In 2023 Trammart News began posting current stories to Indy Online...please go to https://indynewsonline.com/
To email us: Scheck2Oregon@aol.com
The Trammart Mission Statement
Trammart's mission is to report as accurately as possible, as fairly as possible, as soon as possible ... by using a scholarly, balanced approach while seeking to inform and engage.
Trammart News strives to function free of conflict-of-interest considerations. In cases where there is potential conflict-of-interest arising during reporting, a disclosure will appear as a tagline at the bottom of the article. Guiding principle... to do good work.
Trammart's mission is to report as accurately as possible, as fairly as possible, as soon as possible ... by using a scholarly, balanced approach while seeking to inform and engage.
Trammart News strives to function free of conflict-of-interest considerations. In cases where there is potential conflict-of-interest arising during reporting, a disclosure will appear as a tagline at the bottom of the article. Guiding principle... to do good work.
Anne Scheck, writer & publisher
About Trammart News
Trammart News is an independent news service in Oregon that reports on developing issues in Oregon, with a focus on the Willamette Valley and the City of Independence. Trammart's goal is to provide reliable coverage of city issues and regional developments that impact or affect the small town of Independence, Oregon.
This site was launched in the fall of 2011 by Anne Scheck, who had founded the health-news reporting company Trammart Inc., in California, after years of working as an independent medical journalist.
In early 2011, the corporation was moved from Sacramento to Salem, Oregon.
Scheck has been a reporter for more than 30 years. She holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in biology, as well as a journalism B.A. She worked as a staff writer for five newspapers and two wire services in Southern California, before embarking on a freelance career.
Below are a few examples of Oregon-related articles, from the past, written for other news publications:
The Elephant in the ED
“Is the Road to an AuD Worth the Trip?”
High Tech House Calls Coming Soon to Oregon
Coping with Crohn’s Disease
Trammart News is an independent news service in Oregon that reports on developing issues in Oregon, with a focus on the Willamette Valley and the City of Independence. Trammart's goal is to provide reliable coverage of city issues and regional developments that impact or affect the small town of Independence, Oregon.
This site was launched in the fall of 2011 by Anne Scheck, who had founded the health-news reporting company Trammart Inc., in California, after years of working as an independent medical journalist.
In early 2011, the corporation was moved from Sacramento to Salem, Oregon.
Scheck has been a reporter for more than 30 years. She holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in biology, as well as a journalism B.A. She worked as a staff writer for five newspapers and two wire services in Southern California, before embarking on a freelance career.
Below are a few examples of Oregon-related articles, from the past, written for other news publications:
The Elephant in the ED
“Is the Road to an AuD Worth the Trip?”
High Tech House Calls Coming Soon to Oregon
Coping with Crohn’s Disease
Find us on social media!
We're on Facebook too! @TrammartNews
TRAMMART NEWS GENERAL NEWS POLICY
SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY (Facebook)
The Trammart News Page on Facebook strives to separate publisher’s personal life from the item postings; Although there may be some overlap, the aim is to showcase Independence.
POLICY on POSTING COMMENTS TO TRAMMART NEWS FACEBOOK PAGE
Policy on posting reader Facebook comments:
Opinions are welcomed, but errors of fact necessitate removal of posts.
These can include:
1) Accusations and attacks on content that attribute the information to intentional bias or prejudice. Trammart News & Publishing has an anti-bias stance, which encompasses taking out any details that are unnecessarily personally unflattering and not germane to the story -- coverage is driven by the citizens' right to be informed, often described as the public's right to know.
2) If comment from both sides of an article are missing, Trammart News & Publishing will list attempt(s) made to obtain the opposite viewpoint. The exceptions are editorial and opinion pieces, and they will be clearly marked.
3) Any view expressed is encouraged but brevity is preferable and use of names to impugn or demean is prohibited; civil discourse should involve the issues discussed or mentioned in articles.
The Trammart News Page attempts to secure permission for photos from everyone whose face is likely to appear, and to obscure, crop out or provide a distance as to make faces imperceptible when photographs are used on the Trammart News Page.
The Trammart News Page will not be used for political advocacy.
The Trammart News Page will welcome all comments in the interest of free speech, but reserves the right to post this disclaimer: “Trammart News upholds provisions of the First Amendment, which guarantee free speech in many situations of commentary. However, comments appearing on this news page come from personal perspectives and don’t reflect the page’s or publisher’s opinion.”
