Our Standards & Ethics

BeaverCountian.com exists to hold local power accountable. That only works if readers can trust what we publish. These are the standards we hold ourselves to.

Ownership and Independence

BeaverCountian.com is an independent news organization founded in 2011 and owned and operated by journalist John Paul Vranesevich. We are not owned by, affiliated with or funded by any political party, government body, candidate or special interest group.

How We’re Funded

Our reporting is paid for by readers through memberships. Members make our work possible, but they do not influence what we cover or how we cover it. No member, advertiser or donor gets special treatment, advance review of a story or the ability to have a story changed or removed.

Accuracy

We verify facts before we publish them. Wherever possible, our reporting is grounded in public records, court filings, official documents and on-the-record sources. When we report what someone else claims, we attribute it clearly.

Fairness

We seek comment from people and institutions who are the subject of critical reporting, and give them a reasonable opportunity to respond. When someone declines to comment or doesn’t respond, we say so.

Anonymous Sources

Some of the most important stories in Beaver County could not be told without sources who risk their jobs or safety by talking to us. When necessary, we grant anonymity and we protect it. We have defended our sources’ confidentiality in court, and we will continue to do so.

We use anonymous sources only when the information is important to the public and can’t reasonably be obtained on the record. Whenever possible, we corroborate what anonymous sources tell us through documents or additional sources.

Crime and Court Reporting

Arrests and charges are accusations, not convictions. We never report guilt as fact before a court has determined it. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

Conflicts of Interest

We do not accept gifts or favors from people or organizations we cover. When a potential conflict of interest exists on a story, we disclose it to readers.

Use of Artificial Intelligence

Some routine reports based on public records are drafted with the help of artificial intelligence and published under the “BeaverCountian AI Desk” byline. Every one of those stories is reviewed by a human journalist before publication. We sometimes use AI to create illustrations, but we never use it to create photorealistic images or to depict real people, places or events as though they were photographed. Learn more about our AI Desk.

Corrections

When we get something wrong, we fix it promptly. Significant corrections are noted at the end of the story, explaining what was changed. We do not quietly rewrite published facts.

To report an error, contact us.

Contact

Questions about our standards, or about a specific story, can be sent through our contact page.