Editorial Policy

1. Aims of Insights

Insights is a Christian magazine providing information and views about, and of interest to, members and adherents of the NSW Synod of the Uniting Church in Australia.

Insights aims include:

1.1 awakening and reflecting the corporate witness of the church;

1.2 encouraging Christian discipleship and mission through the sharing of stories;

1.3 articulating the Christian faith and developing understanding of that faith in contemporary life;

1.4 giving public expression to the church’s involvement in religious, cultural and social issues;

1.5 offering a constructive appraisal of life within the church and the wider community;

l.6 providing a vehicle for information about the plans, programs and activities of the church;

1.7 providing a forum for the expression of and exchange of opinion and a voice for the poor, the oppressed and the marginalised.

2. Professional Ethics

In pursuing its aims, Insights is committed to the highest ethical and professional standards.

Its Editor and staff shall:

2.1 report and interpret news with scrupulous honesty, striving to present all relevant facts and not suppressing or distorting relevant available facts by wrong or improper emphasis;

2.2 place no unnecessary emphasis on gender, race, sexual preference, religious belief, marital status or physical or mental disability;

2.3 respect confidences received in the course of their work in all circumstances;

2.4 use fair and honest means to obtain news, pictures, films, tapes and documents;

2.5 identify themselves and the magazine before obtaining an interview for publication;

2.6 respect private grief and personal privacy; and

2.7 do their utmost to correct any published information found to be harmfully inaccurate.

2.8 allow no personal interests to influence professional duties;

2.9 allow no consideration, gift or advantage offered to influence any professional duties;

2.10 allow no advertising or commercial considerations to influence their journalism.

3. Advertising Policy

Advertising policy is the subject of a separate statement approved by the Council of Synod in 1991*. The Editor shall determine advertising content based on advertising policy.
Adopted by the Synod Standing Committee, November 2007

*And affirmed in 2003.