The Trammart News page strives to perform the same function for the public as other publications by Trammart News & Publishing: to inform and engage readers, particularly the residents of Independence, Oregon, and to provide accurate, reliable news.
The publisher pledges to take good care to provide positive or humorous observations in posting on other social media, including pages of those who have “friended” Trammart News. It is understood that sometimes the publisher’s identity as a town citizen and owner-editor-publisher of Trammart News becomes blurred or merged by readers.
It is presumed that everything written or received on social media, including the Trammart News Page, is accessible and readable to anyone with internet technology.
The policy on social media should be read as a guide. It is not, nor can it be under the First Amendment, legally enforceable.
Position on positive prejudices
Trammart News has some positive prejudices and declares them to be:
1) First Amendment and Freedom of Speech issues which, when perceived as threatened, are likely to incite an editorial or opinion piece by the publication(s)
2) Western Oregon University, which is beyond the usual coverage area (Independence) but is viewed favorably, even protectively, by the news outlet for the education it has provided the publisher.
3) Military service and veteran recognition, which is considered an important aspect of coverage by Trammart News since it is seen as the fortress for freedoms practiced by the press, which is to report and engage in the constitutionally assigned government watchdog role.
ETHICS POLICY
TRAMMART NEWS POLICY ON ETHICAL GUIDANCE
Trammart News Subscribes to the Code of Ethics by the Society of Professional Journalists, which is published below.
Members of the Society of Professional Journalists believe that public enlightenment is the forerunner of justice and the foundation of democracy. Ethical journalism strives to ensure the free exchange of information that is accurate, fair and thorough. An ethical journalist acts with integrity.
The Society declares these four principles as the foundation of ethical journalism and encourages their use in its practice by all people in all media.
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.
MINIMIZE HARM
Ethical journalism treats sources, subjects, colleagues and members of the public as human beings deserving of respect.
Journalists should:
Balance the public’s need for information against potential harm or discomfort. Pursuit of the news is not a license for arrogance or undue intrusiveness.
Show compassion for those who may be affected by news coverage. Use heightened sensitivity when dealing with juveniles, victims of sex crimes, and sources or subjects who are inexperienced or unable to give consent. Consider cultural differences in approach and treatment.
Recognize that legal access to information differs from an ethical justification to publish or broadcast.
Realize that private people have a greater right to control information about themselves than public figures and others who seek power, influence or attention. Weigh the consequences of publishing or broadcasting personal information.
Avoid pandering to lurid curiosity, even if others do.
Balance a suspect’s right to a fair trial with the public’s right to know.
Consider the implications of identifying criminal suspects before they face legal charges.
Consider the long-term implications of the extended reach and permanence of publication.
Provide updated and more complete information as appropriate.
ACT INDEPENDENTLY
The highest and primary obligation of ethical journalism is to serve the public.
Journalists should:
Avoid conflicts of interest, real or perceived. Disclose unavoidable conflicts.
Refuse gifts, favors, fees, free travel and special treatment, and avoid political and other outside activities that may compromise integrity or impartiality, or may damage credibility.
Be wary of sources offering information for favors or money; do not pay for access to news. Identify content provided by outside sources, whether paid or not.
Deny favored treatment to advertisers, donors or any other special interests, and resist internal and external pressure to influence coverage.
Distinguish news from advertising and shun hybrids that blur the lines between the two. Prominently label sponsored content.
BE ACCOUNTABLE AND TRANSPARENT
Ethical journalism means taking responsibility for one's work and explaining one’s decisions to the public.
Journalists should:
Explain ethical choices and processes to audiences. Encourage a civil dialogue with the public about journalistic practices, coverage and news content.
Respond quickly to questions about accuracy, clarity and fairness.
Acknowledge mistakes and correct them promptly and prominently. Explain corrections and clarifications carefully and clearly.
Expose unethical conduct in journalism, including within their organizations. Abide by the same high standards they expect of others.
The SPJ Code of Ethics is a statement of abiding principles supported by additional explanations and position papers (at spj.org) 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.
