OPB Editorial Policy

1. Background

OPB is an Oregon nonprofit corporation that operates its television and radio stations pursuant to noncommercial educational licenses issued by the Federal Communications Commission ("FCC"). To maintain the integrity of its licenses, OPB must operate its stations in conformance with all applicable laws, including FCC rules, and in a manner that reinforces the trust that the public places in OPB. OPB's Board of Directors, Management, and the Community Advisory Board all play important, separate and distinct roles in ensuring both compliance with applicable rules and in formulating, implementing or evaluating OPB's programming policies.

2. Policy Purpose

OPB recognizes that it must exercise diligence and discipline in order to maintain its reputation as a trusted source of news, educational material, entertainment and information ("Programming"). The purpose of this policy is to ensure that OPB:

adheres to the highest professional standards,
complies with its mission statement,
has the ability to maintain its independence and creative freedom with regard to creating and disseminating content, and
is not faced with undue influence from either internal or external sources.

3. Undue Influence

For purposes of this policy, "undue influence" shall mean intentionally coercive behavior undertaken by any source - including but not limited to governmental agencies, private corporations, funders, audience members, news or content sources, powerful individuals, or special interest groups - that seeks to influence or interfere with the fair and balanced, professional creation of content for news coverage or programming.

(This policy is not intended to diminish or prevent internal editing or quality control practices designed to ensure the maintenance of professional journalistic and/or program production standards.)

4. Editorial Quality

(a) Programming should be consistent with OPB's mission statement --Oregon Public Broadcasting: giving voice to the community, connecting Oregon and its neighbors, illuminating a wider world.

(b) Programming should be of a high professional quality and, in its totality, represent a well-balanced diversity of views.

(d) Programming decisions should be made in compliance with all legal requirements and applicable industry ethical guidelines.

(e) At all times, OPB should strive for transparency regarding its Programming and funding decisions.

5. Goals

(a) OPB should maintain editorial independence in the creation of all Programming.

(b) Decisions of editorial and programming staff should remain independent from the undue influence of any internal or external source.

(c) All on-air personalities and production personnel should be aware of and strictly comply with FCC rules and OPB policy relating to payola and plugola.

(d) Editorial and journalistic functions should operate freely from any undue influence from business, marketing, or funding functions within OPB.

(e) OPB journalists should conform their activities to the most current ethical guidelines of Public Radio News Directors Incorporated.

6. Oversight

(a) OPB Management will be responsible for day-to-day Programming content and scheduling decisions.

(b) OPB Management will draft detailed procedures when and as necessary for staff to follow to ensure compliance with this Policy.

(d) OPB Management will use care in the selection of Programming subject matter and the manner in which it is expressed.

(e) OPB Management will exercise appropriate oversight to ensure that the above goals are met and that OPB staff complies in all material regards with this Policy.

(f) OPB Management oversight will include regular reports to the Board of Directors.

(g) In the event that a particular editorial decision may have a significant public impact or could potentially result in material harm to OPB, OPB Management will consult with the Board of Directors in advance of the Programming being distributed to the public, if advance notice is possible; otherwise OPB Management will notify the Board within a reasonable period of time.

(h) OPB Management and the Board of Directors will consult on a regular basis with the OPB Community Advisory Board for advice and community feedback regarding OPB Programming.

(i) The oversight of the Board of Directors with regard to OPB Management's editorial decisions and practices will be exercised in a manner that is consistent with the Board's fiduciary duties to OPB.

(j) This Policy will be reviewed annually by the Board of Directors.

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