Code of Ethics and AI policy

Below are two policies that guide the work of The Rising Tide. The first is our code of ethics and the second is our policy on artificial intelligence.

Code of Ethics for The Rising Tide 

The Rising Tide is an independent, nonprofit news organization committed to accurate, fair and trustworthy journalism serving the Blue Hill Peninsula and surrounding communities.

We believe that access to information is a human right and that independent local journalism is essential to a healthy democracy. Our first obligation is to the public we serve.

Accuracy and Truth

We verify information before publication, distinguish fact from opinion, and provide appropriate context. We do not fabricate information, misrepresent quotations or knowingly publish misleading material.

Editorial Independence

Our journalism is independent of political, commercial and financial influence. Donors, advertisers, sponsors and board members cannot direct or suppress coverage. Financial support never guarantees favorable treatment. 

Fairness and Impartiality

We report without fear or favor, fairly representing relevant perspectives while giving appropriate weight to verified facts. We do not endorse political candidates or parties. Our commitment is to accuracy and fairness.

Conflicts of Interest

We recognize that journalists in small communities often have personal and professional relationships with the people they cover. Staff and contributors must disclose potential conflicts to an editor and avoid assignments where their independence could reasonably be questioned. We do not accept gifts or favors that could influence coverage.

Respect and Responsibility

We treat people with dignity, exercise sensitivity toward vulnerable individuals and respect privacy unless disclosure serves a compelling public interest. We avoid sensationalism and unnecessary harm.

Transparency and Accountability

We promptly correct factual errors, clearly distinguish news from opinion and welcome legitimate criticism. Significant corrections are identified rather than silently changed. Readers may contact us at info@risingtide.media.

Journalistic Integrity and Artificial Intelligence

We credit others' work, protect confidential sources and never manipulate news photographs or recordings to mislead readers. AI may assist our work, but human journalists remain responsible for verifying all published information. We do not use AI-generated images to depict actual news events or publish fabricated AI-generated quotations. (Please see our detailed AI policy below that immediately follows this Code of Ethics.)

Public Service

We hold institutions accountable, inform residents about decisions affecting their lives and give voice to underrepresented perspectives. We celebrate our communities while maintaining the independence necessary to report difficult truths.

Our Commitment

The Rising Tide's credibility is its most valuable asset. We pledge to pursue the truth, correct our mistakes, protect our independence and always put the public interest first.

This code applies to all editorial staff, freelancers and contributors. The publisher and editors are responsible for upholding its standards.

AI policy for The Rising Tide 

The Rising Tide upholds the standards of journalistic integrity, accuracy and transparency in our reporting. As part of that commitment, we have established the following policy governing the use of artificial intelligence in our newsroom. 

Artificial intelligence will have far-reaching consequences in nearly every industry on the planet. It is important that newsrooms learn how to use AI responsibly and appropriately – and to establish boundaries for when we do not use it. Experimentation with AI is encouraged, but with established guard rails. 

Modeled in part on industry best practices, these guidelines ensure that AI is used responsibly, ethically, and always under the supervision of our journalists. In short, a human must always be in charge and responsible for what we publish at The Rising Tide. 

Reporting 

Our reported stories start and end with a human – always. We do not use AI to write our news stories. Reporters may, however, use AI to ask questions and gather ideas, similar to a Google search. For example, a reporter might ask AI, “What are the population projections for the state of Maine?” That, however, must be followed by shoe-leather journalism. A reporter must then check or interview verifiable and trusted sources of information to create an original story. If a reporter uses AI for any part of their research process, they must disclose that to an editor so that we may verify that trusted source material has been used as the basis for the story. 

Photography and image integrity 

Authentic visual journalism is essential to public trust. We will not use technology in ways that could mislead or deceive our audience. The Rising Tide does not use AI to generate, alter, or manipulate photographs or images unless it is for the purposes of commenting on a story about AI, misinformation, or how content can be altered to mislead, in which case the image will be clearly labeled as AI-generated content. 

Summarizing notes and recordings 

Our news team may use AI to summarize interview notes, transcripts, or recordings to improve efficiency. However, all material must be reviewed and verified by the reporter. Journalists are responsible for ensuring that the information is accurate, that quotes are verified and properly attributed, and that all information is presented in the appropriate context. 

Data visualization 

We may use AI to assist in producing charts, graphs, or other data visualizations. All underlying data must be independently verified by our journalists prior to publication to ensure accuracy and integrity. In other words, we can use AI to make something visually compelling, but we won’t use it to generate the data itself. 

Press releases 

The Rising Tide receives, and is grateful for, submissions from the public, including press releases. We may use AI to shorten or tighten these into reader-friendly submissions, but only if the original is checked by a human against the AI-generated content. Accuracy is crucial. Our submissions policy will state that the person or organization submitting any piece for publication must disclose if AI was used to create the original submission. Doing so does not mean the submission will not be published. We simply believe we have the right to know if it was used in its creation. 

Opinions 

We do not use AI to edit or alter opinion pieces. These are always edited by a human, and we insist that all such submissions be written solely by the author. Our submissions policy will state that the person or organization submitting any piece for publication must confirm that AI was not used to create the original submission. If it was, we won’t use it. That’s because we want to hear our readers’ truest thoughts without being filtered by a machine. 

Non-journalistic content 

AI tools may be used for production of non-journalistic content, including in marketing efforts, revenue-generation strategies, or copywriting assistance to allow greater efficiency. The use of such tools must be disclosed to the publisher and, as with editorial content, a human must always have final signoff authority before any such content is distributed to advertisers, sponsors or supporters. 

Review 

We will review this policy on a regular basis, and as technology evolves.