OFF THE RECORD
Off the record means just that under Trammart News policy. Information isn't for use or reference. It can be used for background only. There are, however, extensions of this off-the-record rule. They are:
1) IDA, which allows for confirmation of information from another source or individual, even the person mentioned in an off-the-record conversation, if such confirmation can be obtained without the risk of identifying the off-the-record source. Being told about an individual committing an act, which could be checked by another route or method, as long as the off-the-record source is protected. Example: An acquaintance who is engaging in unknown illicit behavior who is identified for that by a friend could be observed or asked about that in a way which seems separate and wholly distinct from the acquaintance who provided the information.
2) The Taratoll rule, which holds that if threats of personal harm are made in a believable way, though off-the-record, it is permissible to share that with someone who could help determine the validity or offer outside perspective; The Taratoll rule also includes exemption from the traditional off-the-record restrictions if harm is threatened to another individual, not necessarily only limited to physical harm and severe or serious enough that it could prove injurious to emotional well-being or personal livelihood.
THE CRONKITE FACTOR
Striving for objectivity is essential, important and should be all-encompassing in good reporting. However, if circumstances are so egregious as to merit comment, they can be made without compromising journalistic endeavor, if used very rarely. Example: Walter Concrete's pronouncement of the tragedy of the Vietnam War.
EDITORIAL PUBLISHING POLICY
Editorials are welcome. Editorials must be attributed to the writer; editorials should be directed at an issue not an individual; editorials should not include any terminology that could be construed as a slur, epithet or expletive.
Editorials may be cut for length if they extend for more than 400 words;
Editorials may include the name, place, time of an event, but editorial focus should be on an action, once name, place or time of an event has been established;
Editorials may not be written in a tone that is retaliatory;
Editorials must make a news-related point;
Editorials may be strident, strongly-worded and entirely oppositional when targeted at a perceived government lapse or injustice; Repeated personalization as a reason for a government lapse or injustice is best avoided in cases of volunteer public service, even for those volunteers who occupy elected offices (This does not necessarily apply to editorials that are written as a critique of individuals who are tax-paid politicians or tax-paid government officials).
Editorials by a specific individual are limited to once every six months in print or e-newsletter.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
A letter to the editor is always welcome by Trammart News, but such a letter is only published if targeted to an issue and not framed as a personal attack or critique, unless that critique is composed in such a way as to be largely issue-oriented.
The exception: The editor-publisher agrees to publish any letter to the editor that attacks her, with only necessary grammatical revision.
A writer of a letter to the editor is limited to one such letter in a six-month period.
A letter to the editor is limited to 400 words.
GUEST EDITORIALS
A guest editorial is always welcome by Trammart News, but such an editorial is only published if targeted to an issue and not framed as a personal attack or critique, unless that critique is composed in such a way as to be largely issue-oriented.
A guest editorial is recommended to a limit of 400 words.
A guest editorial needs to include a point of view.
GUEST ESSAYS
A guest essay is always welcome by Trammart News, but such an essay is only published if targeted to an issue.
A guest editorial is recommended to a limit of 400 words.
It doesn’t require a personal point of view.
TRAMMART NEWS AND PUBLISHING EDITORIALS
It is the policy of Trammart News and Publishing to refrain from editorializing except in cases in which the editor/publisher deems it necessary to keep the public apprised of a development or developments that are their right to know and to know in a way that is elucidating and understandable. In some cases, this would mean following a model in which the reasons for story coverage and the events surrounding them are explained to the reader.
POLICY on GENERAL REPORTING
TEXT CHECKS
Whenever possible for a feature article, a “text-check” will be provided to a source in which statements and/or facts will be able to be reviewed in a series of sentences or paragraphs provided.
In general, a “text check” is provided by email, with a due-date of return, and if a “text-check” isn’t acted on, the editor-publisher will consider the original writing sent in the “text-check” as satisfactory for use in the article.
On occasion events and occurrences are subject to embargo placed by an individual or group that sets a time and place for releasing the information. Trammart News and Publishing will honor an embargo, when requested, if the material has been protected from use by other media. Should the information or material be used by other media or news outlets, the embargo will not be honored.
Circumstances in which material is provided but confidentiality is sought can include the designation "not for attribution." Not for attribution refers to any information sharing that may be published or disseminated in a public way, while withholding the name or names of those who provided it.
