South Alberta News United Bureau (SANUB)
Ethics Guidelines – Revised May 4, 2026

PREAMBLE

These guidelines define the ethical standards and purpose of journalism practiced by the South Alberta News United Bureau. Ethical journalism demands integrity, courage, and accountability — not box-ticking. It’s about confronting power, seeking truth, and serving the public interest through fair, fact-based reporting.

We draw inspiration from traditional journalism’s discipline and from gonzo journalism — the raw, first-person style that rejects false neutrality and embraces authenticity, emotion, and presence. The journalist may be part of the story, but never at the expense of truth or accuracy.

Ethical journalism asks not for compliance, but for conscience.

ACCURACY

Truth comes first — before speed, clicks, or convenience.

  1. Verify identities, backgrounds, and online sources.

  2. Support claims with documentation; separate fact from opinion.

  3. Preserve original tone and context in all media.

  4. Correct mistakes promptly and transparently.

  5. Remove or “unpublish” material only for exceptional reasons: public safety, legal obligations, or severe harm.

FAIRNESS

Empathy and honesty guide engagement with sources and subjects.

  1. Provide those criticized a fair chance to respond.

  2. Avoid unnecessary mention of personal identifiers unless relevant.

  3. Report sensitively on crime, children, and vulnerable people.

  4. Acknowledge personal bias and work actively to limit its influence.

  5. Use unnamed sources only when the information serves a clear public need and cannot be obtained otherwise.

INDEPENDENCE

Journalism exists to serve the public, not advertisers, governments, or employers.

  1. Decline gifts or favours that compromise credibility.

  2. Pay your own way whenever possible. If not, disclose who did.

  3. Resist prior review or censorship by sources.

  4. Columnists may hold opinions; reporters maintain detachment.

  5. Maintain editorial control, even in partnerships or collaborations.

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

Transparency builds trust; hidden interests destroy it.

  1. Avoid activities or posts that compromise perceived neutrality.

  2. Disclose relationships or financial links relevant to coverage.

  3. Do not accept paid speaking, consulting, or gigs connected to your beats without approval and disclosure.

  4. Journalists seeking political office must withdraw from reporting roles.

TRANSPARENCY

Show your work.

  1. Identify yourself as a journalist, except in rare, justified undercover cases.

  2. Explain how and why information was obtained.

  3. Label news, opinion, and sponsored content clearly.

  4. Disclose when generative AI assists in producing words or images.

  5. Credit original sources when using third-party media.

DIVERSITY

A complete story requires many voices.

  1. Include perspectives from underrepresented groups as a practice, not a token gesture.

  2. Seek diversity in both subjects and sources of expertise.

  3. Avoid generalizing one voice as representative of a whole community.

ACCOUNTABILITY

We answer to the public.

  1. Correct errors visibly and admit them fully.

  2. Avoid false balance — evidence outweighs noise.

  3. Use images and footage based on news value, not voyeurism.

  4. Offer simple ways for the public to question or challenge our work.

Ethics Advisory Group (Draft 2026 Revision):
Compiled under review of SANUB editorial and ethics contributors, May 2026.