a basic principle: you generally should not post anything on social media that you wouldn’t say on air or online, or that would violate gbh editorial standards, as it may undermine your credibility and integrity as a journalist as well as that of your series and gbh. for clarity, it is understood that social media is an evolving form. given this mutable state, new practices and new challenges will arise. consult your senior editorial manager for help or guidance when you are unsure; these managers are responsible for ensuring that this policy is followed by staff members in their departments. violations of these standards could lead to disciplinary action and/or notation on performance reviews. verify 71. apply the same editorial judgment and standards that you apply to other parts of your work. this principle applies to retweets and shares as well, especially in the event of breaking news. when you point to what others are saying, many may interpret this to mean you are reporting that information yourself or confirming/asserting its accuracy. when possible, be clear about the current state of a story, reporting what has and has not been confirmed. also, take steps to verify the legitimacy of a social account or profile that appears to belong to someone central to a story, and don’t assume that verification (a blue checkmark) means that the poster is in fact that individual. 72. when using quotes, photos or video from social networks, attribute them, ideally to the name, account or platform where you found the material. when feasible, it is best practice to reach out and message the user to get more detailed information about the origin of that information or material. 73. just as in the case with other editorial work, make efforts to vet photos and videos for accuracy and authenticity. interact responsibly 74. social media can be a powerful place to challenge others and elicit compelling and frank discussions, yet the conduct of editorial employees in these exchanges should continue to be guided by gbh editorial standards of transparency, accuracy and fairness. interactions on social media should always be respectful. if a post or exchange becomes aggressive, it may be best not to respond. inform your manager if you feel threatened by a post or exchange on social media. 75. different social media platforms, and communities on those platforms, have their own culture, etiquette and norms. respect these informal rules, and understand how your behavior in these groups might be helpful or harmful to your reporting or programming. recognize that the presence of a reporter in a social media community or group might be considered intrusive, and conduct yourself accordingly. avoid advocacy 76. gbh’s policy on political and advocacy activity, cited above and in the gbh code of ethics, extends to social media. analysis and thoughtful scrutiny is encouraged, but advocating political views or editorializing   even some humor   can undermine your and our journalism and are not appropriate. the exception is the case of commentators and people whose job it is to express editorial opinions. 77. social media platforms blur the lines between our personal and professional selves. as an editorial employee of gbh, one must remember that every post or “like” is to some degree public and may have an impact on the organization. be mindful that even participation in partisan social media groups   liking, friending, retweeting or rsvp’ing to an event   may be interpreted as an endorsement. however, this policy should not be interpreted as a ban on joining or following groups or individuals for reporting purposes. be mindful of patterns in whom you choose to “follow” on social media platforms; consider following a broad range of voices and sources. always consult with your editorial supervisor if there is any question about whether your behavior could be a violation of the policy. consider rights when posting 78. when natively posting video, image or audio content, proper branding and attribution should be applied. consult with a manager and/or gbh legal, when necessary, to confirm that you have the legal right to post that image, video or other type of media. just as you would when seeking to publish elsewhere, make efforts to ensure that you are dealing with the people who have the authority to give you permission. be transparent 79. as an editorial gbh employee, you are encouraged to have accounts on social networks to enhance your reporting, build a following, and contribute to building a strong reputation for gbh as a news leader and trusted brand. if you use your social media account for work in any way, identify yourself as an employee of your production or show, ideally in your bio or profile rather than your username. use a personal image (never a brand logo) as your profile photo. if you are a commentator or someone who provides opinion as part of your editorial work, just as you would elsewhere, this should be clear in any social media posting. 80. be honest about your intent when reporting. if as part of your work you are posting comments, tweeting, replying or interacting in any way as a reporter, do your best to identify yourself and your work if your profile on that platform does not provide that information. in rare instances where there is a compelling reason to use a pseudonym or go undercover, approval from senior editorial is required. 