INTERVIEW PROCEDURE
An interview is defined as contact with a source to gain information and, as such, can be very brief or relatively long and can be accomplished in the following ways: by phone, including voicemail, by text, by email, by Zoom or other two-way video technology, by personal visit, by letter, or through conversation that is identified as knowledge-seeking for the purposes of attributable information.
Responses to such knowledge-seeking for the purposes of attributable information often are done by email rather than verbally to save time and to obtain the exact or preferred wording of a source. No distinction between quotes obtained by email, text, personal contact or two-way technology will be made by Trammart News. All are considered acceptable means of news gathering. In keeping with current news-gathering practices, statements also can be designated as "off the record." In email communication: to designate the entirety of the message as off the record, it should be placed in the message line of the email. To designate portions of a long email, in which parts are off the record, the acronym OTR may be used around the statements to be considered off the record. (Off the record is widely defined as statements not to be published with a name attached, i.e., disclosed in a public way without separate, independent verification that does not name the original source.)
PUBLIC MEETING COVERAGE
Public meetings will be covered for news value, an agenda set by the editor-publisher that, in general, ranks tax-revenue expenditures as a priority point for coverage, and other government monetary spending.
Social interest also is used to assess news value and may include as a gauge the number of people likely to be affected by a decision made by a public body or the public interest that such a decision is likely to generate.
Public interest is defined, at times, by Trammart News and Publishing as any issue that arises in public meetings and which appears to involve potential impact on a business, a group, an educational facility, a private resident or citizen, or an organization.
NEWS RELEASES and EMERGENCY NOTIFICATIONS
News releases are subject to revision, and Trammart News accepts them with that understanding. No effort will be made to alter intent of content, but news releases (also referred to as press releases) may be condensed or abbreviated. If they are shortened to only a few sentences, they may be used on social media (Trammart News Facebook Page).
A news release also may be utilized as a tip sheet for a much longer story, which would incorporate some information from the original news release for a longer, more in-depth examination of the issue described or provided by the news release.
A news release must be identified by source(s) of origination.
A news release that makes assertions or claims that are unsubstantiated by listed and verifiable facts in the news release necessitates checking for possible verification before use.
A news release that presents one side of an issue and criticizes or advocates for a cause, issue or group necessitates an attempt to contact the other side, such as supporters of the cause or issue or members of the group being criticized or advocated against.
A news release that constitutes an emergency, such as a safety action needed – evacuation, for example – shall be broadcast on both social media (Trammart News Facebook) or by urgent email, or both.
POLICY on REPORTING LIFE EVENTS
Trammart News does not publish obituaries.
Deaths are reported only if they are newsworthy due to the contribution, notoriety or an encounter with law enforcement. An exception can be made as the result of a family or loved one requesting coverage due to unknown or relatively unknown significant acts by the deceased that individuals close to him or her demonstrate should come to public light.
Suicide shall be covered under the recommendations provided for self-inflicted death by research from the State of Ohio (see link:
https://mha.ohio.gov/Researchers-and-Media/Reporting-on-Suicide
POLICY on REPORTING POLITICAL EVENTS
Trammart News does not provide election coverage except in the following ways:
By allowing candidates to submit editorials on why they are seeking public office and what they hope to accomplish.
By reporting on election-related events that show incidents in the public arena, such as local protest marches, demonstrations or conflicts.
By covering forums that address specific issues, such as those on climate change, the environment, community safety.
POLICY on CITIZEN or RESIDENT PUBLIC TESTIMONY at MEETINGS or FORUMS
Public testimony initiated and delivered by residents or community members at public meetings will be reported as news. The public commentary time allocated at public meetings is regarded by Trammart News & Publishing as an important, even critical, time and place for concerns and issues to be aired freely and free of interference.
-- In such testimony, commentary will be treated as worthy of editorial content, and reported as opinion, without further solicitation or seeking out opposing comment.
--In general, public testimony is received personal appearance at any public meeting by in-person commentary or by technology, such as Zoom, which requires face-to-face presentation to the board, committee, commission or council.
-- In such settings, responses from authorities, such as a city manager or board chair, will be reported only when they provide information that illustrates how issues will be addressed, such as actions to move matters forward.
-- In such circumstances, responses by elected or appointed officials will be included only when clarity is sought from speaker(s).
Trammart News & Publishing considers public testimony vital to an engaged citizenry and will seek to include it as an essential part of reporting, with the possible exception that repetitive use of the public podium for the same issue by the same individual(s) will be considered differently than inaugural presentation of an issue.
