Reports FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

Here are some frequently asked questions about our NewsTrust reports. If you still have questions, .


About this FAQ

What is this Report FAQ? This FAQ was created especially for our NewsTrust reports. It contains information about how to view story and source reports. It was last updated on March 28, 2006. If you would like to read about general aspects of our service, check our other help FAQs:


  • General FAQ:
  • for questions about joining NewsTrust and getting started
  • Member FAQ:
  • for questions about viewing and editing our member profiles
  • MyNews FAQ:
  • for questions about your MyNews and My Network pages
  • Reviewer FAQ:
  • for questions about our story review and posting forms
  • Host FAQ:
  • for questions about our story and source edit forms

    What is a report? A NewsTrust report is an online scorecard which presents our findings about a news story or source. In the beta phase, NewsTrust will offer two different types of reports: Story Reports and Source Reports (see below).

    What is a story report? A story report is an online scorecard that presents our findings about a news story. Each story on our site has a Story Report, which is available to all members and can be read by clicking any story title. This takes you to our report's Overview page (also called "About this Story"). For more information about story reports, see below.

    What is a source report? A source report is an online scorecard that presents our findings about a news source (e.g. a news publication or author). We will soon offer the first version of our Source Report (based on all sources reviewed for each source). Most sources on our site have a simple Source Report, which you can read by clicking on their source name. This takes you to our report's Overview page, which presents our findings about this source (also called "About this Source "). For more information about source reports, see below.

    What is a story listing? A story listing displays stories in ranked order, usually by average rating or date. Story listings can be general, or about specific topics or source types. Clicking on any story title takes you to the corresponding story report. Clicking on "Rate It" takes you to the review form for that story. For more information about story reports, see below.

    What is a source listing? A sources listing displays sources in ranked order, usually by average rating from all the stories we've rated to date. Source listings can be general, or about specific source types or viewpoint. Clicking on any source title takes you to the corresponding source report. For more information about source reports, see below.

    How can I make a suggestion or report a problem? To help us improve our service, please click "Suggestions" on the left sidebar of our site, or at the bottom of any of our forms. To email us about issues that need to be fixed right away, click "Report a Problem" in our forms, or email us at . Thanks for your patience during this beta phase.


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    Viewing a Story Report

    Story Report A story report is an online scorecard that presents our findings about a news story. Each story on our site has a Story Report, which is available to all members and can be read by clicking any story title. This takes you to our report's Overview page (also called "About this Story"). There, you can see a short summary about this story, along with our report's key findings.

    Each Story Report page has a gray action bar below the main summary, which lets you view the full story, review it or edit its report. To view the full story, click on "Full Story" in the gray action bar. To review or rate the story, click on "Review this Story" in the gray action bar (see Reviewer FAQ). If you're a host, you can also edit a Story Report by clicking on "Edit this Report " in the story action bar (see Host FAQ).

    Story Title Each Story Report begins with a story title, at the top of the page. If the story did not have a title, we feature the first sentence of the story. Story titles that exceed 80 characters may be truncated.

    Publication The Story Report also features the name of the original publication for this story. Some publication names may be linked to their NewsTrust source report. If more than one publication originally published this story, other publication names may be included in the tag section below the gray action bar.

    Authors When available, we also feature the names of the journalists that originally authored this story. An author can be a writer, reporter, host, photographer, editor or other significant contributor to this story.

    Story Date Each story report features its story's original publication date (or nearest release date). Since stories are constantly updated online, this date may no longer match the latest version date.

    Full Story To see the full story featured in a report, click on "Full Story" next to its date or in the story action bar. This will open a new window, showing the story in its original website. If the story does not appear in that window, please email us right away at . One of the reasons we show stories in a separate window is to protect the copyrights of their owners.

    Online Access If a story has limited online access (e.g., if it requires a free or paid subscription), we try to indicate its status next to the story title in the story overview page. If a story does not appear to be available online, please email us right away at , so we may remove it from our story listings.

    Story Quote Each story report also features a short quote or description. Quotes that exceed 100 words may be truncated.

    Review this Story To review a story, click on the yellow "Review this Story" button on any story report. This will open the story on the news site, along with our toolbar and review form. (In some cases, the story and our review form will show in separate windows, for news sites that do not support our toolbar). Follow the instructions on the review form (or check our Reviewer FAQ).


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    Story Overview The Overview page of a story report shows our collective findings about this story, right below the gray action bar. For detailed help about any finding, click on its title in the left column, or keep reading this FAQ. To go to another page of a story report, click on any title in the report navbar (below the gray action bar).

    Once you have read a Story Overview, you can find out more about that story in these additional report pages: Reviews, Ratings, Tags, Research, and Improvements (see below). To see any of these pages, click on their titles in the report navbar (below the gray action bar). To see all reviews on a single page, click on "Reviews." To go back to the Story Overview, click on "Overview." You can also step through each report page with the "Next" and "Previous" arrows.


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    Story Reviews The Reviews section of a story report shows at a glance all our reviews for this story. Each review is summarized here, only showing key findings from each member. To see that member's story review, click on "full review" or "(review)" next to their name. To see that member's profile, click on their name.

    For details about story reviews, keep reading, or check our Reviewer FAQ. Note that we do not list reviews with no overall rating, or reviews that violate our terms of service.

    Featured Reviews Our story reports often feature story reviews from our members, if available. Featured reviews are typically selected by a NewsTrust host or staff member. These reviews are shown here in summary form. To see a member's full story review, click on "full review" or "(review)" next to their name. To see that member's profile, click on their name.

    Full Reviews Our story reviews page groups full reviews together, if available. Full review forms include a wide range of rating questions, and let reviewers tag, research or improve the story. These reviews are shown here in summary form. To see a member's full story review, click on "full review" or "(review)" next to their name. To see that member's profile, click on their name.

    Quick Reviews Our story reviews page groups quick reviews and mini reviews together, if available. Quick review forms only include a few rating questions and tags. Mini review forms only include two questions about the selected story (Recommendation and Comments). These reviews are shown here in summary form. To see a member's full story review, click on "full review" or "(review)" next to their name. To see that member's profile, click on their name.

    Comments Each story review starts with the reviewer's comments, if any. Reviewers are invited to write about the journalistic quality of the story, and explain why they gave it their ratings, in 250 words or less. We ask that comments be civil, thoughtful, concise, and respectful of others, in compliance with our community guidelines. If you find a comment that is clearly offensive or otherwise violates our guidelines, please report it by clicking on "Report a Problem."

    Rating Variance Individual story review pages show the variance between a member's story ratings and ratings from all members. This variance is shown to the right of that member's star ratings for that story. Variance is expressed as a positive or negative percentage, indicating how much this reviewer's rating differs from the member average. This variance can be helpful when rating a review, as it can reveal possible inconsistencies between a single reviewer and the rest of the group. A high variance is not necessarily a bad sign, but it is worth noting. See below.