81. whenever possible, add a qualifying comment to any reposts or shares that might be perceived as advocacy or endorsing an opinion on a political or controversial issue. this applies even if your profile says reshared posts do not signify endorsements   many people who see your posts will never look at your bio. be accountable 82. social media can help you build your reputation as a leader in your field. but because social media is an extension of your professional identity   if handled poorly   it can have negative repercussions just as easily as positive ones. erroneous posts about stories, sources, programming or your reporting, or other posts that have the potential to harm the brand of your production or gbh, should be corrected quickly and transparently, in a fashion that represents the overall intent of gbh editorial guidelines. this applies to gbh related posts on personal accounts as well. consult your senior editorial manager when you receive new information that indicates you have made a mistake or sent out false information to determine the best way to address the situation. 83. if you are ever in doubt about a post or interaction, enlist a second pair of eyes, whether it be a senior editorial leader or your direct manager. 84. gbh has a complex set of business practices that are usually covered in the specifics of contracts with independent producers and by longstanding patterns and practices within the station. producers should involve the executive producer and in turn the vp for national programs and/or the editor in chief of gbh news and/or other senior gbh management in any issues that cannot be resolved in the normal course of the contracting process or whenever business relationships need to be defined. because business practices often intersect with editorial concerns, guidelines on certain of those issues (which do not apply to “lifestyle” programs) are enumerated below: co producers and partners 85. producers may bring or be asked to work with a co producer. whether a co producer brings money, access to money, editorial input, personnel or other resources to a project, final decision making must rest with the producer and the executive producer for the gbh and public radio/television version of the program. the co production credit carries with it the implication of an editorial role for the co producer. this means that the co producer must share a journalistic sensibility similar to our own and that any funding received by the co producer is subject to review by gbh. special note: it is not typically appropriate to co produce with an entity whose ideas and activities are the subject matter of the program. however, the executive producer may make exceptions when the entity is a research college, university or other educational institution and there are no conflicts of interests or other factors that would conflict with gbh standards. 86. sometimes the term “editorial partner” is used. the term connotes a significant editorial relationship. all editorial partners should have an independent stance toward the content. thus, other publishers   broadcasters, print, independent producers and specialized data providers   are all viable editorial partners. no editorial partner can have editorial control over what gbh finally publishes. 87. producers may be asked to work on acquired programs. in these cases, the entity or producer bringing the project to us may have already exercised editorial judgment. nonetheless it is our responsibility to review the project’s funding, to assess the editorial soundness of the program, to engage in a fact checking process, and to require changes or to reversion it to the extent necessary in order to meet our editorial standards. 88. producers may be asked to work on programs that will be distributed other than by pbs. if this occurs, the executive producer and in turn the vp of national programming and/or editor in chief of gbh news and/or other senior gbh management, will determine the extent to which these guidelines apply. it is assumed that the highest ethical standards and best journalistic practices will be maintained if the gbh production brand name is used. commercial issues 89. product placement. audiences must be able to trust the information in our programs, but that trust could be jeopardized by the appearance of commercialism. at one extreme would be a perception that the program was created primarily to sell the funders’ productions and services. thus, a producer must avoid any arrangement in which an entity is paying for placement or use of its product or service in the program. if a producer needs to use products associated with the content of the program in the course of making it, best practice is to cover the names of those products or arrange in a way that the brand label/name is not visible, but if that is not feasible, then the funder’s products can be used so long as they are treated no better or worse than other brands. the use of particular products in a program to demonstrate a point is an editorial decision. if products are donated, proper recognition belongs in the credits. nothing in this rule would prevent the appearance of products in the course of reporting a story about the products themselves, nor would it violate the rule if the product appeared naturally in the course of shooting a location. 