Chapter 14

Objectivity: sticking to observable facts and avoiding the injection of personal opinions into news reports.

Thoroughness: looking into every aspect of a story.
-doing research before interviewing sources so you can ask more relevant and probing questions, taking the time to track down and talk with the best sources, and becoming familiar with primary documents.

Accuracy: getting the facts straight.
-double-checking your math (in my case, triple-checking), asking interviewees to spell their names, and visiting referenced Web sites to make sure links are active.

Fairness: listening to different viewpoints and getting all the facts.
-consciously fighting the tendency to "frame" a story before you have gathered all the info, being open to re-evaluating your presuppositions about an issue, and checking out tips thoroughly -- not succumbing to the temptation to publish something merely because it supports your opinion.

Transparency: being as open as possible about: your presuppositions, where and how you're getting your information and how you're choosing what to report.
-when appropriate, posting links to primary sources with your articles, allowing the audience to post comments as feedback to your articles, and offering the public your opinions on certain issues so they can better understand your editorial decisions.