    Rate this Review To rate a member's story review, click on the appropriate rating number next to "Rate this Review" (at the bottom of that member's review). Reviews are rated on the scale of 1 to 5, based on their overall helpfulness (1 = not helpful at all >> 5 = very helpful). A review's helpfulness is typically associated with the same basic journalistic principles we look for in news stories, as well as our own community guidelines. We're not asking if you agree with this review, but whether it is helpful, thoughtful, respectful and informative. Once a review has been rated, an overall review rating is shown to the right, along with the total number of members who rated this review. This overall review rating averages your own rating with other member ratings of this review. Please rate carefully, as these review ratings form an important part of a NewsTrust member's average rating (see our member rating section for more information). If you find a review that is clearly offensive or otherwise violates our guidelines, please report it by clicking on "Report a Problem."

    Member Weight Average NewsTrust story ratings are averaged based on Member Weights. Each time a member reviews a story, a Member Weight is calculated based on that member's level, knowledge of that topic, number of questions answered, and how other members have rated this story review (see above). That Member Weight is then used to weigh that member's individual story rating, to determine a group Story Rating average. The intent of that Member Weight is to give more importance to ratings from our most trusted and knowledgeable members, as well as members who have done more detailed reviews than others.


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    Story Ratings The Ratings section of a story report shows at a glance what our members think about the journalistic quality of this story. Story ratings are inspired by important principles of journalism (e.g., fairness, accuracy), based on codes of ethics from respected news organizations. Using our review forms, our members evaluate each story for these different criteria, on a scale of 1 to 5 (e.g. Fairness: 1 = not fair at all >> 5 = very fair).

    PRELIMINARY DATA DISCLAIMER: All Story Ratings on this beta site are based on preliminary data from a small number of reviewers. As such, they may not yet be accurate, and are shown here for demonstration purposes only. Once we've tested our ratings methodology with a critical mass of members and confirmed its reliability, we will remove this preliminary data disclaimer from our site.

    For tips about each rating, click on its title, or keep reading. For a detailed ratings breakdown, click on any of the star ratings (or click on "Ratings" in the report navbar). Since our members use different review forms, they don't get to see the same rating questions (the Quick Review form now has only six questions, while the Full Review form has twelve). Rating questions with no answers are not shown in the Overview, and left blank in the Ratings report.

    Recommendation Q. Is it a good story?
    This rating provides a first evaluation of this story, based on its overall quality. We ask this required question to all reviewers upfront, regardless of which review form they use. This overall rating is meant to indicate the reviewer's immediate response to story, so we can measure its overall popularity. Other questions in our review forms help reviewers reach beyond their initial impressions, by verifying this story's journalistic merits in more depth.

    Accuracy Q. Is this story accurate?
    Here we examine how closely the description of events and issues in this story matches reality, looking at its sources and the journalistic statements. How well do they square with our member's knowledge? with reports from other media? with our own research? We ask members to only answer this question if they have sufficient knowledge of this topic. As a result, this question is often left blank, due to insufficient information.

    Balance Q. Does this story present all key viewpoints?
    This rating probes whether one or more important sides to the event or issue are missing or given less space than they deserve. In general, the more perspectives a story includes, the fuller the picture of reality it provides. Note that most news stories only have room for the core arguments each side makes, rather than their complete point of view.

    Context Q. Does this story show the "big picture"?
    This rating evaluates how well the story provides context by seeking answers to questions the public most needs to know about this issue or event. "Big picture" reporting that asks about causes, effects, solutions and trends, rather than describing a particular episode, such as a shooting, fire or accident, is also more helpful for this key sense-making function of news.

    Evidence Q. Does this story provide factual evidence?
    This rating examines whether the authors of a story provide verifiable, factual evidence to support their assertions. We pay particular attention to whether the right sources are quoted (authoritative quotes, appropriate statistics, documents, etc.), especially in the headline and lead paragraphs (i.e., the principal generalizations the story makes). Documents and statistics often provide more compelling evidence for a generalization than statements by individuals. Multiple sources of evidence strengthen the support, as well as independent verification by the authors that this evidence is valid.

    Fairness Q. Is this story fair?
    Journalists are expected to present fairly all sides of a controversy. Note this doesn't necessarily mean equal space for all sides. The space allotted to each side should be based on the evidence for its claims and its willingness to respond. Each relevant side, however, should be afforded the opportunity to make its core argument, or decline comment.

    Importance Q. Is this an important topic?
    This rating focuses on the importance of the topic or subject of the story, from the standpoint of informing citizens so they can participate in local, state and national government. Socially responsible journalism requires careful attention to what people in the community served need to know to make wise decisions, particularly collective (usually political) ones. Stories that provide what people want, but don't need to know, are less valuable because they are less empowering; they fail to provide what people need to know to be informed, active community participants. Stories covering topics such as the lives of celebrities, sports news, fender-benders and purely human interest stories generally are not as helpful to people in making sense of the world around them as are stories covering politics, government, education, crime, science, military actions, economics, social trends, etc. Another way we judge the importance of a story's topic is to ask how many people are affected by the topic of this story? tens? thousands? millions? billions?

    Information Q. Is this story informative?
    Here we evaluate the originality of this story's news coverage and/or interpretation. We ask our members whether the author is providing original information here, or merely repeating what others have written about this topic. To answer this question, we encourage reviewers to compare this story to other stories on the same topic.

    Sources Q. Is this story well sourced?
    This rating evaluates the level of care the authors take to find reliable sources for a story. We ask our member whether these sources are qualified to provide information based on special expertise, or unique knowledge of the facts. Expert sources whose view might not be influenced by a stake in the event or issue are particularly valuable; they help move reporting beyond "he said/she said" counterclaims that can leave readers confused. Additionally, we look at how the authors inform readers about where the information came from (clearly indicating and naming sources, explaining why a source may have been granted anonymity and providing some identifying information to help the reader/viewer assess credibility). As a rule, all sources should be named, including other news organizations. When a source cannot be named, readers are owed an explanation of why. Authors should also provide as much information short of identification to permit the reader to assess the credibility of an unnamed source. Readers have a right to know how the story was gathered, including any unconventional means. Surveys should indicate whether the approach was scientific – based on random selection of respondents – and describe the sample size, response rate, and if available, the margins of error.

    Trust Q. Do you trust this publication?
    This rating measures how much each reviewer trusts the source of this story (e.g., its authors and publication). We ask whether they find this news source credible, based on their experience. Can it be trusted to provide reliable information? We ask this subjective question upfront, because trust plays such an important role in how we perceive the news. Other questions in our review form help reviewers reach beyond their initial trust level, by verifying this source's journalistic integrity in more depth.

    Style Q. Is this story well presented?
    The way a subject is treated also matters. This rating assesses the overall style and quality of the writing. We ask our reviewers whether the story is clear and easy to understand. Does it present useful information in an interesting way? Does it make complex issues meaningful? Does it explain unfamiliar terms and processes to the average reader? Does it inspire as well as inform?

    Topic Knowledge Q. Do you know about this topic?
    This member rating assesses how much our reviewers knew about this topic, before reading this story. How much information did they have on this subject? This knowledge could be specific to the event or issue, or more general (e.g., familiarity with similar topics).

