Working Groups: Funding and Firewalls

Summary Recommendations

As noted throughout this document, we accept the reality that different stations with varied service missions will craft differing funding and firewall policies. But we also believe that our common commitment to certain principles is a powerful, uniting and distinguishing force. We believe it is of paramount importance, particularly in these times, that stations commit to rigorous policies that flow from our shared principles and common purpose. Among these are:

• A commitment to accuracy, fairness and truth in all our content creation regardless of subject area or distribution platform.
• A commitment to “truth in labeling” in all our programming in that we will never label opinion as fact or fact as opinion.
• A commitment to avoiding even the perception of undue funder influence over any of our news product.
• A commitment to never letting funders distort our core editorial principles when creating content including news, performance, history and informational programming.
• A commitment to full transparency of all station policies, including the nature of our financial relationships with our funders.

We believe that if stations commit to these core principles, and develop specific policies derived from their overall stated mission, the opportunity for public media to strengthen its unique status within American culture will only increase.