© 2024 88.9 KETR
Public Radio for Northeast Texas
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Editorial Integrity

(Approved by Texas A&M University-Commerce on 6/19/18)

Introduction

88.9 KETR's purpose is to support a strong civil society. We seek to serve that purpose by increasing cultural access and knowledge, extending public education and strengthening community life through electronic media and related community activities. Public trust and confidence are essential to achieving our purpose.

  • We work daily to earn and maintain the public’s trust through accuracy, quality and excellence; by acknowledging and reflecting the diversity of our community; and by our commitment to this Code of Editorial Integrity.
  • We work daily to detect and understand community needs, issues, and interests.
  • We work daily to assure respect and civility in our forums and discussions.
  • We work daily to assure fairness, impartiality and objectivity in our coverage of all matters - - simple, complex and controversial.
  • We work daily to be accessible, accountable and transparent to the community and to those who use our services.

These standards apply every day and 24 hours per day to all members of the 88.9 KETR Team, including employees and independent contractors who report, edit, produce and/or supervise any of the content of the station. These standards apply to all the content we produce and present and apply across all the channels and platforms we use – broadcasting, online, current and yet to be developed social media such as Facebook and Twitter, print, and in-person events.

Standards

GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT FOR THE COMMON GOOD

We will govern our activities in ways that promote the public interest and that reflect our commitment to integrity and trustworthiness. These obligations supersede personal and institutional agendas.
 
IDEAS, CULTURES AND FORUMS WITH RESPECT AND CIVILITY

We will contribute to the civil, educational, and cultural life of our communities by presenting a range of ideas and cultures and offering a robust forum for discussion and debate without advocating, endorsing or certifying a particular point of view.

PURSUIT OF THE TRUTH AND ACCURACY IN REPORTING

We will pursue the truth aggressively and present the news accurately, with integrity, in context, without bias, and as completely as possible.

INCLUSION AND REFLECTION OF THE DIVERSITY OF OUR COMMUNITIES

We will recognize and respect the diversity of our communities and the nation in our work and content.

TRANSPARENCY IN PROGRAM SELECTION AND CONTENT CREATION

We will share with our audiences and the public the mission-based and practical reasons for our program choices. We will also be transparent in how we gather and report news and create other content.

EMPLOYEE ACTIVITIES OUTSIDE THEIR PUBLIC MEDIA WORK

All members of the 88.9 KETR Team will exercise careful judgment about engaging in partisan activities or advocacy concerning controversial issues of public importance and, where appropriate, will limit or forego participation.

TRANSPARENCY IN FUNDRAISING

We will seek respectful relationships with our donors and clear understanding with all interested parties concerning our fundraising operations. We will acknowledge the sponsors of our programming and disclose the terms on which we obtain such support.

AVOIDING UNDUE INFLUENCE

We will work daily to ensure that the content we present is the result of a process that is free from undue influence. We will take care in deciding from whom we seek and accept funds and make every effort to ensure that the expectations of our contributors are consistent with this Code of Editorial Integrity.

CONSISTENT EDITORIAL STANDARDS IN PARTNERSHIPS AND COLLABORATIONS

We will seek editorial partnerships that expand our capacity to serve and the perspectives we can share with our audiences.

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

All members of the 88.9 KETR Team will avoid conflicts of interest and will immediately disclose any actual or potential conflict of interest to their direct supervisor before taking any action on behalf of the 88.9 KETR Team. Members of the 88.9 KETR Team who have direct responsibility for content will advise their supervisor a reasonable time before appearing as a public representative or advocate for an entity other than 88.9 KETR because such an appearance could constitute a conflict of interest.

ENDORSEMENT

Texas A&M University-Commerce, as the license-holder for 88.9 KETR, is responsible for the station's overall quality, management, and community relations. The University has endorsed this Code of Editorial Integrity and agrees that 88.9 KETR shall cover all news items, including newsworthy University and Athletics items, consistently with this Code of Editorial Integrity and without undue influence.