    Average Rating The average rating for a story is based on our members' answers to all rating questions in our review forms (e.g., recommendation, accuracy, balance, fairness). All answers are first weighted based on the importance of each rating question for that type of news. That first weighted average is then weighted again, taking into account each reviewer's own member rating, to determine a final, double-weighted rating for the reviewed story. This final average rating is shown next to the story title in our listings and story overview. Click on any star rating to see a detailed rating report for this story, broken down by category (see weight values at the bottom of that report).

    My Rating If you have already rated a story, your average rating for that story is shown as red stars in the story overview and rating report. This average story rating is based on your answers to all rating questions in our review forms (e.g., recommendation, accuracy, balance, fairness). Your answers are first weighted based on the importance of each rating question for that type of news. That first weighted average is then weighted again, taking into account your own member rating, in order to determine a final, double-weighted rating for the reviewed story. Note that you can change your story ratings at any time, by simply clicking on "Review this Story". Your member rating is mostly determined by other members (though you can affect it a little with self-assessments questions such as Your Knowledge – see member ratings section).

    Member Ratings A member's individual story ratings are shown as red stars in the story rating report. This average story rating is based on that member's answers to all rating questions in our review forms (e.g., recommendation, accuracy, balance, fairness). That member's answers are first weighted based on the importance of each rating question for that type of news. That first weighted average is then weighted again, taking into account the member rating for that individual, in order to determine a final, double-weighted rating for the reviewed story. Note that member ratings are mostly determined by other members (see member ratings section).

    Review Forms A story review form is an online score pad where you can rate the quality of a story. We offer two different story review forms: Quick Review and Full Review. We also offer a Mini Review in our Story Posting form. To open a review form, click on "Review this Story" or "Rate It" on our site. NewsTrust resizes your browser window, and opens a new story window on the right. For more info about our review forms, check our Reviewer FAQ.


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    Story Tags The Tags section of a story report shows our member's tags (or keywords) for that story, as well as story stats, as described below. Tags can help identify stories by topic, media type, story location or political viewpoint. We offer several pre-defined tag menus, and also collect open-ended tags from our members. We encourage our reviewers to check these tags before they rate the story.

    For tips about each tag, click on its title, or keep reading. For a more detailed breakdown of story tags, click on "Tags" in the report navbar. Since our members use different review forms, they don't all get to see tag questions. Unanswered tags are not shown in the Overview, and left blank in the Tags report.

    Subjects / Topics Story reports feature key subjects and topic tags that relate to this story. We tag all stories by subject, in standard news categories such as: World, U.S., Politics, Business, Sci/Tech, Health, etc. For each subject area, we've selected some key topics that are of particular interest to our members. If this story matches any of the topics in our tag menu, we feature them in the story overview page. Click on any subject or topic tag to see a list of other stories for that topic. Our initial list of topics is growing rapidly, based on member requests. To submit a new Topic, click on the Topics tab in the top navigation bar of our site, then click "Submit a Topic."

    Formats Story reports feature key format tags, such as story type and media type. Story types in our tag menu include: straight news report, special report, opinion, editorial, etc. Media types in our tag menu include: Blog, Magazine, Newspaper, Online, TV, Radio, Wire Service or Other. If a news story belongs in more than one category, we ask members to select the one it is best know for (e.g., CNN is best known as a TV network, even though it also has a popular online website). Click on any format tag to see a list of other stories for that format.

    Location Story reports feature location tags to indicate where this story takes place. These include country, state, city or other primary location for this story. If available, we also feature the scope of this story (e.g., international, national, regional, etc.). If no location or scope is selected in our tag menus, this optional line is not shown in the story overview page. Click on any linked location tag to see a list of other stories for that location.


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    Story Quality Story reports feature special tags that represent the main qualities of a story and its source, from a journalistic standpoint. For each quality, either positive or negative values can be selected from our tag menu (example: Balanced vs. Not Balanced). The most popular quality tags are shown in the source overview page, and they are all listed in the Tags report page. We will soon let you click on any linked quality tag to see a list of recent stories for that quality tag.

    Political Views If a story seems to favor a political viewpoint, we ask our reviewers to tag that viewpoint (on a left to right scale, or neutral). The most popular political tags are shown in the story overview page, and they are all listed in the Tags report page. We will soon let you click on any linked political tag to see a list of other stories for that political tag.

    Member Tags We invite reviewers to write their own tags (or keywords) for the stories they review, to provide additional qualitative information about a story. Member tags include important people, places, events, objects and ideas mentioned in this story (example: george bush, white house, terrorism, privacy). We also encourage reviewers to identify newsmakers, sources and stakeholders for this story, as well as key organizations that play a role in this story. The most popular member tags are shown in the story overview page, and they are all listed in the Tags report page. Member tags are typed in an open-ended text field and are not spell-checked by NewsTrust. For consistency, all member tags are converted to lower case. We will soon let you click on any linked member tag to see a list of other stories for that member tag.


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    Story Stats The Stats section of a story report shows at a glance our member's average measurements of that story's contents. Story statistics can provide telltale signs of a story's journalistic quality, by identifying possible strengths and weaknesses based on quantitative analysis. For example, we can flag possible reporting flaws by counting the number of anonymous sources or derogatory words in a story. Conversely, a story with a high count of sources, viewpoints and quoted stakeholders could indicate sound journalistic methodology. These stats cannot be automatically translated into ratings, as they all need to be interpreted in context. But we encourage our reviewers to consider these key measurements while they rate the story.

    For tips about each stat, click on its title, or keep reading. For more detailed story stats, click on "Tags" in the report navbar. Since our members use different review forms, they don't all get to see stat questions. Stat questions with no answers are not shown in the Overview, and left blank in the Tags report.

    Number of Sources Q. How many unique sources are quoted in this story?
    We count the total number of unique sources quoted in the story, whether they are named or unnamed (anonymous). If a source is quoted more than once, we only count it once.

    Anonymous Sources Q. How many unnamed sources are quoted in this story?
    We count the total number of unique 'unnamed' or anonymous sources quoted in the story. Those are sources that are not identified by the full name of the individual or organization being quoted. If an unnamed source is quoted more than once, we only count it once. We count unnamed sources referred to in the plural (e.g., “critics,” “Democrats,” “observers,” etc.) as if it was one source.

    Number of Viewpoints Q. How many viewpoints are presented in this story?
    We count the number of unique viewpoints presented by the author in the story. If the same exact viewpoint is repeated in the story, we only count it once.

    Opinions As Facts Q. How many times does the author present opinions as facts?
    We count the number of sentences where opinions are presented by the authors as facts, without supporting evidence. If the same exact opinion is repeated in the story, we only count it once.

    Number of Stakeholders Q. How many stakeholders are mentioned in this story?
    We count the number of unique stakeholders (or interest groups) who were mentioned in the story. Stakeholders are different from viewpoints in that distinct groups might share an opinion on a subject, though they arrived from a different starting place. Teachers and students, for instance, might largely agree on a school controversy, though they are clearly different stakeholders with different interests. If the same interest group or stakeholder is mentioned several times in the story, we only count it once. If multiple members of the same group are mentioned, we count them as only one interest group.