GIFT and DONATION POLICY
Trammart News makes a distinction between metro coverage and small‐town news publications. The latter connects readers to one another and, as news organizations, these community publications intimately connected with their towns and citizens, they do not tend to separate themselves from their audiences in the way that larger news outlets do (Poepsel, 2019, International Encyclopedia of Journalism Studies).
As a result, Trammart News makes several distinguishing provisions:
1) Gifts such in the form of home-grown produce or baked goods or other foodstuffs are accepted, the recipient extends thanks, and on occasion, these gifts make their way onto the Trammart News Page. Exceptions:
a) No gift is accepted in a quid pro quo arrangement
b) No gift is accepted with the guarantee that coverage of a specific topic will be continued
c) All gifts are accepted with the proviso that should the purveyor or bestower is subject to critical, unflattering or negative
coverage in the future, if the circumstances or personal or professional behavior are deemed to warrant it.
2) All gifts under $500 are accepted by Trammart News at any time, with the understanding that they will be passed on for charitable purposes from or by Trammart News & Publishing, including but not limited to book give-aways, educational needs for Central School District 13J, donations to local charitable causes, ranging from the local environment (Luckiamute Watershed Council) to the local business community (Independence Downtown Association).
3) Trammart News & Publishing does not donate to political candidates, a policy enacted in 2020. --Anne Scheck
SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY (Facebook)
The Trammart News Page on Facebook strives to separate publisher’s personal life from the item postings; Although there may be some overlap, the aim is to showcase Independence.
POLICY on POSTING COMMENTS TO TRAMMART NEWS FACEBOOK PAGE
Policy on posting reader Facebook comments:
Opinions are welcomed, but errors of fact necessitate removal of posts.
These can include:
1) Accusations and attacks on content that attribute the information to intentional bias or prejudice. Trammart News & Publishing has an anti-bias stance, which encompasses taking out any details that are unnecessarily personally unflattering and not germane to the story -- coverage is driven by the citizens' right to be informed, often described as the public's right to know.
2) If comment from both sides of an article are missing, Trammart News & Publishing will list attempt(s) made to obtain the opposite viewpoint. The exceptions are editorial and opinion pieces, and they will be clearly marked.
3) Any view expressed is encouraged but brevity is preferable and use of names to impugn or demean is prohibited; civil discourse should involve the issues discussed or mentioned in articles.
The Trammart News Page attempts to secure permission for photos from everyone whose face is likely to appear, and to obscure, crop out or provide a distance as to make faces imperceptible when photographs are used on the Trammart News Page.
The Trammart News Page will not be used for political advocacy.
The Trammart News Page will welcome all comments in the interest of free speech, but reserves the right to post this disclaimer: “Trammart News upholds provisions of the First Amendment, which guarantee free speech in many situations of commentary. However, comments appearing on this news page come from personal perspectives and don’t reflect the page’s or publisher’s opinion.”
The Trammart News page strives to perform the same function for the public as other publications by Trammart News & Publishing: to inform and engage readers, particularly the residents of Independence, Oregon, and to provide accurate, reliable news.
The publisher pledges to take good care to provide positive or humorous observations in posting on other social media, including pages of those who have “friended” Trammart News. It is understood that sometimes the publisher’s identity as a town citizen and owner-editor-publisher of Trammart News becomes blurred or merged by readers.
It is presumed that everything written or received on social media, including the Trammart News Page, is accessible and readable to anyone with internet technology.
The policy on social media should be read as a guide. It is not, nor can it be under the First Amendment, legally enforceable.
Position on positive prejudices
Trammart News has some positive prejudices and declares them to be:
1) First Amendment and Freedom of Speech issues which, when perceived as threatened, are likely to incite an editorial or opinion piece by the publication(s)
2) Western Oregon University, which is beyond the usual coverage area (Independence) but is viewed favorably, even protectively, by the news outlet for the education it has provided the publisher.
3) Military service and veteran recognition, which is considered an important aspect of coverage by Trammart News since it is seen as the fortress for freedoms practiced by the press, which is to report and engage in the constitutionally assigned government watchdog role.
ETHICS POLICY
TRAMMART NEWS POLICY ON ETHICAL GUIDANCE
Trammart News Subscribes to the Code of Ethics by the Society of Professional Journalists, which is published below.
