EDITORIAL & REPORTING GUIDELINES

Editorial and journalistic integrity is integral to our ability to fulfill our mission of being a trusted platform where insiders and outsiders to politics are informed, meet, talk, and act to repair our democracy.

Adherence to our foundational principles and values is essential for earning our readers' trust and respect, which in turn is crucial for promoting the citizenship and culture we advocate.

News Articles and Opinion Essays

To maintain our impartial stance and publish content that embodies equity, opportunity, and factual integrity, we:

• Approach news stories with an open mind and skepticism, striving to present our readers with a broad spectrum of viewpoints through diligent research and critical thinking.
• As best we can, remove personal bias from our reporting and seek a variety of perspectives in both our news gathering and selection of opinion pieces.
• Are committed to verifying the accuracy and credibility of all information we publish. Best practice dictates that there must be at least two independent sources on the record (one might be a document) before publishing controversial factual assertions.
• Do not employ accusations, innuendos, or misinformation, vilifying one party by the other. The Fulcrum promotes a higher standard of discourse and mutual understanding among citizens, underpinned by civil political dialogue, critical thinking, and personal accountability.
• Advocate for intellectual honesty to inform and persuade effectively.
• Provide transparency whenever our news or opinion pieces intersect with other work connected to the Bridge Alliance Education Fund, which publishes The Fulcrum.

We encourage our opinion writers to embrace a form of journalism called “Solutions Journalism.”

Solutions Journalism guidelines that we ascribe to include:

• Ask what's dividing us on this issue.
• How do we decide which information to trust?
• What is oversimplified about this issue?
• What are the nuances and complexities of this issue?
• Is there any part of the other side's position that makes sense to you?
• What do you want the other side to understand about you, and what do you want to understand about the other side?
• What's the question nobody's asking?
• Explore the nuances and complexities of the issue.

Feedback and Corrections

We welcome fact-based critiques and provide opportunities for feedback if we fall short of our responsibilities. Errors will be acknowledged and corrected publicly and promptly.

Editing Content

The Fulcrum’s staff strives to be objective in the editing process to ensure that the intent of the writer or producer is not altered.

Diversity Among Sources and Diversity of Opinion

The Fulcrum encourages our staff and guest columnists to consider diversity in race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religious and political beliefs, and geographic and economic status as a positive value when sourcing articles and essays.

We believe, as so eloquently stated by the great poet Maya Angelou, that “history, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage, need not be lived again.” Ultimately, it’s up to all of us to live into the continuously evolving commitments to justice and inclusion for all Americans that were laid out but unfulfilled in the founding documents of the United States.

Additional Policies

The Fulcrum strictly prohibits lobbying for or endorsing political candidates.

Due to the complexity of operating a news and opinion publication, it is impossible for this document to cover all possible situations. Unforeseen situations will be addressed by the principles of fairness, transparency, and the desire to adhere to generally accepted journalistic principles.