    Stakeholders Quoted Q. How many of these stakeholders were consulted for this story?
    We count the number of stakeholders (or interest groups) who were consulted for the story. If multiple members of the same group are consulted or interviewed, we count them as only one interest group.

    Derogatory Words Q. How many times does the author use derogatory words?
    We count the number of derogatory words or phrases used by the authors in the story (not including words in quotations). We look for overly negative words or phrases that inappropriately discredit an individual or organization, to support the author's opinion.

    Complimentary Words Q. How many times does the author use complimentary words?
    We count the number of complimentary words or phrases used by the authors in the story (not including words in quotations). We look for overly positive words or phrases that inappropriately favor an individual or organization, to support the author's opinion.


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    Story Research The Research section of a story report shows at a glance related stories, evidence or other links found by our reviewers. These links are very helpful to other reviewers looking to compare this story with useful information that either supports or refutes this story.

    For tips about each research link, click on its title, or keep reading. For more detailed story research, click on "Research" in the report navbar. Since our members use different review forms, they don't all get to see research questions. Research questions with no answers are not shown in the Overview, and left blank in the Research report.

    Related Stories Story reports feature related stories on the same topic as this story, when available. Our reviewers look for quality journalism that provides a different perspective, for comparison purposes. This can help other reviewers make informed decisions, by evaluating different viewpoints. If a related story has already been posted to NewsTrust, we include a "Review It" link next to its title, to encourage comparative reviews between stories on our site. If no related story is found, this optional line is not shown in the story overview page. Featured links selected by our hosts are shown first.

    Related Evidence Story reports feature related evidence that supports or refutes this story, when available. Our reviewers look for factual evidence that can be verified through other sources. This can help other reviewers make informed decisions, by comparing this story to useful documentation. If no related evidence is found, this optional line is not shown in the story overview page. Featured links selected by our hosts are shown first.

    Related Links Story reports feature other related links for this story, when available. Our reviewers look for additional information to support their proposed story improvements. This can help other reviewers make informed decisions, to related story and evidence links. If no related links are found, this optional line is not shown in the story overview page. Featured links selected by our hosts are shown first.

    Search Sites If you would like to find out more about this story, our special links to selected search sites can speed up your search. For example, click on Google or Yahoo to have them automatically search for the title of the story you're now reviewing. This will immediately give you related search results; it's an easy way to get started on your search without having to type story keywords from scratch. But don't stop there; be sure to use alternative search methods as well. Once you find a good link, come back to our site and open our full review form to share it with our members.


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    Improvements The Improvements section of a story report shows proposed improvements from some of our reviewers. These include general comments, as well as specific enhancements to selected excerpts. Story improvements help us identify parts of the story that need work, so we can pass on this detailed feedback to the authors of the story. We also invite our reviewers to find related links to support their proposed improvements. If you have already written about this topic on your blog or other publication, you may want to link to that work.

    For tips about each improvement field, click on its title, or keep reading. For more details, click on "Improvements" in the report navbar. Since our members use different review forms, they don't all get to see improvements questions. Improvements are not shown in the Overview at this time. We plan to expand this feature for future versions of the service, to enable reviewers to include their story improvements in their own blogs.

    Story Improvements Story reports feature general suggestions of how this story could be improved (e.g., what's missing?). We ask our reviewers for specific improvements that could make this story more useful to the public. Our intent here is to provide constructive feedback to the authors, to help them improve the quality of their news coverage over time. We think some of these authors will find thoughtful suggestions valuable, and encourage our reviewers to be civil and respectful, even if they disapprove of this story.

    Story Excerpt We invite our reviewers to cut and paste a short excerpt from the story, which they think needs improvement. This could be a sentence that is particularly misleading, unfair or inaccurate. We try to keep all excerpts under 250 words.

    My Improvement We ask our reviewers to try to improve their selected excerpt, even rewrite this part of the story, if they feel up to it. We invite them to simply write down specific ways in which they think the selected excerpt could be enhanced. We also encourage them to include related links to quality journalism that support their point about their selected excerpt (these related links are also listed in the Research section, as described above).


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    Editorial The following section lets NewsTrust hosts and editors control how this story is displayed in story listings, and which reviews to hide, show or feature in our report. The Editorial section of a story overview page shows which members have posted and reviewed this story, or edited this report. For tips about each editorial field, click on its title, or keep reading. If you are a host and would like to edit this report, check our Host FAQ.

    Posted by The first member to post this story on NewsTrust is featured here, along with the posting date. To see that member's profile, click on their name.

    Reviewed by Members who most recently reviewed this story are listed here. To see a member's story review, click on "(review)" next to their name. To see that member's profile, click on their name. To see a complete list of all reviewers for that story, click on "All Reviewers."

    This reviewer list is automatically updated each time the story is reviewed. If our hosts determine that a review is offensive or violates our community guidelines, they may remove that review from this story report.

    Edited by All members who edited this story report are listed here. To see that member's profile, click on their name. This list is automatically updated each time the story report is edited, as well as the last edit date.

    How do I edit a story report? You must be a NewsTrust host to edit a story report. If you are a host and want to edit the information we have collected on a story, click on "Edit" on that story's overview page. Then follow the instructions on the edit form (or check our Host FAQ). If you are not a host, you do not have access to the edit form and will not see the "Edit" button.


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    Viewing a Source Report

    How do I find a source report? If we have prepared a report on a news source, its name appears in bold in our source listings. To find the news sources we've reviewed to date, click on "Sources" in the top navbar of our site, then select the category of your choice. Click on any linked source name to see its source report. This takes you to our report's Overview page, which will present our findings about this source (also called "About this Source ").

    What is a source listing? A source listing is a ranked list of news sources, based on their average source rating. We typically list sources by category. (e.g. blogs or newspapers). Most listed sources have a Source Report, which you can read by clicking on their source name. In order to be listed, a source has to receive a minimum number of story reviews, which is periodically adjusted, based on the average number of reviews per source on our site.

    How do you pick which sources to feature on the NewsTrust site? Sources with the highest average ratings are automatically listed in ranked order on our source listing pages, by broad categories. Over time, we will start listing best and worst sources by sub-categories (e.g., best & worst liberal blogs, best & worst local TV news, etc.). We will also feature more prominently sources that have received more reviews and/or host recommendations.

    What if I don't see my favorite news source in NewsTrust? If we're missing a news source that we should be covering, please post a story from that source. To post a story, see our Reviewer FAQ. Once a news source has a sufficient number of reviews, it will start appearing in ranked order in its appropriate source listing. Be patient, as this process can take a while, and be sure to rate often. You can speed up this process by signing up a host for your favorite source.

    How are source ratings calculated? Source ratings (shown as yellow squares) are the standard average of all story ratings for a given news source. All stories on the NewsTrust site are rated for journalistic quality, on a scale of one to five stars. A one-star rating means very bad journalism and a five –star rating means very good journalism, according to our reviewers. A detailed explanation of our rating system is provided below.

