EDITOR’S NOTE: The following statement was circulated last night to Newspaper Guild employees of the Inquirer/Daily News/Philly.com inviting them to sign it before it was made public today.
Public statement from journalists at Philadelphia Media Network
As the only business mentioned in the Bill of Rights, newspapers serve more than private ends. The news we publish is crucial to civic life, to holding the powerful accountable, to democracy itself.
That information must be gathered and printed without fear or favor. As The Philadelphia Inquirer, Daily News and philly.com have gone up for sale once again, we watched with dismay as our own coverage of the process was compromised and censored. Our employers promise this won’t happen again. That must be the case.
Top political and business leaders are now competing to buy Philadelphia Media Network. Regardless of who emerges as our new owners, they must guarantee that the integrity of our reporting will never be sacrificed to serve their private or political interests. One thing must be non-negotiable in any sale: our bond of trust with our readers.
PREVIOUSLY: NEW YORK TIMES ASKS: WTF Is Up With The People Running The Inquirer/Daily News?
PREVIOUSLY: Who’s Trying To Buy The Inquirer/Daily News & Why Can’t We Read About It On Philly.com?
PERVIOUSLY: When The Cover-Up Is Worse Than The Crime