90. licensing monies. licensing decisions, unless otherwise stated by contract, are made by gbh. licensing monies derived from the program, program content or products derived from the program’s content are paid to gbh for use at its discretion. the development of the program’s content should normally precede licensing deals to avoid the appearance that the content was created solely in response to marketing concerns. licensing deals should associate the brand name only with products and services that enhance the brand name. products and services that are editorially incompatible with the program’s mission should be avoided. 91. underwriting monies. underwriting decisions are made by the individual series executives, subject to the approval of gbh. there are separate guidelines governing financial support for public media content that must be followed. in general, the development of the program’s content should precede creation of underwriting proposals to avoid the appearance that the content was created solely in response to funder concerns, and in all cases there should be a clear separation between any funders and the process of creating the content. decisions to accept support from foundations or individual donors must be guided by the relevant gbh and pbs funding standards, and common sense in the effort to avoid even the appearance of a conflict of interest. 92. endorsement. neither the talent nor any member of the production team of a gbh program is allowed to endorse products or services associated with the content of the program. similarly, a program’s brand name should never be used for endorsement purposes. the obvious exception to this rule is the appearance of a program’s brand name on gbh licensed products; producers and talent are cautioned not to endorse even these unless the licensed product (or service) directly furthers the overall educational mission of the program (i.e., a companion book/recording of the program). in some circumstances, with approval of the executive producer, host read underwriter spots, for example in podcasts, may be permissible and not considered endorsements. 93. publicity events. talent and producers can participate in publicity events that are arranged by a business partner or funder. however, such events should reflect an opportunity to present information about the program’s mission, not an opportunity to directly or indirectly endorse products and services. also, publicity events should not be so numerous or demanding as to interfere with the editorial and production responsibilities of the talent and/or producer. 94. companion materials. all companion book deals and licensing arrangements must be dealt with in accordance with the procedures set up by the gbh enterprises board/pbsd and pbs guidelines. 95. syndication of content. producers should consult with the executive producer on the procedures to maintain the right of editorial approval of the syndication of limited amounts of the program for promotional purposes. producers should also consult on the procedures gbh has in place to assure that intakes and outtakes made available for sale to third parties do not include highly sensitive material or uniquely created material unless approved by the project, the executive producer, and if appropriate, the vice president of national programming or editor in chief of gbh news or other senior gbh management. because of the longstanding practice of protecting outtakes from subpoena in public affairs programs, outtake interviews in these kinds of programs should not be available for sale. interview material included in programs should not be sold without the necessary approvals and until the buyer obtains a new release from the participant. 96. most of the material produced by gbh is intended for noncommercial broadcasting. accordingly, federal statutes and regulations prohibit the inclusion in programming, in return for consideration (monetary or non monetary), any material that may be promotional. 97. in addition to these prohibitions, federal law prohibits all broadcast station officials, employees, or any other persons (including production personnel and program licensors or suppliers) from paying or receiving money, services, or other valuable consideration for the broadcast of any matter over the station. this is the offense commonly known as “payola.” 98. violators may be fined up to $10,000, imprisoned for up to one year or both. the selection of music and other creative elements   including persons selected to participate, the use of scenic properties, and the inclusion in programs of any identification of commercial products or services and their trade names or slogans   must be dictated only by the requirements of the program itself. advance disclosure of the payment of consideration for the broadcast of any matter must be made to the gbh vice president responsible for that production area. (remember, however, that rules governing noncommercial broadcasting may prohibit inclusion of these materials even when prior disclosure is made to gbh.) 99. “plugola” occurs when a station employee broadcasts matter that directly or indirectly promotes goods in which the employee (or her/his immediate family) has a financial interest, without disclosing that financial interest to the station. any conflict of interest must be reported to the gbh vice president responsible for that production area. 100. if you have questions about “payola/plugola” or your responsibilities under these laws, please contact the executive producer or editorial manager and the gbh legal department. jon and jo ann hagler on behalf of the jon l. hagler foundation koo and patricia yuen you'll receive access to exclusive information and early alerts about our documentaries and investigations. you'll receive access to exclusive information and early alerts about our documentaries and investigations.