    Source Report A source report is an online scorecard that presents our findings about a news source. Each source on our site has a Source Report, which is available to all members and can be read by clicking any source name. This takes you to our report's Overview page (also called "About this Source"). There, you can see a short summary about this source, along with our report's key findings.

    Each Source Report page has a gray action bar below the main summary, which lets you check the source website, see its story reviews or edit its report. To view the source website, click on "View" in the gray action bar. To review this source, click on "Story Reviews" in the gray action bar, then click on "Review It" for the story of your choice (see Reviewer FAQ).

    PRELIMINARY DATA DISCLAIMER: All Source Ratings on this beta site are based on preliminary data from a small number of reviewers. As such, they may not yet be accurate, and are shown here for demonstration purposes only. Once we've tested our ratings methodology with a critical mass of members and confirmed its reliability, we will remove this preliminary data disclaimer from our site.

    To suggest a change to this source report, your recommended edits. If you're a host, you can also edit a Source Report by clicking on "Edit this Report " in the source action bar (see Host FAQ).

    Source Name Each Source Report begins with a source name, at the top of the page. This is the short name most commonly used by the public to refer to this source. Note that we typically do not include "The" in front of a source name, to avoid clutter in our source listings.

    Media Type The main media type for this source is shown at the top of every source report. Options for this field include: Blog, Magazine, Newspaper, TV, Radio, Online, Wire Service or Other. This source is also listed under that category in NewsTrust listings.

    Source Ownership NewsTrust provides separate listings for "mainstream" and "independent" news sources, to address a growing public concern about the trend toward public ownership and consolidation of the news media – often referred to as "mainstream media" (or "MSM"). Many observers worry that such "mainstream media" companies are no longer tied to community, they were now beholden to the demands of Wall Street, where the value of the product a company makes is often purely a matter of money.

    For our purposes, a "mainstream media" source is a large news provider that is primarily owned or or subsidized by one or more conglomerates or mass media networks. The owners or backers of a "mainstream" source usually reach a large audience (1 million people or more), and invest considerable resources in their news operations (e.g., 1,000 employees or more, or $10 million yearly income or more). Mainstream media sources are often owned by publicly traded corporations, and commercial in nature, though not always. NewsTrust tags certain large news providers as "mainstream" even if they are owned by religious, political, governmental or nonprofit organizations; we consider that such ownership can significantly influence their news coverage, and jeopardize their independence; and because of their sheer size, they can also be subject to the same market forces that influence commercial conglomerates.

    An "independent media" source is a smaller news provider that is not a part of or a subsidiary of a larger mainstream conglomerate. For example, bloggers, alternative newspapers, community sites or non-profit organizations would typically be viewed as "independent media" sources for our purposes. "Independent media" sources are often perceived as free from the influence of commercial interests, and more representative of individual viewpoints, or viewpoints from ethnic groups, affinity groups or sub-cultures. In practice, some independent media sources can sometimes be influenced by larger organizations, such as religious, political, governmental or cultural groups. But as long as they are not primarily owned or subsidized by such large organizations, we consider them to be "independent."

    Source Type The Source Report also features the main source type for this item. Options include: Publication, Distributor, Author, Owner, Newsmaker or Other. If you're not sure what to select, ask yourself what this source is best know for. Over time, we will offer more source types, with different forms for each type.

    View To see the website of the source featured in a report, click on "View " next to its source type, or in the source action bar. This will open a new window, showing the source's website (typically the source's home page or the page its news content is listed). If the source website does not appear in that window, please email us right away at .

    Online Access Many large news sources now offer full online access to their news content, but some offer only limited access. If a source has limited online access (e.g., if it requires a free or paid subscription), we try to indicate its status next to the source name. If a source does not appear to be available online, please email us right away at , so we may indicate it here.

    Hosted by All hosts for this source are listed here. Hosts are responsible for checking the information in this source report and editing it as needed, using this source edit form. Hosts can also moderate comments about this source, if enabled. If you would like to become a host for this source, we would love to hear from you. To become a host, you should already be familiar with this source, and you should be prepared to spend at least an hour per week to host this topic, on a volunteer basis. To apply as a host, email .

    Discuss this Source If NewsTrust hosts have enabled a comment thread about this source, a "Discuss this Source" link will be shown in the gray action bar of this source report. Click on that link to join that web comment thread, which is like a message board for that source. As a rule of thumb, we do not enable a source comment thread unless a host has agreed to moderate that comment thread.

    Contact this Source If NewsTrust hosts have enabled this feature, a "Contact this Source" link will be shown in the gray action bar of this source report. Click on that link to go to that source's contact page, or send an email to that source. As a rule of thumb, we do not enable that feature unless a host has verified that we have the correct link and email for that source.

    Source Description We ask our hosts to quote or write a short description for this source. This description aims to provide a general overview of what this source is best know for, the type of journalism that it practices, and the overall audience that it serves. For example, we may quote this source's self-description from their website. Or we might quote a reputable third-party observer's description of that source. Sometimes our hosts write their own description. In any case, we require our hosts to identify the source of this description below. In future versions, we plan to separate quoted descriptions from our members' original descriptions, and offer a "wiki" for editing purposes.

    Description Source Link If available, we feature the original source of our description, and provide a link to that original description. If one of our hosts authored the description, no link is provided at this time. If you find an error in one of our descriptions, please email us right away at , so we may correct it.


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    Source Overview The Overview page of a source report shows our collective findings about this source, right below the gray action bar. For detailed help about any finding, click on its title in the left column, or keep reading this FAQ. To go to another page of a source report, click on any section title in the report navbar (below the gray action bar).

    Once you have read a Source Overview, you can find out more about that source by checking its Story Reviews, or you can join a discussion about that source, if enabled (see below).

    Featured Comments Our source reports sometimes feature comments about this source. If NewsTrust hosts have enabled a comment about this source, they will be also be able to feature the latest post from that comment in future versions of our source overview. For now if a comment is featured, you can click on "Discuss this Source" to join that discussion. To see a featured member's profile, click on his or her name in the comment pages.


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    Story Reviews The Story Reviews section of a source report shows at a glance all our story reviews for this source. Stories we have reviewed for that source are listed here, along with their average story rating. We also feature the total number of stories reviewed to date and the total number of reviewers for each story. Click on any story title to see its reviews. To review that story, click "Review It" next to its title. Note that the only way to review a source at this time is to review one of its stories. If our hosts determine that a story review is offensive or violates our community guidelines, they may remove that story review from our reports.

    For details about story reviews, keep reading, or check our Reviewer FAQ.

    Source Ratings The Ratings section of a source report or source listing shows at a glance what our members think about the journalistic quality this source. Our average source ratings from all members are shown as yellow squares in the source overview and rating report. These ratings are based on important principles of journalism (e.g., fairness, accuracy), as well as our members' own trust ratings of that source. Using our story review forms, our members evaluate stories from that source for these different criteria, on a scale of 1 to 5 (e.g. Fairness: 1 = not fair at all >> 5 = very fair).

