FUNDAMENTALS OF EDITORIAL POLICY

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  1. Onasa is an independent news agency which is constantly reaffirming its fundamental professional determination.
  2. Agency’s employees, particularly journalists and editors, cherish journalism based on application of professional standards of democratically developed societies.
  3. Fundamental products of the agency are news, updated news, reports and interviews. The agency also cherishes other journalist genres, such as analytic articles and commentaries.
  4. Fast, truthful, objective and balanced public informing are fundamentals in professional work of journalists of our agency.

To preserve and facilitate our own image according to preliminary emphasized criteria, we define fundamental directives of editorial policy:

Fast information commits journalists and editors to immediately broadcast news after learning fundamental information on an event. Therefore we introduce the rule that a Breaking News is forwarded to the agency in the fastest possible way (phone, e-mail, SMS, MMS). Depending on the speed and importance of event’s development, the author will upgrade his/her article (news, updated news, report, and report with statements) and forward it to the agency in the most optimal way.

Truthful information means collecting a number of undisputable facts verified from more sources. Therewith at the same time we yield objective information which will be absolute if treating viewpoints of more sides on the same event. In each case it is necessary to avoid any kind of stereotype or emotional approach at reporting. Even comments which allow more author freedom must be based on the preliminary emphasized principles.

Balanced information is also one of fundamental postulates in the agency’s work. Journalists and editors accurately pursue crucial events in the society, meeting the needs of clients. They treat events, social processes and actors with great attention. They also care on equal geographical representation in treating certain events and actors. Balanced information enables journalists and editors to repress negative and sensational reporting, and become actors in creating a public opinion.

Investigative journalism is also a postulate in the agency’s work, a presumption for objective information. In essence this means that journalists and editors primarily pursue for information, instead of mainly leaning to informants, thus increasingly approaching the creative shape of journalism – investigative, which means more sources of information that are qualititatively different. For example, they are different amid age, educational, social, professional, ethnic, gender and any other status.

SOURCE OF INFORMATION:

At collecting information, journalists and editors of Onasa news agency primarily lean on to:

  • own sources
  • indirect, official sources
  • sources of partner agencies and other media

Own sources are all public or private sources through which journalists and agency’s editors collect new and valuable information facts.

Indirect, official sources are institutions or subjects that communicate with public through press releases or press conferences.

Sources of partner agencies and other media are utilized if lacking of information from own and indirect sources.