Our purpose and commitment:
The Latino Reporter is a news website sponsored by the National Association of Hispanic Journalists that features journalism produced by student members tasked with covering the organization and its annual conference. For nearly 40 years, the project has been funded by the NAHJ as part of its signature programming. The newsroom exercises editorial independence.
The goal of the Latino Reporter is to cover the organization and issues relevant to its mission as fairly and thoroughly as possible in a newsroom atmosphere as realistic as the ones students will face in their professional capacity. This news site is a designated public forum for student journalists to inform and educate NAHJ members as well as for the discussion of issues of concern to its audience.
The Latino Reporter does not allow the review of news stories prior to publication. The content of the Latino Reporter is determined by the Latino Reporter staff — not NAHJ officials.
Latino Reporter mentors and editors are journalism professionals who volunteer to guide and coach but do not dictate the journalism content students choose to pursue. Newsroom leaders also hold student journalists to the ethical standards of professional journalism. The staff and mentors share an interest in protecting the integrity of the work produced by students during this training opportunity and reserve the right to make final content decisions.
Student journalists and their professional mentors strive to verify facts through reliable sources, report impartially, check quotations for exactness, ensure the integrity of photographs and correct errors expeditiously. The Latino Reporter will use anonymous sources rarely and prudently, and the project editors are accountable for signing off on their use.
We do not report rumors, unverified documents or promise favorable coverage. The Latino Reporter will not publish any material deemed libelous, obscene, an unwarranted invasion of privacy or a violation of copyright law. All Latino Reporter staff will identify themselves as members of the newsroom to those they cover and will not misrepresent themselves to sources nor at any time during the course of their newsgathering.
Students and mentors will follow state recording laws.
The Latino Reporter and its staff are protected by and bound to the principles of the First Amendment and other protections and limitations afforded to a free press by the Constitution and the various laws and court decisions implementing those principles.
Requests for corrections:
The following is a read-out of the terms and manner in which one may request review:
- Correction
- We will issue corrections on a published article if there is a provable factual error.
- All requests for corrections should go to The Latino Reporter editor or project leads. To request a correction, email LatinoReporterOfficial@gmail.org.
- The assigning editor, in consultation with colleagues, will decide how to address the correction within a timely manner.
- Clarification
- We will issue clarifications to clarify a factual statement to remove potential misunderstanding or confusion.
- Retraction
- The Latino Reporter does not withdraw or remove content from its website after it has been edited and published.
- Plagiarism
- The Latino Reporter will not plagiarize. All facts and quotations not produced through original reporting will be attributed. Plagiarism is defined as verbatim use of more than seven to 10 words from any written work that is not the work of the reporter.
- The Latino Reporter will not plagiarize. All facts and quotations not produced through original reporting will be attributed. Plagiarism is defined as verbatim use of more than seven to 10 words from any written work that is not the work of the reporter.
Editorial Advisory Board:
Given the Latino Reporter’s unique relationship with the NAHJ, the news project participants and mentors will consult with an editorial advisory board when necessary to resolve disputes or concerns. This group of five longtime NAHJ members will be on-call during the project’s duration to deliberate ethical and editorial issues that rise to the level of intervention.
The Latino Reporter editors will abide by the ruling of the board when no compromise can be found.
The Editorial Advisory Board will aim to strike a balance between protecting the NAHJ organization as members and preserving the integrity of the students’ journalism and experience. When deliberating such matters, if there is an opportunity to educate the student and the organization, this board will endeavor a creative compromise.
To move forward on any matter, the Editorial Advisory Board will take a vote to reach a consensus or a simple majority. The board will deliver its decision to the project leads, the NAHJ president and the aggrieved party. The Editorial Advisory Board may request an emergency meeting with the NAHJ president or the executive committee for any necessary consultation.
The 2023 Editorial Advisory Board includes:
Maria Carrillo
Cristela Guerra
David Plazas
Cindy E. Rodríguez
Monica Rhor