    PRELIMINARY DATA DISCLAIMER: All Source Ratings on this beta site are based on preliminary data from a small number of reviewers. As such, they may not yet be accurate, and are shown here for demonstration purposes only. Once we've tested our ratings methodology with a critical mass of members and confirmed its reliability, we will remove this preliminary data disclaimer from our site.

    For tips about each rating, click on its title, or keep reading. In future versions of this site, you will be able to click on any of the square ratings in the source overview page to see a more detailed ratings breakdown. Since our members use different review forms, they don't get to see the same rating questions. Rating questions with no answers are not shown in the Overview, and left blank in the Ratings report.

    My Rating If you have already rated a story from this source, your average rating for that source is shown as red squares in the source overview. This average source rating is based on your answers to all rating questions in our story review forms (e.g., recommendation, accuracy, balance, fairness). Your answers are first weighted based on the importance of each rating question for that type of news. That first weighted average is then weighted again, taking into account your own member rating, in order to determine a second, double-weighted rating for the reviewed story. Lastly, this second average rating for each story is then averaged with all other story ratings from you for that source, in order to determine a final quality rating from you for that source. Your final source rating is shown in red next to the source name in our listings and source overview. In future versions of this site, we will let you click on your red square source rating to see your detailed rating report for that source. Note that you can change your ratings at any time, by going back to the stories you have reviewed, and clicking on "Review this Story. " Your member rating is mostly determined by other members (though you can affect it a little with self-assessments questions such as Your Knowledge – see member ratings section).

    Recommendation * Q. Is it a good story?
    This rating provides a first evaluation of this story, based on its overall quality. We ask this required question to all reviewers upfront, regardless of which review form they use. This overall rating is meant to indicate the reviewer's immediate response to story, so we can measure its overall popularity. Other questions in our review forms help reviewers reach beyond their initial impressions, by verifying this story's journalistic merits in more depth.

    Trust Q. Do you trust this publication?
    This rating measures how much each reviewer trusts this publication. We ask our members whether they find this publication credible, based on their experience. Can it be trusted to provide reliable information? We ask this subjective question upfront, because trust plays such an important role in how we perceive the news. Other questions in our review forms help reviewers reach beyond their initial trust level, by verifying this source's journalistic integrity in more depth.

    My Trust Rating Q. Do you trust this publication?
    Your "Trust Rating" measures how much you personally trust this publisher. Based on your experience, is this publication credible? Can it be trusted to provide reliable information? Whatever you answer here will be filled in for all stories you review from this publication. We ask this subjective question upfront, because trust plays such an important role in how we perceive the news. If your initial trust level changes for this publication, you are welcome to come back and adjust this rating.

    Accuracy Q. Is this story accurate?
    Here we examine how closely the description of events and issues in stories from this source matches reality, looking at their sources and journalistic statements. How well do they square with our members' knowledge? with reports from other media? with our own research? We ask members to only answer this question if they have sufficient knowledge of a story's topic. As a result, this question is often left blank, due to insufficient information.

    Balance Q. Does it present all key viewpoints?
    This rating probes whether one or more important sides to the event or issue are missing or given less space than they deserve in stories from this source. In general, the more perspectives a story includes, the fuller the picture of reality it provides. Note that most news stories only have room for the core arguments each side makes, rather than their complete point of view.

    Context Q. Does it show the "big picture"?
    This rating evaluates how well the source provides context by seeking answers to questions the public most needs to know about this issue or event. "Big picture" reporting that asks about causes, effects, solutions and trends, rather than describing a particular episode, such as a shooting, fire or accident, is also more helpful for this key sense-making function of news.

    Evidence Q. Does it provide factual evidence?
    This rating examines whether this source provides verifiable, factual evidence to support its assertions. We pay particular attention to whether the right sources are quoted (authoritative quotes, appropriate statistics, documents, etc.), especially in the headline and lead paragraphs (i.e., the principal generalizations each story makes). Documents and statistics often provide more compelling evidence for a generalization than statements by individuals. Multiple sources of evidence strengthen the support, as well as independent verification by the authors that this evidence is valid.

    Fairness Q. Is this story fair?
    Journalists are expected to present fairly all sides of a controversy. Note this doesn't necessarily mean equal space for all sides. The space allotted to each side should be based on the evidence for its claims and its willingness to respond. Each relevant side, however, should be afforded the opportunity to make its core argument, or decline comment.

    Importance Q. Does it cover important topics?
    This rating focuses on the importance of the topic or subject of each story from this source, from the standpoint of informing citizens so they can participate in local, state and national government. Socially responsible journalism requires careful attention to what people in the community served need to know to make wise decisions, particularly collective (usually political) ones. Stories that provide what people want, but don't need to know, are less valuable because they are less empowering; they fail to provide what people need to know to be informed, active community participants. Stories covering topics such as the lives of celebrities, sports news, fender-benders and purely human interest stories generally are not as helpful to people in making sense of the world around them as are stories covering politics, government, education, crime, science, military actions, economics, social trends, etc. Another way we judge the importance of a story's topic is to ask how many people are affected by the topic of this story: tens? thousands? millions? billions?

    Information Q. Is this story informative?
    Here we evaluate the originality of this source's news coverage and/or interpretation. We ask our members whether the author is providing original information in the stories they review from this source, or merely repeating what others have written about this topic. To answer this question, we encourage reviewers to compare stories from this source to other stories on related topics.

    Sources Q. Is this story well sourced?
    This rating evaluates the level of care the authors take to find reliable sources for a story. We ask our member whether these sources are qualified to provide information based on special expertise, or unique knowledge of the facts. Expert sources whose view might not be influenced by a stake in the event or issue are particularly valuable; they help move reporting beyond "he said/she said" counterclaims that can leave readers confused. Additionally, we look at how the authors inform readers about where the information came from (clearly indicating and naming sources, explaining why a source may have been granted anonymity and providing some identifying information to help the reader/viewer assess credibility). As a rule, all sources should be named, including other news organizations. When a source cannot be named, readers are owed an explanation of why. Authors should also provide as much information short of identification to permit the reader to assess the credibility of an unnamed source. Readers have a right to know how the source was gathered, including any unconventional means. Surveys should indicate whether the approach was scientific – based on random selection of respondents – and describe the sample size, response rate, and if available, the margins of error.

    Style Q. Is this story well presented?
    The way a subject is treated also matters. This rating assesses the overall style and quality of the writing in stories from this source. We ask our reviewers whether these stories are clear and easy to understand. Do they present useful information in an interesting way? Do they make complex issues meaningful? Do they explain unfamiliar terms and processes to the average reader? Do they inspire as well as inform?

