As journalists, we must earn the trust of our readers every day and with every piece of
content. Our professional integrity is the cornerstone of our credibility. Fairness and
transparency must always be the hallmarks of The Current’s journalism.
WE SEEK THE TRUTH AND OPERATE TRANSPARENTLY.
Our mission is built on the pursuit of fact-based journalism that serves the public. truth. That means we must always adhere to the highest standards of accuracy, transparency and honesty. In our news reports, we do not lie; we do not fabricate, and we do not distort images or audio in any misleading manner. We report accurately and as completely as possible, and as a digital medium continue reporting even after stories are posted. We are transparent about our values and our newsgathering methods. We admit errors and correct them without hesitation.
WE SERVE THE PUBLIC INTEREST.
In pursuing fact-based journalism, our work advances the ultimate good of the
communities we serve. We have a duty to serve as a watchdog on government and other institutions. We also seek solutions to the problems we write about. Our journalism empowers our audiences to be effective citizens and enables them to improve their lives. We provide a forum for discussion and allow a diverse mix of voices. We defend the rights of a free and independent press.
WE OPERATE WITH INDEPENDENCE.
We avoid relationships that could raise questions about our integrity or credibility. We
avoid conflicts of interest and obligations to those who seek to influence the news, and
we disclose those conflicts that are unavoidable. We make journalistic decisions without outside influence. We do not accept gifts, favors or compensation from those we cover.
WE RESPECT THE LAW AND TREAT OTHERS RESPECTFULLY.
We understand the power of our role and seek to minimize harm. In our news gathering and reporting, we respect the law. We also recognize that our work may cause distress and discomfort to the subjects of news stories. We treat people we write with respect and dignity. We also treat competitors professionally. We do not plagiarize. We do not obstruct the reporting of others. Where appropriate, we make clear attributions for information we obtain from other news organizations.
WE ACKNOWLEDGE A RESPONSIBILITY TO SEEK OUT GUIDANCE TO DO
THE RIGHT THING.
No ethics policy can cover every circumstance. We acknowledge it is the responsibility
of each of us to seek guidance when questions arise about how to best uphold our values and protect our credibility.
To further advance these goals, the newsroom has developed more specific operating principles:
• USING POSITION FOR PERSONAL GAIN
Staff members and freelancers should not exploit their connection with The Current for personal gain.
Staff members and freelancers must refrain from placing The Current under any
obligation or seeming obligation to any person, firm, or organization unless specifically authorized by newsroom management.
Staff members and freelancers should question any special consideration that comes
their way because of their connection with The Current.
Staff members and freelancers should not use The Current’s letterhead to communicate or complain unless it relates directly to a company matter.
Staff members and freelancers should not seek or accept reduced rates or special
treatment offered because of their connections with The Current unless specifically
authorized by newsroom management.
• FINANCIAL INTERESTS/INVESTMENTS
Staff members and freelancers may not enter into a business relationship with a news source. If a reporter has a pre-existing business relationship with a person that begins providing information to The Current, the reporter must alert newsroom management.
Staff members and freelancers may not make investments that could come into conflict with their journalistic duties. Investments in mutual funds are excluded from this concern because they include bundles of stocks, rather than individual investments.
If a staff members or freelancers has stock holdings or another type of direct investment in a corporation, the staff member or freelancer avoid making news decisions that involve that corporation. If a staff member or freelancer own shares or other direct investment in a company they are assigned to cover, the must alert newsroom management.
Unpublished information gathered by The Current may not be used for investment
decisions.
• ACCURACY AND CORRECTIONS
We strive for accuracy. Even so, mistakes happen, and we correct errors of fact. If it is
unclear whether a correction is warranted, The Current will consider publishing
information to clarify any factual concern.
Staff members or freelancers who receives a request for a correction or is alerted to
possible incorrect published information must confer with newsroom management
immediately. Newsroom management will determine whether a correction is
warranted.
The goal is not to reduce corrections. The goal is to reduce errors.
• PLAGIARISM AND ATTRIBUTION
Plagiarism is the unauthorized use of the language or ideas of another and passing them
off as your own original work. It is a serious violation of our readers’ trust. Plagiarized
material is not to appear on The Current.
A few notes on attribution:
Direct quotations, in general, indicate that the reporter communicated directly with the
source. Quotes that came from a statement or from a transcript or other source unheard
or unverified by the reporter should be attributed to that source.
In the absence of attribution, information should be articulated using your own
words. Even a sentence with similar structure but a few changed words can constitute
plagiarism.
When we paraphrase an original idea of another person, we still need to attribute it.
Attribution is not necessary for widely accepted facts, ideas or principles, if they are
unlikely to be disputed. However, original or disputed material should be attributed.
Vague attribution (“some say . . .”, “some believe . . .”) is meaningless to readers. We strive to be clear and specific.
Credit the reporting of others when appropriate, including competitors and other
publications and wire services.