every job has a process. it’s how things are done on the job. how do people learn how to do a job? they train for it. they learn the process. how? depends on the job. if you are learning a trade skill (e.g. engineer, electrician, technician, mechanic, plumber, carpenter), you might begin training as an apprentice to someone who has the skill you want to learn. as you gain experience in that trade you can eventually work your way up to being a master tradesperson (e.g. master electrician, master mechanic, master plumber, master carpenter). my father was a master electrician and refrigeration mechanic. he owned his own small business, and so i apprenticed with him one summer and quickly learned his trade was not for me. becoming an apprentice is a great way of either finding your life’s work or removing it from your list of potential careers. if you are learning a profession (e.g. teacher, doctor, lawyer), you would attend a college or university to get the education and training necessary for the licensing requirements for the profession. so, what about journalists? what kind of training do they get to learn how to gather and report news? there was a time many years ago when journalism was looked at as a trade or craft rather than a profession. i remember those days. someone who wanted to become a journalist would apprentice at a newspaper, magazine, or broadcast station, and work their way up to becoming a reporter, writer, anchor, editor, etc. many of the great journalists of the past started as apprentices at a newspaper or radio station and worked their way up to becoming full time journalists. while some media still do that, most now require a college degree in fields like journalism, mass communications or radio/television. why? college degrees were not a requirement when i started in the news business in the 1960s. it was fine to have one, but not necessary. many people earned two year degrees from a junior college, and others earned diplomas from trade or business schools that had a print, communications, radio/television or film program. that was plenty to get a person started in the business, and the pay was usually the same whether you had a four year degree or not. i think of journalism as both a craft and a profession. you don’t have to be a paid journalist to keep a journal. lots of people keep “journals” as a hobby or craft. the craft of journalism can become a profession when a person is paid to write for a journal (e.g. newspaper, magazine, television station, radio station). a craft includes skills and rules that must be followed in order for the craft to work properly. some of my fellow journalists may not agree with me about this and that’s okay. journalists have debated the topic for decades. i remember attending panel discussions at annual rtnda meetings decades ago where journalists disagreed about whether they were professionals or skilled craftspeople. whatever we think of ourselves as journalists (professional, tradesperson or craftsperson), the main thing is that we understand the process of doing the job and have a solid method of training people to do the job at the same high level. that’s one of the reasons i like the term craftsperson for journalism. it connotes the idea of excellence in a particular field. journalists should be excellent at what they do. the reality, unfortunately, is that much of journalism is not excellent today. it’s similar in other professions, trades or crafts. we can compare the craftsmanship of previous generations to what’s being produced or built today. how many of us have noticed the disparity between the quality of yesteryear and today? how often have we heard someone say, “they don’t make things the way they used to.” even though the technology for making things has improved tremendously, the quality of some products is often lacking. the same can also be said for journalism. the technological advances in broadcast and print communications that i and other journalists have experienced since the 1960s is staggering. however, in my opinion, the quality of journalism hasn't advanced in keeping with the technology. good journalism, the kind that news consumers can trust, is not different than what our parents and grandparents believed was good journalism. as i’ve written previously, good journalism is accurate (true) and objective (fair). that’s simple to say, but apparently hard to reproduce from one generation to the next. that’s one of the main reasons for this newsletter   to improve the quality of journalism and increase the public’s trust. the process of journalism is not hard to understand. in fact, it’s quite straightforward   gather confirm report a journalist 'gathers’ information for a story, ‘confirms’ the veracity (truthfulness, accuracy) of the information, and then ‘reports’ the information through a journalistic medium (e.g. broadcast, print, online). the next step is understanding each part of the process   process of gathering information process of confirming information process of reporting information that leads us to understanding the ‘method’ or ‘methodology’ of each step in the journalistic process. some people compare it to the ‘scientific’ method, and others to the ‘investigative’ method. let’s look at each to see what we can learn about the best process for the best journalism. first, the scientific method   the principles and empirical processes of discovery and demonstration considered characteristic of or necessary for scientific investigation, generally involving the observation of phenomena, the formulation of a hypothesis concerning the phenomena, experimentation to demonstrate the truth or falseness of the hypothesis, and a conclusion that validates or modifies the hypothesis.   