SCOPE AND PURPOSE
Malawi News 360.com is an independent media organization and aims to maintain its editorial independence in all aspects of its content. This Ethics Policy is established to protect the site's independence, impartiality, neutrality, and integrity and applies to all members of the media group.
COMPLIANCE
Malawi News 360.com views this policy as of utmost importance and takes any violations of this policy seriously. All members of the team are expected to carefully read and comply with the rules outlined in this policy. New members are also required to read this policy prior to starting their role at [insert site name]. Team members are required to confirm their understanding of this policy once a year.
In the event of a possible violation of this policy by a team member or if a team member becomes aware of any relationship or situation that could potentially result in an actual or apparent conflict of interest, they must immediately inform their supervisor. All discussions regarding such incidents will be kept confidential and every effort will be made to maintain this confidentiality. My site does not tolerate any retaliation against any team member who makes a good faith report of a violation of this policy by another team member.
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
Personal Gain and Promotion
All team members who regularly cover news stories must report with integrity and impartiality and must not be influenced by any personal or professional gain they, the team member must fully disclose the relationship to their supervisor and must not allow the relationship to influence their reporting.
Political or Ideological Bias
Team members must not allow their personal political or ideological views to influence their reporting. All stories must be reported objectively and impartially, free from personal bias or influence.
Sponsored Content
In the event of sponsored content, all team members must clearly distinguish such content from editorial content. The sponsored content must be clearly labeled as such and must not be misleading or deceptive.
GIFTS AND GRATUITIES
Team members must not accept gifts or gratuities from sources that are covered by the site or from people who have a direct or indirect financial interest in the stories being covered. In the event that a gift or gratuity is received, the team member must disclose it to their supervisor and must not allow it to influence their reporting.
FAMILIAL AND SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS
Team members must avoid reporting on people with whom they have a close familial or social relationship. In the event that a team member has a close relationship with someone who is covered in a story, the team member must inform their supervisor and must not report on the story.
DISCIPLINARY ACTION
Any violation of this Ethics Policy by a team member may result in disciplinary action, including termination of employment. The severity of the disciplinary action
In addition, all team members are encouraged to bring any concerns or issues regarding ethical practices to the attention of their supervisor. The organization is committed to maintaining the highest ethical standards and ensuring that all team members adhere to this Ethics Policy.
CONFIDENTIALITY
All team members must maintain the confidentiality of sources and information obtained in the course of their reporting. This information should only be used for the purpose of reporting and must not be disclosed to unauthorized persons or organizations.
ACCURACY
Accuracy is of the utmost importance in all reporting. Team members must verify all facts and information before publishing or airing a story. In the event of a mistake or error, the team must correct it promptly and publicly.
INDEPENDENCE
The team must maintain independence from all sources and maintain impartiality in all reporting. The team must not allow outside sources to influence their reporting or take actions that may compromise the independence and impartiality of the organization.
CONCLUSION
The Editorial & Ethics Policy sets out the standards and expectations of ethical behavior for all team members. Adherence to these standards is critical to the success and credibility of the organization. By committing to this policy, the organization demonstrates its commitment to ethical and responsible journalism.