Fabricated material is not to appear in The Current. We don’t make up stories, or
quotes, or descriptions, or sources, or facts. We don’t make up datelines or pretend to be
places we were not. We do not use generative artificial intelligence software for our writing and reporting; we do sometimes use assistive AI software that helps us transcribe recorded interviews and refine some text. When that happens, all pieces are selected and are reviewed by humans.
• SOURCES AND OUR CREDIBILITY
Unless approved by newsroom management in advance, staff members and freelancers
should identify themselves as representing The Current.
In our reporting, it is important to our credibility with our readers that we are as explicit
as possible about our sources of information. We strongly prefer publishing attributable
information and information that we are able to independently confirm.
In rare cases, when important information cannot reasonably be obtained another way,
newsroom management may consider quoting an unnamed source. This should not be
done lightly or without discussion. Newsroom management must approve any use of
unidentified sources.
In entering a confidentiality agreement, staff members and freelancers are entering into
a legal and ethical obligation, so it is essential to have a clear understanding of what the
boundaries of that agreement are with a source. Staff members and freelancers may not
make such an agreement independently. Newsroom management must approve any
such agreements. The names of sources must be revealed to at least one member of
newsroom management.
Accepting documents under an agreement to keep their source confidential is also a
significant legal and ethical obligation. As with any other source relationship, it must be
discussed with newsroom management.
• SUBPOENAS AND LEGAL THREATS
We respect the law, but we must guard against being seen as an arm of law
enforcement. While there are times when The Current may cooperate with law
enforcement or provide court testimony, those determinations will be made by
newsroom management.
Until approved by newsroom management, staff members and freelancers should
decline requests to disclose sources or to provide unpublished information to anyone,
even if the information was obtained without a promise of confidentiality. Any request
for unpublished information should be reported to newsroom management.
Immediately report to a newsroom management member the receipt of a subpoena or
any other notification that information from anyone associated with The Current may be
sought in a legal action.
Immediately report to newsroom management any threat of a lawsuit or indication that
a subject of our reporting is considering initiating a legal action.
• GIFTS, DISCOUNTS, FREEBIES AND CONFLICTING INTERESTS
Two important issues — credibility and access to news — come into play when objects of
value are made available to journalists.
Staff members and freelancers must follow these guidelines:
Do not accept anything of value that does not provide basic access to the news.
Anything of value that does not meet this newsgathering standard should be returned or
donated to charity through a system approved by management.
Consult newsroom management whenever a question arises.
Specifically:
Staff members and freelancers will accept no free trips, hotel rooms, free passes for
entertainment, reduced rates on clothes, books, hotels, travel, tickets or other
merchandise or other things of value that might tend to compromise the reputation
of The Current. In the rare instance when refusal would cause a more awkward situation
than acceptance, such as during lunch with a source, common sense should
prevail. When in doubt, consult management.
The Current will pay for meals and entertainment legitimately incurred while on
company business where authorized in advance by management.
Except in the process of reporting the news, free tickets to events for which the public
must pay should not be accepted by staff members or members of their households on
behalf of the staff member without management approval. Reporters may accept access
to a press box or press seats when covering their beats. With the permission of
management, a reporter may accept admission to an event for a companion.
Occasionally, event promoters will decline to make press seats or box facilities available
to reporters and photographers. Staff members required to attend such events should
purchase tickets and be reimbursed. Photographers and reporters assigned to cover
sports or political events may use such facilities as review seats, press boxes, press
galleries or press rooms that are necessary to cover the event. Editors may also accept
press seats or facilities on occasions when their attendance improves familiarity with
coverage areas, sources and/or challenges facing reporters.
In outside activities, staffers should avoid giving the impression of endorsing specific
products or retail establishments in ways that might affect the reputation of the
newspaper.
• OUTSIDE EMPLOYMENT/OUTSIDE ACTIVITIES/FREELANCE WORK
We expect journalists to be active members of the communities in which we live, but
outside involvement must be approached with care, consultation and common sense.
Employees should avoid the appearance of conflicts of interest or bias in their activities
outside of the newsroom. Should an unanticipated conflict of interest or potential
conflict emerge, it is your duty to bring it to the attention of your supervisor.
Examples would include work for an employer or organization that is the subject of
news coverage; work which might indicate an endorsement of the employer or
organization by the newspaper; work for an employer who competes with the newspaper
for either circulation or advertising revenue; or work for an organization that might tend
to dilute loyalty to the news room or dedication to an impartial press.
Service in community and civic organizations is permitted as long as there is no conflict
of interest. Employees should not serve on boards or work with community
organizations they directly cover. Discuss such activity in advance with your supervisor
or a senior newsroom leader. Do not accept a decision-making role in any such
organizations until you discuss it with newsroom leadership. Working as a volunteer at
your child’s school or with service organizations is proper and acceptable.