the american heritage® dictionary of the english language, 5th edition principles and procedures for the systematic pursuit of knowledge involving the recognition and formulation of a problem, the collection of data through observation and experiment, and the formulation and testing of hypotheses   merriam webster steps in the scientific method include   making observations asking questions collecting data testing hypothesis conducting experiments detailing results reaching conclusion next, let’s look at the investigative method   intended to examine a situation in order to discover the truth   cambridge dictionary of or relating to investigation: investigative methods. characterized by or engaged in investigation; specializing in uncovering and reporting hidden information   the free dictionary this is the method a professional investigator would do (e.g. law enforcement, defense, prosecuting, private)   gathering evidence analyzing evidence validating evidence developing theories based on evidence validating theories based on evidence using reason to reach conclusion based on evidence identifying suspect based on evidence arresting and charging suspect based on evidence most journalists are not scientists, law enforcement, or members of the legal profession. networks and larger newspapers do have journalists who have professional training in those fields, but most journalists are not specialists. most are what we might call “generalists.” they are trained to cover almost any type of story on a daily basis. they learn a particular process that equips them to cover the news. so, the question becomes what method should most journalists use as they go through their process of covering the news? i think the journalistic method is a mix of both methods   scientific and investigative. i’ve found both helpful during the last 55 years. journalists should be heavily dependent on evidence that can be gathered, analyzed, and validated. journalists make observations, ask questions, and collect data (information) to use in analyzing the information. we might call that the “external” side of the journalistic method. so, what’s the “internal” side? i think of a newsroom as a type of information laboratory. reporters and photographers bring back their findings about stories and present them to other members of the news team   producers, editors, anchors, and managers. each of those people have their own special skills and experience. the ‘inside’ newsroom team tests the hypothesis of the ‘outside’ reporting team to validate their findings and theories about a story. the conclusion reached through that external and internal process becomes the approved news story the public sees, hears or reads. the journalistic method works very well, when it works. the reason i say that is because too often it doesn’t. news coverage today often lacks curiosity, skepticism, objectivity, and accuracy   all necessary elements for journalism that news consumers can trust. i’m concerned that we may be witnessing the return of yellow journalism. i hope not. i remember studying about “yellow journalism” in college in the mid 1960s. yellow journalism (yellow press) was a term that came from the late 19th century when some newspapers exploited, distorted, or exaggerated the news “to create sensations and attract readers” (the american heritage® dictionary of the english language, 5th edition). the term came from newspaper circulation wars between publishers joseph pulitzer and william randolph hearst. while some of the papers’ news coverage was accurate, other coverage was sensationalized for the purpose of getting more readers and making more money. journalism and communications students in the 1960s were taught to avoid returning to the days of ‘yellow’ journalism. how do we protect the integrity of the journalistic process? by depending on both external and internal news coverage checks and balances. if everyone on the news team does their job correctly, they can help improve the public’s trust of the news they consume every day. news consumers are not without options when it comes to news coverage that is biased and/or inaccurate. consumers don’t have to buy a product. news consumers don’t have to watch, read or listen to news they think is biased or inaccurate. they can walk away by changing the channel or clicking to another news site. that’s an easy option and it’s happening today in large numbers. however, is that the best option? i don’t think it is the best option and here’s why i say that. the trust gap between journalists and news consumers is getting wider every year. it’s especially wide if the consumer is an independent or republican. i think we need to seriously consider something else, which is one of the reasons for this newsletter. let’s talk about it. let’s open lines of communication and figure out how journalists can do their jobs better and how the public can trust the news media more. i often hear people say, “we need to have a conversation” about difficult issues. i agree. we need conversations where everyone is respected and heard. another option is for the public to communicate their concerns directly to journalists and journalism organizations. that