Journalists and news media organizations have a special place in society. They are, at times, given a great deal of latitude when doing their job, and so they should be. Journalism is demanding. They have to rely on the decency of people to get at the truth. They are often confronted by super-aggressive and hyper-confrontational police and government officials, threats from subjects as well as out-of-touch lawyers and the courts. It can be a tremendously difficult job; however, the job has to be done – done properly.
Signal High News Corporation imposes a strict set of ethical boundaries and demands a high degree of journalistic integrity. Should you have concerns about the way by which we report the news, or the conduct of our journalists or any other personnel, we offer several venues for your voice to be heard.
OPTION ONE – GIVE FEEDBACK
We invite you to share your feedback with us through our online contact form. Your remarks will be reviewed and directed to the responsible person or publication for action. This is the fastest and most direct way of voicing your concern. We truly value your opinion and often times simple misunderstandings can be cleared up quickly, to the satisfaction of all involved.
OPTION TWO – INFORMAL DISCUSSION
You are welcome to approach personnel in the field, provided you do so in a way that does not interrupt their duties, and that you are not rude, threatening or violent. In some jurisdictions, obstructing media is an offense. Please note that while we have no greater legal obligation to self-identify than any other ordinary person, it is our policy that proper identification be presented when requested, where possible. Please understand that our personnel will not break off assignment to engage you, and that the decision to engage, or disengage, will be made solely by them.
OPTION THREE – EXECUTIVE RESOLUTION
You may choose to express your concerns in writing to the executive officer responsible for journalists within the company. You do not have to try other methods of resolving your concern prior to writing the executive; however, this option must be exercised within thirty days of the initial incident, must be in writing and must include all evidence. Your concern will be reviewed and a response given. This office is fully empowered to take all necessary measures to fairly and correctly conclude your concern. You can find our mailing address here.
OPTION FOUR – STANDING COMMITTEE ON JOURNALISTIC INTEGRITY
You may also choose to write to our standing committee on journalistic integrity, a committee of the corporate board of directors tasked to investigate concerns and be the final voice of the corporation in respect to resolution. This committee is empowered to make the final decision on your concern, and to direct the resolution they deem appropriate. They are also capable of making sweeping policy change.
In order for your concern to be received, it must be made within ninety days of the initial incident and must be made in writing with all supporting evidence provided up-front. You are also required to have attempted executive resolution (above) before contacting the committee. Your covering letter must detail your exact concern and request a specific resolution, whatever you truly feel is reasonable and just.
We require that you enclose with your first letter a bank draft or money order payable to SIGNAL HIGH NEWS CORPORATION in the amount of one hundred twenty dollars ($120.00 USD). This is a non-refundable contribution to the cost of considering your concern. If you suffer true and legitimate hardship, and are truthfully unable to pay this amount, please detail why you are unable to pay (e.g. summary of income and expenses) and have another person who knows you write a letter attesting to your circumstances. The committee will assess your circumstances and decide on whether or not to waive the financial requirement. You can find our mailing address here. The committee may elect to refund your contribution, in whole or in part, at their sole option and discretion.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
The burden to clearly demonstrate your concern is yours alone, so the keeping of detailed notes and other evidence is highly recommended. We are unable to protect your identity at any stage in this process. This is to ensure a fair and impartial investigation. We reserve the right to publish your submissions and any of our findings, according to our policies. We may not be able to communicate to you the corrective measures we have taken, or intend to take, due to privacy concerns. We may not consider concerns that have been lodged with the police, courts or other investigatory or regulatory bodies. Please quote your file number on all correspondence, if you have one. Every step in this process is designed to give you a voice and we invite you to work with us in resolving your concern; however, we will not tolerate threats or violent behavior, or rudeness whatsoever.
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