Miami’s Community Newspapers: Ethics & Editorial Policy
Miami’s Community Newspapers (MCN) is committed to delivering accurate, balanced, and community-centered news for the people of Miami-Dade County. As a local news organization, we hold ourselves to the highest ethical standards, ensuring our reporting respects our diverse readership and the trust they place in us. This policy statement outlines our approach to editorial integrity, journalistic responsibility, and ethical principles.
- Accuracy and Fairness
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- Fact-Checking: We rigorously verify all information prior to publication, striving to maintain accuracy in every detail. Corrections are promptly issued if an error occurs.
- Balanced Coverage: MCN aims to represent all perspectives fairly, especially when covering issues affecting different communities within Miami. Our editorial team makes every effort to present facts impartially, allowing readers to form their own informed opinions.
- Independence and Integrity
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- Avoiding Conflicts of Interest: MCN maintains editorial independence, ensuring that business, political, and personal interests do not influence our reporting. Our journalists and editors are required to disclose any conflicts of interest and recuse themselves from coverage where impartiality might be compromised.
- Sourcing and Attribution: MCN is committed to responsible sourcing. We prioritize primary sources, expert interviews, and firsthand accounts to ensure accuracy. When secondary sources are used, they are clearly attributed.
- Correction Policy: We value feedback from our readers and provide avenues for them to report any concerns or inaccuracies. Corrections and clarifications are promptly addressed.
- Privacy and Sensitivity
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- Respect for Privacy: MCN respects the privacy of individuals, especially when covering sensitive topics involving minors, crime, and personal tragedy. We balance public interest with individuals’ right to privacy, refraining from publishing private information unless it serves a clear public interest.
- Compassion in Reporting: We handle stories involving grief, trauma, or loss with care, avoiding sensationalism and respecting those affected. Our goal is to inform while remaining empathetic to the circumstances.
- Community and Accountability
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- Engaging with the Community: We believe in fostering dialogue with our readers and actively seek out feedback and story ideas from Miami’s diverse communities. We regularly engage with readers through our website, social media, and community events to ensure our coverage aligns with their needs and interests.
- Accountability: MCN upholds accountability as a core value. We encourage constructive criticism, welcome reader feedback, and are committed to ongoing improvement in our journalistic standards and practices.
- Ethics in Digital Journalism
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- Social Media Standards: Our journalists adhere to the same standards on social media as they do in our publication. While we encourage engagement, our team members maintain professionalism and avoid conflicts of interest in all public interactions.
- User-Generated Content: Community News moderates user-generated content and reader comments to ensure a respectful dialogue. Hate speech, false information, and offensive language are not tolerated in any public-facing content we host.
Commitment to Excellence and Trust
Miami’s Community Newspapers strives to build and maintain the trust of our readers through consistent, ethical, and high-quality journalism. We recognize that the responsibility to inform and represent the community is a privilege, and we are committed to continually upholding the values and principles that our readers expect and deserve.
For questions, concerns, or feedback about our editorial policies, please contact us at: Michael@communitynewspapers.com or 305-669-7355.
Miami’s Community Newspapers — Your Voice. Your Community.