includes local and national news outlets. the federal communications commission has this recommendation   the fcc receives a wide variety of comments and complaints about the accuracy or bias of news networks, stations, reporters or commentators in how they cover   or sometimes opt not to cover   events. other complaints concern the conduct of journalists in the gathering and reporting of news. the fcc's authority to respond to these complaints is narrow in scope, and the agency is prohibited by law from engaging in censorship or infringing on first amendment rights of the press. moreover, the fcc cannot interfere with a broadcaster's selection and presentation of news or commentary. broadcasters may not intentionally distort the news. the fcc states that "rigging or slanting the news is a most heinous act against the public interest." all comments and/or concerns about a specific news broadcast or commentary should be directed to the local station and network involved, so that the people responsible for making the programming decisions can become better informed about audience opinion. the fcc may act only when it has received documented evidence, such as testimony from persons who have direct personal knowledge of an intentional falsification of the news. without such documented evidence, the fcc generally cannot intervene. federal communications commission i agree that news consumers should share their complaints with local news media outlets first. i worked as a news manager for more than 30 years and talked with many members of the public who wanted to share their concerns about news coverage. i found that being respectful often opened doors for communication that led to mutual understanding about how our station covered and reported stories. the same would be true for local newspapers. you may find it a little more difficult to reach someone at a network or website, but give it a try. if you can’t reach them by phone, try email. be respectful and see if that helps open the door for some good conversations with members of the news media. we’ll take a closer look at the importance of logic and reason in journalism in the next newsletter. the purpose of this newsletter is to help journalists understand how to do real journalism and the public know how they can find news they can trust on a daily basis. it’s a simple purpose, but complicated to accomplish. i’ll do my best to make it as clear as i can in future newsletters. i have exciting news to share: you can now read mark mcgee’s newsletter in the new substack app for iphone. the substack app is currently available for ios. if you don’t have an apple device, you can join the android waitlist here. spot on   old friend and news warrior   this is an outstanding summary worthy of university presentation no posts ready for more?
good journalism is only ever as good as our sources of information. most of those sources are personal, many are official, and some will be anonymous whistle blowers. together they provide reporters with the lifeblood of their trade   reliable, accurate and truthful information. journalists need to be as transparent as possible in their relations with sources. the news media have great power and people can be flattered when they are approached by reporters without understanding fully the risks to themselves and to others when they come into the public eye. this is particularly true of people caught up in humanitarian disasters, war or other traumatic events. journalists have to assess the vulnerability of sources as well as their value as providers of information. they have to explain the process of their journalism and why they are covering the story. they should not, except in the most extraordinary circumstances, use subterfuge or deception in their dealings with sources. some questions that the ethical journalist will ask in establishing good relations with a source include: of paramount importance is the need for journalists to reassure sources that their identity will be protected. but often this is easier said than done. protection of sources is well recognised in international law as a key principle underpinning press freedom. it has been specifically recognised by the united nations and the council of europe. journalists and news media should establish guidelines and internal rules that help protect sources. reporters may benefit from a clause in their contracts or agreements that clearly states their duties and obligations. national public radio in the united states has a clause in its guidelines that spells it out: “journalists must not turn over any notes, audio or working materials from their stories or productions, nor provide information they have observed in the course of their production activities to government officials or parties involved in or considering litigation. if such materials or information are requested in the context of any governmental, administrative or other legal processes this must be reported to the company.” when faced with the decision to tell or not to tell in these circumstances, journalists must consider the impact of their actions and ask themselves some sharp questions: in the end, journalists have to make their own decisions, based upon conscience and their own responsibility, but revealing a source of information is never to be taken lightly. sometimes journalists make the mistake of getting too close to their source. they sometimes create cosy relations that are ambiguous and can easily undermine the ethical base of their work.