Energy Now is committed to presenting the highest-quality, independent news coverage and informed analysis of events and trends at the intersection of energy and the environment. Our journalists focus on providing thorough and accurate information, and subscribe to the code of journalistic ethics as defined by the Society of Professional Journalists. 

The EnergyNOW! news standards are based on these principles:
(Revised 3/1/11)

Accuracy

• We use verifiable facts - not rumors, innuendo, opinions, or speculation - as the bedrock of our reporting; we can identify the factual basis for every assertion we make, whether it comes from our own reporting or from another credible news source.
• We only use anonymous sources when absolutely necessary; the rare use of unnamed sources must be approved and the reasons disclosed.
• We clearly separate factual reporting from analysis and opinion.

Fairness

• We are free of bias: we dig hard for diverse perspectives, especially on controversial issues; we are receptive to all relevant points of view in our reporting; however, we use journalistic judgment in weighing and presenting them.
• We edit for clarity and brevity but do not distort the meaning or intent of interviews.
• We do not penalize sources for declining to cooperate; in fact, we make every effort to report on their points of view even without their help.

Transparency

• We disclose any outside interests, activities, or other relevant facts that could affect our ability to report dispassionately; any such circumstances involving our journalists require disclosure to senior management.
• We disclose the relevant activities, interests, and agendas of our sources; our paid contributors are subject to EnergyNOW!’s published conflict-of-interest disclosure policy.
• We disclose the sources of our funding when relevant, and always when reporting on them.

Independence

• We report without fear or favor: we do not allow governments, businesses, or any other institution to intimidate us or inappropriately influence our reporting.
• We do not submit specific questions in advance or allow our subjects to review scripts or stories before they are published.
• We do not pay for information or interviews, nor do we allow our sources to contribute to our expenses, give us gifts, or provide services to us except in rare unavoidable circumstances that must be approved in advance and disclosed.

Civility

• We treat our subjects and our colleagues with respect and dignity.
• We are sensitive to the privacy rights of our subjects, especially people who are not public figures, and balance them against the public interest in open dissemination of news.
• We do not abuse the power of the camera and the microphone to bully or intimidate.

Authenticity

• We believe that everything on EnergyNOW! must be what it purports to be: we do not alter video or sound or use any other techniques that threaten to distort reality or create confusion, nor do we use music merely to manipulate emotions.
• We do not use dramatic re-creations, although we do permit the use of animations and other graphic tools for purposes of explanation, emphasis, and clarity.
• We appropriately identify stock footage or material supplied by others.

Integrity

• We do not represent someone else’s work as our own, and we generously credit the enterprise reporting of others when it informs our own work.
• We do not misrepresent ourselves, use hidden cameras or microphones, or deliberately mislead the subjects of our reporting except for rare exceptions that require prior approval and for which there is no alternative.
• We hold ourselves to the highest standards of personal conduct, and we never seek to benefit financially, either directly or indirectly, from our reporting.

Accountability

• We are accountable to our viewers and users.
• We solicit criticism, acknowledge errors, and correct them promptly and publicly.
• We employ an ombudsman to address potential violations of these standards and questions about our journalistic independence.

Everyone who works on EnergyNOW! must certify that she or he has read, understands, and agrees to abide by these standards. Employees with questions about applying the standards should discuss them with the General Manager. Members of the general public who have questions or comments on the standards or who believe they have been violated should write to the EnergyNOW! ombudsman at “ombudsman@energynow.com.”