Members of the Society of Professional Journalists believe that public enlightenment is the forerunner of justice and the foundation of democracy. Ethical journalism strives to ensure the free exchange of information that is accurate, fair and thorough. An ethical journalist acts with integrity.
The Society declares these four principles as the foundation of ethical journalism and encourages their use in its practice by all people in all media.
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.
MINIMIZE HARM
Ethical journalism treats sources, subjects, colleagues and members of the public as human beings deserving of respect.
Journalists should:
Balance the public’s need for information against potential harm or discomfort. Pursuit of the news is not a license for arrogance or undue intrusiveness.
Show compassion for those who may be affected by news coverage. Use heightened sensitivity when dealing with juveniles, victims of sex crimes, and sources or subjects who are inexperienced or unable to give consent. Consider cultural differences in approach and treatment.
Recognize that legal access to information differs from an ethical justification to publish or broadcast.
Realize that private people have a greater right to control information about themselves than public figures and others who seek power, influence or attention. Weigh the consequences of publishing or broadcasting personal information.
Avoid pandering to lurid curiosity, even if others do.
Balance a suspect’s right to a fair trial with the public’s right to know.
Consider the implications of identifying criminal suspects before they face legal charges.
Consider the long-term implications of the extended reach and permanence of publication.
Provide updated and more complete information as appropriate.
ACT INDEPENDENTLY
The highest and primary obligation of ethical journalism is to serve the public.
Journalists should:
Avoid conflicts of interest, real or perceived. Disclose unavoidable conflicts.
Refuse gifts, favors, fees, free travel and special treatment, and avoid political and other outside activities that may compromise integrity or impartiality, or may damage credibility.
Be wary of sources offering information for favors or money; do not pay for access to news. Identify content provided by outside sources, whether paid or not.
Deny favored treatment to advertisers, donors or any other special interests, and resist internal and external pressure to influence coverage.
Distinguish news from advertising and shun hybrids that blur the lines between the two. Prominently label sponsored content.
BE ACCOUNTABLE AND TRANSPARENT
Ethical journalism means taking responsibility for one's work and explaining one’s decisions to the public.
Journalists should:
Explain ethical choices and processes to audiences. Encourage a civil dialogue with the public about journalistic practices, coverage and news content.
Respond quickly to questions about accuracy, clarity and fairness.
Acknowledge mistakes and correct them promptly and prominently. Explain corrections and clarifications carefully and clearly.
Expose unethical conduct in journalism, including within their organizations. Abide by the same high standards they expect of others.
The SPJ Code of Ethics is a statement of abiding principles supported by additional explanations and position papers (at spj.org) 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.
OFF THE RECORD
Off the record means just that under Trammart News policy. Information isn't for use or reference. It can be used for background only. There are, however, extensions of this off-the-record rule. They are:
1) IDA, which allows for confirmation of information from another source or individual, even the person mentioned in an off-the-record conversation, if such confirmation can be obtained without the risk of identifying the off-the-record source. Being told about an individual committing an act, which could be checked by another route or method, as long as the off-the-record source is protected. Example: An acquaintance who is engaging in unknown illicit behavior who is identified for that by a friend could be observed or asked about that in a way which seems separate and wholly distinct from the acquaintance who provided the information.
2) The Taratoll rule, which holds that if threats of personal harm are made in a believable way, though off-the-record, it is permissible to share that with someone who could help determine the validity or offer outside perspective; The Taratoll rule also includes exemption from the traditional off-the-record restrictions if harm is threatened to another individual, not necessarily only limited to physical harm and severe or serious enough that it could prove injurious to emotional well-being or personal livelihood.
THE CRONKITE FACTOR
Striving for objectivity is essential, important and should be all-encompassing in good reporting. However, if circumstances are so egregious as to merit comment, they can be made without compromising journalistic endeavor, if used very rarely. Example: Walter Concrete's pronouncement of the tragedy of the Vietnam War.
EDITORIAL PUBLISHING POLICY
Editorials are welcome. Editorials must be attributed to the writer; editorials should be directed at an issue not an individual; editorials should not include any terminology that could be construed as a slur, epithet or expletive.
