“Our Mission is to educate, equip, and empower people of color to live a life unmuted through the gifts that have been cultivated by life’s experiences.”
For Urban Newsroom and Black News Alerts, this statement from Unmutedco embodies our mission. As journalists, we must earn the trust of our audience every day. For communities of color, that trust must be earned and kept, because it is valued. Our professional integrity is the cornerstone of our credibility. Fairness and transparency must always be the hallmarks Black News Alerts’ journalism.
The principles set forth below define the ethical standards that the news personnel must strive to attain.
- WE SEEK THE TRUTH AND OPERATE TRANSPARENTLY.
Our journalistic endeavors are built on a search for truth. That means we must consistently strive to adhere to the highest standards of truthfulness. In our news reports, we do not lie; we do not fabricate, and we do not distort images or audio in a manner that is misleading. We report the news accurately and as completely as possible. We are transparent about our values and our newsgathering methods. We admit our errors and correct them.
- WE SERVE THE PUBLIC INTEREST.
In pursuing the truth, our journalism advances the “ultimate good” of the communities that we serve. To best achieve this result, we have a responsibility to function as a watchdog on government and other institutions and to seek solutions to problems in our communities. We provide information that allows 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 to be heard. We defend the rights of a free and independent press on behalf of our audiences.
- WE OPERATE WITH INDEPENDENCE.
We avoid relationships that could cause our audience to question 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 not avoidable. We make news decisions independently, without outside influence. We do not accept gifts, favors or compensation from those whom 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 such persons with respect and dignity. We also treat competitors professionally. We do not plagiarize. We do not obstruct the reporting of others. Where appropriate, we give attribution.
- WE ACKNOWLEDGE A RESPONSIBILITY TO SEEK OUT GUIDANCE TO DO THE RIGHT THING.
No code of ethics can cover every circumstance. We acknowledge it is the responsibility of each of us to seek guidance when there are questions about how to best uphold our values and protect our credibility.
This Code embodies the standards of journalistic conduct applicable in our newsroom. Consistent compliance with this Code of Ethics is essential to preserving the reputation of Black News Alerts as a credible and trustworthy source of news.
- CORRECTIONS POLICY
Black News Alerts believes in transparency and honesty. Therefore, Black News Alerts will correct mistakes promptly. Fullness and freshness of information represent two inescapable values in the online journalism world, and Black News Alerts believes that accuracy is equally essential; we ensure expediency in making corrections when needed.
Black News Alerts is dedicated to informing its readers when it has made a mistake (however big or small), conveying the error’s severity, and providing the correct information as soon as the mistake is brought to attention.
When an error is detected within an article, Black News Alerts immediately works to find the correct information and clearly display the corrections wherever possible within the article. The corrections will include:
- The correct information.
- What was originally published that was incorrect.
- The date (and time, if available) when the change took place.
- The process to report errors from within articles is made easy to understand, by providing an email address and form to contact us at the beginning of each article.
Whenever errors cannot be amended within the body of an article’s content, corrections are displayed clearly in the last paragraph of the news content. Rather than remove completely the content containing a mistake, we provide clarification and admittance of our mistakes to preserve transparency.
This Code embodies the standards of journalistic conduct applicable in our newsroom. Consistent compliance with this Code of Ethics is essential to preserving the reputation of Black News Alerts as a credible and trustworthy source of news.