Work in publicity or public relations, even for community organizations, is not
permissible.
Staff members may do freelance writing, photography and artwork for noncompeting,
reputable publications. All assignments must be approved in advance by a supervisor or
senior editor. The newspaper reserves the right to first use of all freelance
assignments. Freelance work may not be performed by staffers during their regular
working hours. Staffers should follow the same ethical guidelines while freelancing that
they would heed while performing work for The Current. Free trips, lodging, meals, etc.,
that would damage the credibility of the writer, even on approved freelance
assignments, should not be accepted.
• ETHICS GUIDELINES FOR FREELANCERS
We expect stories submitted by freelancers to be original work that has not been
previously published and with the appropriate sourcing and attribution.
We hold freelance writers and photographers to the same ethical standards as our full
and part-time staffers. Ethics policy documentation should be distributed to new
freelancers as part of their employment contract.
• POLITICAL INVOLVEMENT, INDEPENDENCE AND BIAS
Political involvement or holding public office should be considered a conflict of interest
for news and editorial employees.
Staff members are encouraged to exercise their franchise as citizens to privately discuss
matters of public interest and to register to vote in referenda, primaries and general
elections. However, because our profession requires stringent efforts against partiality
and perceptions of bias, staff members should avoid political activity beyond that.
Marching, picketing, signing a petition, active campaigning, contributing money,
publicly displaying political leanings whether through yard signs, bumper stickers or
online postings and other active campaigning should be avoided. When there is doubt
about whether an outside activity is appropriate, staff members should bring the issue to
the attention of a supervisor.
Staff members should be cognizant that use of social media – X/Twitter, Facebook, blogs
or other online interactions – is covered under the newsroom ethics policy. Staff
members should assume that all blogging, Tweeting and commenting on Facebook is
public. Newsroom staff should avoid posting opinions that will reflect partiality or
create perceptions of bias that undermine the credibility of the newspaper. This
includes indications of support for political causes or listing party affiliations on social
media sites.
If there is a reasonable chance that outside activity could reflect on the fairness or
credibility of the news organization and its coverage, a staffer should not become
involved.
In news coverage of divisive topics like politics, fair reporting is essential to our
credibility. Journalists should make diligent efforts to accurately and credibly reflect
the relevant sides, and to let readers know when that is not possible. It is also important
to exercise sensitivity with word choice, headlines and anything that could be
interpreted by readers as the journalist’s opinion. When in doubt about how best to
handle an issue where balance and fairness is paramount, ask your supervisor.
• FAMILY CONFLICTS
No staff member should write about, report on, photograph or make a news judgment
about any individual related to him or her by blood or marriage or with whom the staff
member has a close personal relationship.
• OUTSIDE APPEARANCES
Generally, we encourage appearances by news staff members on television, radio, or
before an audience. However, any outside appearance must be approved by the
employee’s supervisor, including compensation, travel arrangements, honoraria, etc.
In such appearances, employees should take care in conveying the newspaper’s work
and avoid expressing opinions or conclusions that are not encompassed in the
work. Employees should not reveal material that has not yet been published.
• USE OF INFORMATION SERVICES
Access to commercial information sources, including LexisNexis and others, is granted
to employees to enable them to conduct research for articles, graphics and photos or
other works appearing in our publications; to allow them to develop expertise and stay
current with trends in journalism and the news industry; or for other work-related
purposes.
Personal use of these services is prohibited.
• INTERNET ACTIVITIES AND SOCIAL MEDIA
Social media and other Internet content published on behalf of the newspaper should
follow journalistic standards, including but not limited to:
Do not publish material that is indecent, vulgar, profane, racist, prejudiced or
defamatory. Material that references gender, race, nationality or other characteristics
should be treated with sensitivity. If in doubt, consult a supervisor.
Maintain objectivity in news content. Do not state personal opinions or take sides.
Engage professionally; do not engage in back-and-forth or become defensive with
critics. Do not criticize competing news organizations or make personal attacks.
Do not publish information from private social groups or other sensitive information
from social media without seeking permission of the person who posted and/or the page
owner; if permission is not available, consult a supervisor.
When seeking user-generated content, do not suggest or encourage dangerous or illegal
behavior.
Correct errors and consult a supervisor when content removal is considered.
• CONTENT REMOVAL REQUESTS
In general, we are guided by a philosophy that we do not withdraw published
information or alter published history.
Accordingly, we generally do not remove content from our electronically stored archives
or alter our archives except to append corrections or clarifications to archived reports
containing inaccurate material.
If content on the searchable, active pages of a newspaper website (as opposed to
archives) is out of date or inaccurate, we will consider requests to update or correct
it. In some cases, we will also consider removing content from searchable, active pages on a newspaper website. In those cases, we will attempt to make clear to the requester
that the organization’s stored archive is unchanged and that we cannot take
responsibility for modification of content on websites we do not control, including
updates of cached content or content captured in search engines.