McClatchy Newsroom Ethical Guidelines

Our readers’ trust is McClatchy’s most valuable asset. Every day, our journalists seek to report the truth fully while remaining independent and free from political, social, financial or other special interests.

Journalists frequently face choices and conflicts that directly affect the trust we earn from our communities. Conflicts of interest – real or perceived – and other behavior that brings our integrity into question can damage that trust.

These ethical guidelines for McClatchy newsrooms outline the values and standards that guide our journalism. No policy can address every conflict that may arise in our day-to-day work. It’s the responsibility of each McClatchy journalist to use good judgment and confer with news managers if the answer to an ethical question is not completely clear.

Accuracy and fairness

• We don’t mislead readers. We are forthright and honest with our readers and sources in all cases. Making up sources, quotes or circumstances is prohibited and has no place in journalism.
• We correct errors as quickly as possible in print and digital platforms. When digital content is updated because of an error, we should be transparent to readers that a story has been corrected and include the date and/or time the correction/update was made.
• Our primary objective is to find and report the truth. We strive for journalism that is free of favoritism or bias. Reporters should work to understand all points of view, particularly on complex subjects. Readers should not be able to determine personal opinions of those who shape our journalism.
• We do not use someone else’s work without proper attribution.

Trust and transparency

• Newsroom employees must identify themselves when representing the news organization in settings where the public does not have access or when interviewing someone. Any form of undercover reporting must be approved in advance by the editor.
• Newsroom employees may not play any role in the news judgment or production of stories that they, close family members, close friends or adversaries are involved with. Staffers should not develop close personal relationships with their sources.
• As journalists, we need to be in touch and engaged with the communities we cover, but our civic involvement must not raise questions about our impartiality or give the impression we have taken sides.
• News employees should not use their position or access to nonpublic information to obtain personal or financial benefit for themselves, family members or friends. They should not use the company’s name to gain favor, threaten or pressure or seek special consideration.
• Staff members should not accept gifts, samples, tickets to events (unless for purposes of a review) or free services from sources or anyone we write about.
• Staff members are encouraged to make public appearances for the purpose of improving public understanding of our role and to make the company a more visible part of the community. Any appearance that could be perceived by a reasonable person as a conflict of interest must be avoided.
• We do not offer money, favors or anything of value for interviews or for information that people provide us. We will pay standard costs associated with reproducing documents or electronic data from sources.
• Opinion journalists are not constrained by the same prohibitions on expressing their personal points of view that guide reporters and news editors. The job of columnists, editorial writers and opinion editors is to make a well-reasoned case for opinions that are backed up by facts. Columnists, editorial writers and opinion editors will, however, abide by the same guidelines for civic and political activities that news reporters and editors follow.
• Information or documents provided by an unnamed source should be corroborated by at least one additional source who obtained the information or documents independent of the first source. If a second source cannot be found, a senior editor may sign off on a single source if he/she is extremely well-placed and reliable. Single-source approval rarely will be approved. Editors are required to request the identity of the source, and reporters must share that information.
• Employees should be cautious to avoid comments, posts, likes, shares, etc., that could call into question their personal credibility and objectivity or that of their news organization. When sourcing stories from social media platforms or users, we should always identify ourselves as journalists and make our intention clear.
• Except in very rare cases approved by an editor, we do not let sources or others who may have an interest review a story, video, photograph or other material intended for publication. Reading back technical or complex quotes is acceptable, but the only purpose here is to assure accuracy. The purpose of reading back quotes is for sources to verify them, or clarify if necessary, not to edit or retract.

Our public interactions

• We treat sources, story subjects and colleagues as human beings deserving of respect. Recognize that the process of reporting may cause harm or discomfort. Balance that by choosing alternatives that maximize your goals of seeking the truth and reporting it while minimizing harm.
• We do not identify the victims of sex crimes without their consent. In all instances, we are sensitive to the vulnerability of a crime victim. If a crime victim does not wish to be identified in a news story, we weigh carefully their wishes and the public’s need to know.

Visual standards

• Documentary content and posed content should be easily distinguished from each other.
• Adjustments to any image will be limited to standard industry practices to accurately reflect the scene that was photographed.
• In video production, enhancements to improve sound quality and visual quality are allowed as long as the content/intent of the story remains intact.
• When using drones, we avoid actions in the air that we would not engage in on the ground.

This story was originally published January 23, 2020 at 11:25 AM.