Independence Policy

We subscribe to standards of editorial independence adopted by the Institute for Nonprofit News:

Our organization retains full authority over editorial content to protect the best journalistic and business interests of our organization. We maintain a firewall between news coverage decisions and sources of all revenue. Acceptance of financial support does not constitute implied or actual endorsement of donors or their products, services or opinions.

We accept gifts, grants and sponsorships from individuals and organizations for the general support of our activities, but our news judgments are made independently and not on the basis of donor support.

Our organization may consider donations to support the coverage of particular topics, but our organization maintains editorial control of the coverage. We will cede no right of review or influence of editorial content, nor of unauthorized distribution of editorial content.

Our organization will make public all donors who give a total of $5,000 or more per year. We will accept anonymous donations for general support only if it is clear that sufficient safeguards have been put into place that the expenditure of that donation is made independently by our organization and in compliance with INN’s Membership Standards.

Code of Ethics 

Our Code of Ethics is based on the Society of Professional Journalism’s Code of Ethics:

Seek Truth and Report It

Ethical journalism should be accurate and fair. Journalists should be honest and courageous in gathering, reporting and interpreting information.

Journalists should:

  • Take responsibility for the accuracy of their work. Verify information before releasing it. Use original sources whenever possible. 
  • Remember that neither speed nor format excuses inaccuracy. 
  • Provide context. Take special care not to misrepresent or oversimplify in promoting, previewing or summarizing a story. 
  • Gather, update and correct information throughout the life of a news story. 
  • Be cautious when making promises, but keep the promises they make. 
  • Identify sources clearly. The public is entitled to as much information as possible to judge the reliability and motivations of sources. 
  • Consider sources’ motives before promising anonymity. Reserve anonymity for sources who may face danger, retribution or other harm, and have information that cannot be obtained elsewhere. Explain why anonymity was granted. 
  • Diligently seek subjects of news coverage to allow them to respond to criticism or allegations of wrongdoing. 
  • Avoid undercover or other surreptitious methods of gathering information unless traditional, open methods will not yield information vital to the public. 
  • Be vigilant and courageous about holding those with power accountable. Give voice to the voiceless. 
  • Support the open and civil exchange of views, even views they find repugnant. 
  • Recognize a special obligation to serve as watchdogs over public affairs and government. Seek to ensure that the public’s business is conducted in the open, and that public records are open to all. 
  • Provide access to source material when it is relevant and appropriate. 
  • Boldly tell the story of the diversity and magnitude of the human experience. Seek sources whose voices we seldom hear. 
  • Avoid stereotyping. Journalists should examine the ways their values and experiences may shape their reporting. 
  • Label advocacy and commentary. 
  • Never deliberately distort facts or context, including visual information. Clearly label illustrations and re-enactments. 
  • Never plagiarize. Always attribute. 

The SPJ Code of Ethics is a statement of abiding principles supported by additional explanations and position papers that address changing journalistic practices. It is not a set of rules, rather a guide that encourages all who engage in journalism to take responsibility for the information they provide, regardless of medium. The code should be read as a whole; individual principles should not be taken out of context. It is not, nor can it be under the First Amendment, legally enforceable.

Sigma Delta Chi’s first Code of Ethics was borrowed from the American Society of Newspaper Editors in 1926. In 1973, Sigma Delta Chi wrote its own code, which was revised in 1984, 1987, 1996 and 2014.