Newsroom Ethics Policy

It is The Pantagraph's mission to be the best and most definitive news source in Central Illinois. To accomplish that goal, it is paramount that editors, reporters, copy editors, photographers and support staff adhere to principles that strengthen the newspaper's reputation, credibility and integrity in the community.

These go beyond the basic journalistic tenets of reporting, producing and delivering the news in a timely, accurate, thorough, objective and fair manner. The Pantagraph and its staff also should avoid whenever possible the appearance of conflict of interest or obligation.

Not every scenario can be predicted, and therefore, not every one can be addressed in a Code of Ethics. Sound judgment, common sense and, in some cases, good manners must be applied and decisions made that best reflect the spirit of this Code.

And, remember: If in doubt, ask. We are, after all, in the communications business.

This Code of Ethics applies to full and part time news staff and news interns. Any news employee who deliberately violates the Code is subject to disciplinary action.

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

Gifts:

• News employees shall politely decline gifts from news sources or potential sources.
• If that is not possible, the gift should either be given to charity, or put in an office pool with the proceeds given to The Good Fellow Fund. A letter should notify the giver that the item was put to charitable use.
• Unsolicited materials sent to the newsroom, or to a news employee shall be treated the same; in the case of flowers and perishable food items like fruit baskets, they should be put out for everyone to enjoy.
• Review materials do not become the property of the reviewer; they also should be donated to charity, put in the office pool, or kept as library reference materials.

Meals:

• News employees shall pay for their own meals either in advance when coverage of an event is known, or after if required.
• If it is necessary to accept a meal or a drink to avoid an embarrassing situation, the employee should make it clear that he or she will return the favor in the near future.

Tickets:

• The use of press passes -- including parking passes, press box passes and media passes -- is allowed for news employees covering those events, but they shall never be given away or sold.
• Other than for news coverage of sporting events and for reviews of entertainment events, news employees shall not accept free tickets, and shall not give or sell them if they arrive unsolicited.

Travel:

• The Pantagraph shall pay the travel expenses -- including transportation, meals, and lodging -- of news employees covering assignments. The credo should be: If it is worth covering, it is worth paying our way.
• A news employee requiring travel on a charter flight, or who has arranged lodging with a source, shall notify the managing editor in advance so those costs can be reimbursed;

Relationships:

• News employees shall avoid covering or making news judgments about anyone related by blood or marriage, or with whom they have a close personal or financial relationship unless supervisory approval is received.
• Staff members are prohibited from covering or making news judgments about organizations to which they or their families belong. This is not meant to discourage volunteering for charitable, nonprofit groups, but serving as an officer, in a public relations capacity, or as a public representative may create a conflict.
• If a close, personal relationship does develop with a regular news source, the employee should inform his/her supervisor and expect to be removed from regular coverage involving that source.
• Staff members should be careful that personal relationships do not affect their ability to report the news; potential conflicts, such as those that might arise from a spouse's occupation, shall be disclosed to a supervisor.
• News employees shall never be involved in politics or political campaigns of any kind. This includes seeking or holding any elected or appointed government office; declaring party affiliation for the purposes of voting is the only exception.

OUTSIDE WORK

Outside, or freelance work for news employees, is allowed but it must not in any way affect The Pantagraph, or relate in any way to the news employee's primary duties to the newspaper.

• Freelance opportunities are prohibited with direct competitors, including print, broadcast and online outlets, and when material might eventually be submitted to The Pantagraph for publication (i.e. volunteer public relations post with a community organization).
• When covering news events for The Pantagraph, freelance writers are bound by the same guidelines on gifts, meals, travel, and conflicts of interest as regular news employees and editors who use freelancers are responsible for discussing and enforcing these standards.
• News employees shall inform their supervisor of any freelance work they are doing.

PHOTOGRAPHY

Pantagraph photographers are held to the same ethical standards as the rest of the news staff.

• Photographs published as legitimate news, sports, feature or documentary images may not be staged or manipulated in any way to change the truthful meaning of the images.
• News photographs shall not be used in advertisements unless approved by the managing editor.

CORRECTIONS

• The Pantagraph recognizes it makes mistakes and, to preserve its credibility, will publish prompt corrections of any factual error that appears in the newspaper.
• It is the duty of all news employees to point out errors to the appropriate editor, who will see to it that the correction is made and approve it before publication.
• The correction will not place blame on the staff member responsible, but will identify the source of the error.

GENERAL

• News employees shall never plagiarize.
• Unnamed sources shall be used as a last resort, when a story can only be told through information provided by sources who refuse to be named. Even then, every effort shall be made to confirm the information through named sources; reporters also are required to disclose their sources to their supervising editor and/or managing editor to ensure they are credible.