Editorials may be cut for length if they extend for more than 400 words;
Editorials may include the name, place, time of an event, but editorial focus should be on an action, once name, place or time of an event has been established;
Editorials may not be written in a tone that is retaliatory;
Editorials must make a news-related point;
Editorials may be strident, strongly-worded and entirely oppositional when targeted at a perceived government lapse or injustice; Repeated personalization as a reason for a government lapse or injustice is best avoided in cases of volunteer public service, even for those volunteers who occupy elected offices (This does not necessarily apply to editorials that are written as a critique of individuals who are tax-paid politicians or tax-paid government officials).
Editorials by a specific individual are limited to once every six months in print or e-newsletter.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
A letter to the editor is always welcome by Trammart News, but such a letter is only published if targeted to an issue and not framed as a personal attack or critique, unless that critique is composed in such a way as to be largely issue-oriented.
The exception: The editor-publisher agrees to publish any letter to the editor that attacks her, with only necessary grammatical revision.
A writer of a letter to the editor is limited to one such letter in a six-month period.
A letter to the editor is limited to 400 words.
GUEST EDITORIALS
A guest editorial is always welcome by Trammart News, but such an editorial is only published if targeted to an issue and not framed as a personal attack or critique, unless that critique is composed in such a way as to be largely issue-oriented.
A guest editorial is recommended to a limit of 400 words.
A guest editorial needs to include a point of view.
GUEST ESSAYS
A guest essay is always welcome by Trammart News, but such an essay is only published if targeted to an issue.
A guest editorial is recommended to a limit of 400 words.
It doesn’t require a personal point of view.
TRAMMART NEWS AND PUBLISHING EDITORIALS
It is the policy of Trammart News and Publishing to refrain from editorializing except in cases in which the editor/publisher deems it necessary to keep the public apprised of a development or developments that are their right to know and to know in a way that is elucidating and understandable. In some cases, this would mean following a model in which the reasons for story coverage and the events surrounding them are explained to the reader.
POLICY on GENERAL REPORTING
TEXT CHECKS
Whenever possible for a feature article, a “text-check” will be provided to a source in which statements and/or facts will be able to be reviewed in a series of sentences or paragraphs provided.
In general, a “text check” is provided by email, with a due-date of return, and if a “text-check” isn’t acted on, the editor-publisher will consider the original writing sent in the “text-check” as satisfactory for use in the article.
On occasion events and occurrences are subject to embargo placed by an individual or group that sets a time and place for releasing the information. Trammart News and Publishing will honor an embargo, when requested, if the material has been protected from use by other media. Should the information or material be used by other media or news outlets, the embargo will not be honored.
Circumstances in which material is provided but confidentiality is sought can include the designation "not for attribution." Not for attribution refers to any information sharing that may be published or disseminated in a public way, while withholding the name or names of those who provided it.
INTERVIEW PROCEDURE
An interview is defined as contact with a source to gain information and, as such, can be very brief or relatively long and can be accomplished in the following ways: by phone, including voicemail, by text, by email, by Zoom or other two-way video technology, by personal visit, by letter, or through conversation that is identified as knowledge-seeking for the purposes of attributable information.
Responses to such knowledge-seeking for the purposes of attributable information often are done by email rather than verbally to save time and to obtain the exact or preferred wording of a source. No distinction between quotes obtained by email, text, personal contact or two-way technology will be made by Trammart News. All are considered acceptable means of news gathering. In keeping with current news-gathering practices, statements also can be designated as "off the record." In email communication: to designate the entirety of the message as off the record, it should be placed in the message line of the email. To designate portions of a long email, in which parts are off the record, the acronym OTR may be used around the statements to be considered off the record. (Off the record is widely defined as statements not to be published with a name attached, i.e., disclosed in a public way without separate, independent verification that does not name the original source.)
PUBLIC MEETING COVERAGE
Public meetings will be covered for news value, an agenda set by the editor-publisher that, in general, ranks tax-revenue expenditures as a priority point for coverage, and other government monetary spending.
Social interest also is used to assess news value and may include as a gauge the number of people likely to be affected by a decision made by a public body or the public interest that such a decision is likely to generate.
Public interest is defined, at times, by Trammart News and Publishing as any issue that arises in public meetings and which appears to involve potential impact on a business, a group, an educational facility, a private resident or citizen, or an organization.
