MEDIALEX EDITORIAL INDEPENDENCE POLICY

Our commitment

At MEDIALEX, editorial independence is the foundation of our journalism activities.

We exist to provide our community a platform and resources to create trusted local news, information, and entertainment. To do that, our newsroom must be free from influence by donors, sponsors, advertisers, partners, political interests, or any outside pressure.

This page explains how we protect that independence and how we stay accountable to the public.

Who makes editorial decisions

All decisions about what we cover, how we cover it, and when we publish or broadcast are made by MEDIALEX’s editorial leadership.

Our Board of Directors provides fiduciary and strategic oversight, but:

• Does not assign stories
• Does not review or approve coverage
• Does not influence editorial framing or conclusions

Funding and editorial independence

MEDIALEX is funded through a mix of:

• Individual donors and members
• Sponsorships and underwriting
• Grants
• Partnerships

Financial support never comes with editorial control.

Supporters:

• Have no right to assign stories
• Have no right to review content before publication
• Cannot influence newsroom priorities or conclusions
• Cannot receive favorable coverage in exchange for support

We maintain a strict firewall between our editorial team and our revenue activities.

Sponsorships and advertising across platforms

MEDIALEX communicates through public radio and non-public radio outlets such as digital, video, newsletters, podcasts, television, and events.

• On public radio, we follow non-commercial underwriting standards.
• On non-public-radio platforms, sponsors and advertisers may use more commercial or promotional language.

Regardless of platform, sponsorship and advertising never affect editorial decisions.
Commercial language does not influence what we report or how we report it.

Grants and topic-based funding

MEDIALEX may accept funding to support coverage of broad topics (such as housing, health, arts, or education).

In all cases:

• The newsroom retains full editorial control
• Funders cannot shape findings or conclusions
• Funding relationships are disclosed when relevant to the audience

We do not accept funding that compromises truthful reporting.

Conflicts of interest

All MEDIALEX journalists, staff, volunteers, and contributors are required to:

• Disclose real or perceived conflicts of interest
• Recuse themselves from coverage when appropriate
• Avoid gifts, favors, or special access tied to coverage

When a potential conflict exists, we prioritize transparency and public trust.

Political independence

MEDIALEX News is nonpartisan.

• We do not endorse candidates or political parties.
• Civic and political coverage is guided by public interest, not ideology.

Transparency

We believe transparency builds trust. MEDIALEX:

• Publicly explains how our journalism is funded
• Publishes information about significant supporters
• Clearly labels sponsored or paid content
• Discloses relevant relationships when coverage intersects with funders, sponsors, board members, or close partners