    Average Rating The average rating for a source is based on our members' answers to all rating questions in our story review forms (e.g., recommendation, accuracy, balance, fairness). All answers are first weighted based on the importance of each rating question for that type of news. That first weighted average is then weighted again, taking into account each reviewer's own member rating, to determine a second, double-weighted rating for each reviewed story from that source. Lastly, this second average rating for each story is then averaged with all other story ratings from that source, in order to determine a final quality rating for that source. That final source rating is shown in yellow next to the source name in our listings and source overview. In future versions of this site, you will be able to click on any square rating to see a detailed rating report for this source, broken down by category.

    Member Ratings A member's individual source rating is shown as red squares in a source's overview page. This average source rating is based on that member's answers to all rating questions in our story review forms (e.g., recommendation, accuracy, balance, fairness). That member's answers are first weighted based on the importance of each rating question for that type of news. That first weighted average is then weighted again, taking into account the member rating for that individual, in order to determine a second, double-weighted rating for the reviewed story. Lastly, this second average rating for each story is then averaged with all other story ratings from that member for source, in order to determine a final quality rating from that member for that source. That final source rating is shown in red next to the source name in our listings and source overview. Note that member ratings are mostly determined by other members (see member ratings section).

    Topic Knowledge Q. Do you know about this topic?
    This member self-rating assesses how much our reviewers knew about the topic of stories they review, before reading them. How much information did they have on this subject? This knowledge could be specific to the event or issue, or more general (e.g., familiarity with similar topics).

    Story Review Forms A story review form is an online score pad where you can rate the quality of a story. To rate a source in the current beta site, you need to review one of its stories, using one of our review forms. We offer two different story review forms: Quick Review and Full Review. We also offer a Mini Review in our Story Posting form. To open a story review form, click on "Review this Story" or "Rate It" on our beta site. NewsTrust resizes your browser window, and opens a new story window on the right. For more info about our review forms, check our Reviewer FAQ.


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    Source Tags The Tags section of a source report shows our member's tags (or keywords), as well as story stats for that source as described below. Tags can help identify stories and sources by topic, media type, source location or political viewpoint. We offer both source tags and story tags, collected either from pre-defined tag menus, or from open-ended story tags from our members. We encourage our reviewers to check these tags before they rate a story.

    For tips about each tag, click on its title, or keep reading. In future versions of this site, you will be able to click on "More" or "Tags" in the source overview page to see a more detailed breakdown of source and story tags. Since our members use different review forms, they don't always get to see all tag questions. Unanswered tags are not shown in the Overview, and left blank in the Tags report.

    Media Source reports feature key media types for this source. Options include: Blog, Magazine, Newspaper, TV, Radio, Website, Wire Service and Other. We also collect these source types: Publication, Distributor, Author, Owner, Newsmaker and Other. We check any media or source type that applies to this source.

    Audience Source reports feature the estimated audience size for this source. Options include:

    • Very Large Audience (over 1 million people)
    • Large Audience (500,000 - 1 million)
    • Medium Audience (100,000 - 500,000)
    • Small Audience (10,000 - 100,000)
    • Very Small Audience (under 10,000)
    These numbers are based on our host's best estimate of total daily readers, viewers, listeners or visitors (depending on this source's main media type). Over time, we will add specific links to audience size measurements to verify the accuracy of this estimate.

    Politics If a source seems to favor a political viewpoint, we ask our reviewers to tag that viewpoint (on a left to right scale). If no political viewpoint is found, we ask our members to select "Neutral" in our tag menu. The most popular political tags are shown in the source overview page. In future versions of this site, they will all be listed in the Tags report page. We will soon let you click on any linked political tag to see a list of other stories for that political tag.

    Authors Here are the author names on file for stories we've already reviewed from this source, if available. Our hosts can also include other important contributors to this source, even if they have not yet been reviewed. An author can be a writer, reporter, host, photographer, editor or other contributor to this source's original news content. In future versions of this site, we will provide a full list of all author names we've collected for this source in the Tags report page.

    Owners If available, we feature the people or organizations that own this source. If this is a publicly held corporation, we focus on major shareholders that own over 10% of the stock. We also try to indicate the type of organization for this source or its main owner, if available. Options include: Individual, Sole Proprietorship, Partnership, Private Corporation, Public Corporation, Nonprofit Organization, Political Action Committee, Government and Other. We also provide key manager names here, if available.

    Location Source reports feature location tags to indicate where this source is based. These may include country, state, city or other primary location for this source's headquarters. If available, we also feature the scope of this source (e.g., international, national, regional, etc.) and its primary language. If no location, scope or language is selected in our tag menus, this optional line is not shown in the source overview page. Click on any linked location or scope tag to see a list of recent stories for that location or scope.

    Subjects Source reports feature key subjects tags that relate to stories from this source. We tag all stories by subject, in standard news categories such as: World, U.S., Politics, Business, Sci/Tech, Health, etc. Click on any subject tag to see a list of recent stories for that subject.

    Formats Source reports feature key format tags from stories reviewed from that source, such as story type and media type. Story types in our tag menu include: straight news report, special report, opinion, editorial, etc. Media types in our tag menu include: Blog, Magazine, Newspaper, Online, TV, Radio, Wire Service or Other. If a news source belongs in more than one media type category, we ask members to select the one it is best know for (e.g., CNN is best known as a TV network, even though it also has a popular online website). Click on any format tag to see a list of other stories for that format.

    Source Quality Source reports feature special tags that represent the main qualities of a source, from a journalistic standpoint. For each quality, either positive or negative values can be selected from our tag menu (example: Balanced vs. Not Balanced). The most popular quality tags are shown in the source overview page, and they are all listed in the Tags report page. We will soon let you click on any linked quality tag to see a list of other stories for that quality tag.

    Member Tags Source reports feature member tags from our hosts and reviewers. We invite hosts to write their own tags (or eywords) for each source, to provide additional qualitative information about that source (e.g., Metropolitan Newspaper, Political Blog, Popular Source, etc.). Story reviewers are also invited to tag each story they review, to identify important people, places, events, objects and ideas mentioned in that story (example: george bush, white house, terrorism, privacy). We also encourage reviewers to identify newsmakers, sources and stakeholders for this source, as well as key organizations that play a role in this source.

    The most popular member tags are shown in the source overview page. We first list all source tags from our hosts, then the five most popular story tags from reviewers. In future versions of this site, they will all be listed in the Tags report page. Member tags are typed in an open-ended text field and are not spell-checked by NewsTrust. For consistency, all member tags are converted to lower case. We will soon let you click on any linked member tag to see a list of other stories for that member tag.


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    Source Stats The Stats section of a source report shows at a glance our member's average measurements of that source's contents. Source statistics can provide telltale signs of a source's journalistic quality, by identifying possible strengths and weaknesses based on quantitative analysis. For example, we can flag possible reporting flaws by counting the number of anonymous sources or derogatory words in a source. Conversely, a source with a high count of sources, viewpoints and quoted stakeholders could indicate sound journalistic methodology. These stats cannot be automatically translated into ratings, as they all need to be interpreted in context. But we encourage our reviewers to consider these key measurements while they rate the source.

