Values

At Watch Media, we work every single day to deliver critical, fair and independent business journalism focusing on substance – written by reporters who know their subjects.

Our editorial guidelines include the following:

  • We are independent, critical and fair
  • We approach our sources with a critical angle, regardless of who they are and where they work
  • We always pursue substance in a story – regardless of clicks generated.
  • We choose a sharp angle but write in a civilized language, refraining from suggestive adjectives, bombastic clichés and headlines that are not substantiated in the body text
  • As a principle, we do not use the word “expert” about a source, nor do we use expert sources as evidence of truth.
  • We allow the key figures to explain their side of the case – but remember to ask the critical questions.
  • We always evaluate the value and substance of other medias’ stories before redistributing them
  • We always keep our promises to sources.
  • We pay close attention to the details of a story.

Watch Media’s guidelines on offensive behavior by sources and other external parties

  • At Watch Media, we do not accept offensive behavior of any kind. This also applies to offensive behavior toward our employees by sources or other external parties.
  • If we are made aware of offensive behavior toward our employees, we will view the situation with the utmost seriousness and will not hesitate to bring the case to the relevant authorities.

Watch Media’s guidelines for review of quotes:

  • If you speak to a reporter, you may expect to be quoted for what you say, unless you have agreed otherwise with the reporter. This also applies at Watch Medier. The reporter may choose to inform the source that the conversation will be quoted, but it is not mandatory to be able to quote the conversation.
  • The reporter is obliged to take extra care when speaking with sources who are not used to interacting with the media and speaking as private individuals.
  • Sources speaking on the record to a reporter at Watch Medier are not entitled to review their quotes before publishing.
  • Reporters at Watch Medier may choose to send quotes for review for factual errors or misunderstandings, if the parties agree to do so. However, this is not an opportunity to approve quotes, and the source, as referred to above, can expect to be quoted for what they have said.
  • The editorial discretion always lies with the reporter.
  • When sources review quotes, the reporter always sets a deadline. The reporter sets the deadline considering his/her own deadline, the article’s news value and nature of the content. If the source does not meet the deadline, the article will be published as planned.
  • Quote reviews are – as a general rule – exclusively quotes. They do not include body text, headline, sub-headline, etc.
  • Quote reviews can be offered to the source being quoted. This does not extend to PR personnel, board members or other parties with an interest in the article.

All questions can be addressed to Anders Heering, Editor-In-Chief for Watch Medier, at ah@watchmedier.dk.

Watch Media’s rules on employees’ stock investments:

  • A journalist employed by Watch Media is not allowed to actively invest on the stock exchange in national individual shares, meaning a reporter working for Watch Media must not invest in stocks of companies incorporated in the country they work in. Additionally, it is also prohibited to actively manage assets in individual shares of such companies in a retirement fund depot. In the case of joint economy at home, the journalist must inform of the spouse/live-in partner’s possession of individual shares. The editors must be informed of this.
  • Future employees and current employees who own and themselves directly or indirectly manage shares in aforementioned companies will not be forced to sell these, but they must inform management of the ownership – and after employment begins, they may not investment further in shares, as stipulated in the guidelines listed above. A journalist at Watch Media cannot write about a company in which he or she, or their spouse/live-in partner with shared economy, owns personally managed shares.
  • For international shares, the same rules apply as for domestic ones – though only for shares in the journalist’s own field.
  • If a journalist at Watch Media partakes in stock exchange games, the journalist may not actively select stocks within his/her own subject area.
  • Concrete matters of doubt and gray areas must be discussed with and decided upon by the editor or editor-in-chief.