Editorial Independence. Diversity. Inclusivity.
Every business, every endeavor, every person lives to values: those immutable things (not the technical term) that form our reason for being. Values are the filter through which we put decisions and choices. If one path does not live to a value, it is crossed off the list. For example, I could become a millionaire, perhaps, if I were willing to become an arms dealer. I’m not willing to do that. Moving on to Option B…
At ReNEWS, we have three values:
Editorial independence
We have no ties or obligations to any organization, news or otherwise. Financial support is wholly unrelated to editorial involvement.
What this means is practical terms is that every voice is welcome because no one’s agenda is threatened.
Diversity
We are committed to genuine diversity of viewpoints, representing honest opinions seriously held. Our discussions will endeavor to include the broadest possible range of perspectives.
Inclusivity
We support a climate where similarities and differences are respected, supported, and valued by ensuring the active participation of the entire news community.
We passionately believe that the time for news conversations rooted firmly in these three values is now.
We’re not alone.
Take the Heterodox Academy (HxA). An academic organization from which we can take tremendous inspiration.
HxA was launched by Jonathan Haight, Chris Martin, and Nicholas Rosenkranz, in reaction to their observations re: the negative impact a lack of ideological diversity has had on the quality of research within their disciplines. (Source: www.heterodoxacademy.org)
HxA, in its own words, “…is a nonpartisan collaborative of thousands of professors, administrators, and students committed to enhancing the quality of research and education by promoting open inquiry, viewpoint diversity, and constructive disagreement in institutions of higher learning. All of our members embrace a set of norms and values, which we call “The HxA Way.”
Open inquiry. Viewpoint diversity. Constructive disagreement.
Contrast this with the shouting matches we see on cable TV here in America (and elsewhere). Or the echo chamber conversations, everyone agreeing with everyone else, nodding away, certain they are not only correct; they are, they believe, right. Morally right. And a different viewpoint, were it to be bravely voiced, would by contrast be wrong.
ReNEWS is taking editorial independence, open inquiry, viewpoint diversity, and constructive disagreement (and the Oxford comma…) to every conversation we hold.
Next week, we’ll be announcing our guests for our first program, “Culture Wars: Are they co-opting the mainstream narrative?”. And you might just want to keep Heterodox Academy in mind (hint, hint)…Prepare yourselves. The line-up is amazing.
Our first ReNEWS conversation is January 14, 2021, at 10:00 ET/15:00 GMT. All are welcome.
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Amy Selwyn is Founding Partner and Moderator of ReNEWS. She has worked in news for 35+ years and still feels the passion. Amy is a writer, a photographer and dog mom, and she lives in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, USA.
