Our mission
Guam News Network exists to give Guåhan and the region accurate, independent local journalism: what happened, how we know, and why it matters to the people who live here.
Accuracy and verification
Accuracy comes before speed. Every story passes through a structured editorial workflow before publication: reporting, a First Read by an editor, a Second Read by a senior editor, and a final publishing decision. Stories under legal review, awaiting verification, or restricted by an embargo are held until cleared, and our publishing system enforces those holds; they cannot be skipped.
We verify before we publish. Facts are checked against records, named sources, and direct observation wherever possible. When a story is developing and facts are still settling, we label it as developing and tell you what is confirmed and what is not.
Sources
We name our sources whenever we can; anonymous sourcing is the exception, used when information is important to the public and cannot reasonably be obtained on the record. Granting anonymity requires an editor's approval, and we describe unnamed sources as precisely as we can without exposing them. We do not pay for interviews or information.
Tips from the public are leads, not stories. Nothing submitted to us publishes automatically; every tip is verified through our own reporting first. We protect the confidentiality of sources who request it.
Independence
Our newsroom makes editorial decisions independently of advertisers, political actors, and business interests. Advertising is clearly labeled and visually distinct from news. Sponsored content, if we publish it, is labeled as sponsored, and advertisers never review or influence news coverage. Advertising staff do not edit editorial copy, and our systems enforce that separation.
Fairness and the right of reply
People and institutions who are the subject of critical reporting are given a genuine opportunity to respond before publication, and their response is reflected in the story. Declining to comment is noted, not punished.
Corrections
When we get something wrong, we fix it quickly and visibly. See our Corrections Policy for how corrections, updates, and retractions are labeled, and how to request one. Our publishing system permanently records every correction.
Photography and video
News images show what the camera saw. We do not stage news photographs and we do not digitally alter them beyond routine adjustments (cropping, exposure, color balance). Every image carries a caption and credit; illustrations and file photos are identified as such.
Artificial intelligence
Our journalists may use AI tools the way they use search engines or spell-checkers: to help research, transcribe, or polish. We do not publish AI-generated articles. Every story is reported, written, and verified by people, reviewed by editors, and published under accountable bylines. If AI ever plays a material role in a specific piece of published work, we will say so in that piece. We do not use AI to generate realistic images presented as news photography.
Conflicts of interest
Staff do not report on matters in which they or close family hold a financial or personal stake, and disclose potential conflicts to their editor. Staff do not accept gifts of more than nominal value from people or organizations we cover, and do not hold roles in organizations they cover.
Bylines and accountability
Stories carry the bylines of the journalists responsible for them. Our editorial workflow records who reported, who reviewed, and who published every story, so accountability is never ambiguous.
External content
When we reference other outlets' reporting, we credit and link to them. Wire or partner content, when used, is identified by its source and used within the rights granted to us.
Complaints
If you believe our reporting has fallen short of these standards, email news@guamnewsnetwork.com. A senior editor reviews every standards complaint.