    For tips about each stat, click on its title, or keep reading. For more detailed source stats, click on "Tags" in the report navbar. Since our members use different review forms, they don't all get to see stat questions. Stat questions with no answers are not shown in the Overview, and left blank in the Tags report.

    Number of Sources Q. How many unique sources are quoted per story?
    We count the total number of unique sources quoted in each story, whether they are named or unnamed (anonymous). If a source is quoted more than once, we only count it once.

    Anonymous Sources Q. How many unnamed sources are quoted per story?
    We count the total number of unique 'unnamed' or anonymous sources quoted in each story. Those are sources that are not identified by the full name of the individual or organization being quoted. If an unnamed source is quoted more than once, we only count it once. We count unnamed sources referred to in the plural (e.g., “critics,” “Democrats,” “observers,” etc.) as if it was one source.

    Number of Viewpoints Q. How many viewpoints are presented per story?
    We count the number of unique viewpoints presented by the author in each story. If the same exact viewpoint is repeated in the story, we only count it once.

    Opinions As Facts Q. How many times do the authors present opinions as facts?
    We count the number of sentences where opinions are presented by the authors as facts, without supporting evidence. If the same exact opinion is repeated in the story, we only count it once.

    Number of Stakeholders Q. How many stakeholders are mentioned per story?
    We count the number of unique stakeholders (or interest groups) who were mentioned in each story. Stakeholders are different from viewpoints in that distinct groups might share an opinion on a subject, though they arrived from a different starting place. Teachers and students, for instance, might largely agree on a school controversy, though they are clearly different stakeholders with different interests. If the same interest group or stakeholder is mentioned several times in a story, we only count it once. If multiple members of the same group are mentioned, we count them as only one interest group.

    Stakeholders Quoted Q. How many of these stakeholders are consulted per story?
    We count the number of stakeholders (or interest groups) who were consulted for each story. If multiple members of the same group are consulted or interviewed, we count them as only one interest group.

    Derogatory Words Q. How many times do the authors use derogatory words?
    We count the number of derogatory words or phrases used by the authors in each story (not including words in quotations). We look for overly negative words or phrases that inappropriately discredit an individual or organization, to support a author's opinion.

    Complimentary Words Q. How many times do the authors use complimentary words?
    We count the number of complimentary words or phrases used by the authors in each story (not including words in quotations). We look for overly positive words or phrases that inappropriately favor an individual or organization, to support a author's opinion.


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    Source Research The Research section of a source report shows at a glance related publications or research links about this source. These links are very helpful to other reviewers looking to find out more about this source. If available, we also offer public contact info about this source.

    For tips about each research link, click on its title, or keep reading. We plan to offer more detailed source research in future versions of this service. Over time, we will extend this section to invite participation from all our reviewers, so we can gather more factual data about this source. For now, research questions with no answers are not shown in the Overview.

    Publications Source reports feature related publications that are closely related to this source (e.g., partners, properties), when available. For example, if this source is a publication, we identify its main distributors or content partners. If this source is an author, we select key publications that publish that author's work. If this source is an owner, we identify its key publications or other properties. If a related publication is already up for review on NewsTrust, we include a link in its title, to encourage comparative reviews between sources on our site. If no related publication is found, this optional line is not shown in the source overview page.

    Related Links Source reports feature related links that provide factual data about this source. For example, we often include the source's own "about us" page, if it includes useful information. Another example might be a reliable industry publication or media watchdog site. Over time, we will open up this section to all our reviewers, so we can gather more facts about this source.

    Contact Info Here's how you can contact this source. We feature here all public contact info for this source. For example, we might link to a "contact us" page with a form for emailing this source. Or we might provide the email of its Public Editor, Ombudsman, or Letters to the Editor, if published by this source. Note that we do not include private emails or phone numbers here, if they are not already published or intended for release by this source

    Representative If this source has assigned a representative to interact with NewsTrust, we provide their full name here. If this representative is a registered member of NewsTrust, we will link this name to their member profile. We publish that representative's name on the Source Overview page, but not their email and phone number, to protect their privacy. Please use the public contact information for all communications with this source.

    Search Sites If you would like to find out more about this source, our special links to selected search sites can speed up your search. For example, click on Google or Yahoo to have them automatically search for the name of the source you're now reviewing. This will immediately give you related search results; it's an easy way to get started on your search without having to type source keywords from scratch. But don't stop there; be sure to use alternative search methods as well. Once you find a good link, come back to our site and open our full review form to share it with our members.


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    Editorial The following section identifies NewsTrust members who reviewed stories from this source or edited this source report.

    Reviewed by Members who most recently reviewed stories from this source are listed here. To see a member's profile, click on their name. To see a complete list of all reviewers for that story, click on "All Reviewers." This reviewer list is automatically updated each time the story is reviewed.

    Edited by All members who edited this source report are listed here. This non-editable list is automatically updated each time the source report is edited.

    Last Edit Date Each time the source report is edited, this field is automatically updated with the date and time of this last edit.

    How do I edit a source report? You must be a NewsTrust host to edit a source report. If you are a host and want to edit the information we have collected on a source, click on "Edit" on that source's overview page. Then follow the instructions on the edit form (or check our Host FAQ). If you are not a host, you do not have access to the edit form and will not see the "Edit" button.

    What is a host? A host is a member who has agreed to moderate one or more topics on NewsTrust. Hosts are responsible for posting frequent stories for their topics, as well as checking the information in story reviews and editing them as needed. They can also moderate online comments about their topics.

    How can I become a host? If you would like to host a specific news source or a news topic you are familar with, we would love to hear from you. To become a host, you should know something about the topic you're interested in, and you should be prepared to spend at least an hour each week to moderate your topic, on a volunteer basis. To sign up as a host, email .


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    How can I report a problem? To report a problem, click on the "Report a Problem" links or buttons anywhere on the site to send us an email message. Or you can email us anytime at . Please write in the subject of your email the type of problem you are reporting (technical bug, duplicate story, factual error, incomplete review, offensive comment, abusive member, or questions about your account). Then describe your problem in as much detail as possible. To help us better serve you, please include in your email message the full web address of the page you are reporting a problem for, as well as any special codes inserted by NewsTrust when you clicked the "Report a Problem" link.

    I have suggestions for how NewsTrust can be improved. Who can I tell? We're always interested in hearing from our members, as we're constantly testing and improving NewsTrust. So please do let us know what you think is and isn't working. A good place to do that for now is in our Suggestions comment thread, which you can join at anytime by clicking "Suggestions" in the left sidebar. Or you can email them to us at .


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    You didn't answer my question in this FAQ! What now? Please send your additional questions, ideas and thoughts to . We appreciate your interest in NewsTrust and your patience during this beta phase.

    If you would like to read about general aspects of our service, check our other help FAQs:

  • General FAQ:
  • for questions about joining NewsTrust and getting started
  • Member FAQ:
  • for questions about viewing and editing our member profiles
  • MyNews FAQ:
  • for questions about your MyNews and My Network pages
  • Reviewer FAQ:
  • for questions about our story review and posting forms
  • Host FAQ:
  • for questions about our story and source edit forms

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