Our standards guide how we report, verify, present and correct the news while serving the communities of Phelan, Piñon Hills, Wrightwood and the surrounding areas.
Editorial Standards & Ethics Statement
NewsPlus is dedicated to providing our readers the best possible experience. A key part of this is our commitment to ethical journalism. We respect all readers, sources, writers and editors who interact with NewsPlus, and to do otherwise would go against our community-focused vision.
The following is meant to provide a transparent look at our editorial standards and ethics.
We value your time and your trust.
ACCURACY AND VERIFICATION
Accurate and verifiable information is the bedrock of journalism. To maintain this foundation, we take care to verify information before publication using public records, firsthand reporting and other available sources.
Our journalists confirm important details, including names, dates, locations, titles, quotations and other material facts. The level of verification required may vary depending on the nature of the story, the importance of the information, the urgency of the situation and the potential impact of an error.
NewsPlus distinguishes between verified facts, opinions, allegations and information that has not yet been confirmed. We strive to clearly label any information that cannot be fully verified before publication.
FAIRNESS AND CONTEXT
Our reporters endeavor to represent all perspectives of a story fairly. We take care to gather multiple points of view and give each its time in a story.
We do not cherry pick quotes, bring quotes or opinions out of context or purposefully omit important information. We do not invent information or take any other action to construe a source or topic in a falsely positive or negative light.
Depending on the complexity of a story, it may not always be possible to include every source or every nuance in every perspective. NewsPlus evaluates each story carefully before publication to ensure that every story tells a complete, representative and fair picture.
TRANSPARENCY AND ATTRIBUTION
To promote transparency and credibility, NewsPlus attributes sources with enough identifying information for readers to locate them. The exact information provided for each source may differ depending on the scope of the story.
Adult human sources will be cited by full name and position, if relevant. Minors may be cited with permission of a parent or guardian. NewsPlus attributes minors dependent on parental or guardian permission, therefore attribution to minors may not be consistent.
NewsPlus thoroughly vets any information published from an anonymous source. Even if a name is not published, NewsPlus reporters know the identity of anonymous sources and vouch for their credibility.
Document or otherwise written sources will be cited thoroughly. If applicable, links to online sources may be provided. NewsPlus takes care to clearly identify different media sources to our readers. Sources cited via written communication such as email may or may not be designated as such.
EDITORIAL INDEPENDENCE
NewsPlus views itself as a member of the Tri-Community, and our reporters have vibrant lives beyond our organization. Because of this, we make a special effort to minimize potential conflicts of interest and report with as little bias as possible.
Reporters are allowed and encouraged to participate in community events and organizations, but do not report on topics in which they have a vested interest, such as organizations they are a part of or businesses they have financial stakes in.
If it is impossible to completely avoid any conflict of interest, such as covering the progression of a wildfire that threatens the whole of the Tri-Community, any potential conflict of interest will be disclosed at the beginning of the article.
PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY
NewsPlus values transparency and welcomes input. For general inquiries, ethical concerns, procedural questions and more, please contact the Publisher at [email protected].
To reach out to a specific journalist with questions or concerns about a specific article, please reach out to the Publisher at [email protected]. He may put journalists and external people in touch with each other for discussion.
