WHRO Standards of Journalism

WHRO Journalism serves our diverse Hampton Roads community with nuanced, experimental storytelling that demands accountability. We will successfully accomplish this mission when we produce unique, relevant coverage that gives our audience deep context about the place they live and work, so they can make informed decisions and live full lives.

With this mission, we support the WHRO Public Media value statement. We embrace education as our foundation and our future. We listen first, then listen more. We treat others with respect. We are non-partisan. We rely on facts and science. We embrace diversity and inclusion. We stand against social injustice and bigotry.

• The Public Media Code of Editorial Integrity
• WHRO's Statement On Editorial Integrity And Independence
• Public Editor Statements

WHRO's Statement on Donor & Financial Transparency

• WHRO Public Media is committed to transparency in every aspect of funding our organization.

• Accepting financial support does not mean we endorse donors or their products, services or opinions.

• We accept gifts, grants and sponsorships from individuals, organizations and foundations to help with our general operations, coverage of specific topics and special projects. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that operates as a public trust, we do not pay certain taxes. We may receive funds from standard government programs offered to nonprofits or similar businesses.

• Our news judgments are made independently – not based on or influenced by donors or any revenue source. We do not give supporters the rights to assign, review or edit content.

• We make public all revenue sources and donors who give $5,000 or more per year. As a news nonprofit, we avoid accepting charitable donations from anonymous sources, government entities, political parties, elected officials or candidates seeking public office. We will not accept donations from sources who, deemed by our board of directors, present a conflict of interest with our work or compromise our independence.

Public Editor
WHRO utilizes the service of Elizabeth Jensen, a Public Editor, who stands as a source of independent accountability and strives to listen to the audience’s concerns and explain the newsroom’s work and ambitions. By design, the Public Editor is not an employee of WHRO Public Media as the intent is to elevate independence and help serve our audience.