NEWS RELEASES and EMERGENCY NOTIFICATIONS
News releases are subject to revision, and Trammart News accepts them with that understanding. No effort will be made to alter intent of content, but news releases (also referred to as press releases) may be condensed or abbreviated. If they are shortened to only a few sentences, they may be used on social media (Trammart News Facebook Page).
A news release also may be utilized as a tip sheet for a much longer story, which would incorporate some information from the original news release for a longer, more in-depth examination of the issue described or provided by the news release.
A news release must be identified by source(s) of origination.
A news release that makes assertions or claims that are unsubstantiated by listed and verifiable facts in the news release necessitates checking for possible verification before use.
A news release that presents one side of an issue and criticizes or advocates for a cause, issue or group necessitates an attempt to contact the other side, such as supporters of the cause or issue or members of the group being criticized or advocated against.
A news release that constitutes an emergency, such as a safety action needed – evacuation, for example – shall be broadcast on both social media (Trammart News Facebook) or by urgent email, or both.
POLICY on REPORTING LIFE EVENTS
Trammart News does not publish obituaries.
Deaths are reported only if they are newsworthy due to the contribution, notoriety or an encounter with law enforcement. An exception can be made as the result of a family or loved one requesting coverage due to unknown or relatively unknown significant acts by the deceased that individuals close to him or her demonstrate should come to public light.
Suicide shall be covered under the recommendations provided for self-inflicted death by research from the State of Ohio (see link:
https://mha.ohio.gov/Researchers-and-Media/Reporting-on-Suicide
POLICY on REPORTING POLITICAL EVENTS
Trammart News does not provide election coverage except in the following ways:
By allowing candidates to submit editorials on why they are seeking public office and what they hope to accomplish.
By reporting on election-related events that show incidents in the public arena, such as local protest marches, demonstrations or conflicts.
By covering forums that address specific issues, such as those on climate change, the environment, community safety.
POLICY on CITIZEN or RESIDENT PUBLIC TESTIMONY at MEETINGS or FORUMS
Public testimony initiated and delivered by residents or community members at public meetings will be reported as news. The public commentary time allocated at public meetings is regarded by Trammart News & Publishing as an important, even critical, time and place for concerns and issues to be aired freely and free of interference.
-- In such testimony, commentary will be treated as worthy of editorial content, and reported as opinion, without further solicitation or seeking out opposing comment.
--In general, public testimony is received personal appearance at any public meeting by in-person commentary or by technology, such as Zoom, which requires face-to-face presentation to the board, committee, commission or council.
-- In such settings, responses from authorities, such as a city manager or board chair, will be reported only when they provide information that illustrates how issues will be addressed, such as actions to move matters forward.
-- In such circumstances, responses by elected or appointed officials will be included only when clarity is sought from speaker(s).
Trammart News & Publishing considers public testimony vital to an engaged citizenry and will seek to include it as an essential part of reporting, with the possible exception that repetitive use of the public podium for the same issue by the same individual(s) will be considered differently than inaugural presentation of an issue.
GIFT and DONATION POLICY
Trammart News makes a distinction between metro coverage and small‐town news publications. The latter connects readers to one another and, as news organizations, these community publications intimately connected with their towns and citizens, they do not tend to separate themselves from their audiences in the way that larger news outlets do (Poepsel, 2019, International Encyclopedia of Journalism Studies).
As a result, Trammart News makes several distinguishing provisions:
1) Gifts such in the form of home-grown produce or baked goods or other foodstuffs are accepted, the recipient extends thanks, and on occasion, these gifts make their way onto the Trammart News Page. Exceptions:
a) No gift is accepted in a quid pro quo arrangement
b) No gift is accepted with the guarantee that coverage of a specific topic will be continued
c) All gifts are accepted with the proviso that should the purveyor or bestower is subject to critical, unflattering or negative
coverage in the future, if the circumstances or personal or professional behavior are deemed to warrant it.
2) All gifts under $500 are accepted by Trammart News at any time, with the understanding that they will be passed on for charitable purposes from or by Trammart News & Publishing, including but not limited to book give-aways, educational needs for Central School District 13J, donations to local charitable causes, ranging from the local environment (Luckiamute Watershed Council) to the local business community (Independence Downtown Association).
3) Trammart News & Publishing does not donate to political candidates, a policy enacted in 2020. --Anne Scheck