FAQ 20: What criteria do you use for the content and approach of your news briefing service?
We cannot be comprehensive, but we try to cover a range of stories showing how religion, belief, values and politics interact – both positively and negatively.
Some other news services or aggregators emphasise only what suits their agenda: religion as an unmitigated good or as unfailingly bad. We try to show both sides, while highlighting examples of hope and good practice which otherwise get lost in the rush to justify or condemn.
Our reporting and comment reflects our values (http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/content/about/aimsandvalues.shtml) generally, of course. But we also try to be fair and accurate and to make corrections as soon as possible. Comments made in news reports do not necessarily reflect Ekklesia's views.
In making our selections, we do try to give space to voices and views which may be overlooked or marginalised in 'mainstream' reporting.
We are a particularly strong source of information on social justice, peacemaking, restorative justice, support for migrants and displaced people, welfare and disability, and Mennonite and Anabaptist news, for example.
In relation to comment and opinion, we seek to use similar criteria - choosing writers and academics with interesting, challenging ideas that fit with our overall values and reflect marginalised viewpoints and communities; though not everything our commentators say should be regarded as 'Ekklesia policy'.
We encourage dialogue and the expression of strong convictions with grace and courtesy.
Our material is widely syndicated by other media organisations.
We support and implement the National Union of Journalists’ code of conduct on ethical reporting.