The Driven and its sister publications One Step off the Grid and RenewEconomy take the responsibility of providing accurate information to our readers very seriously and abide by the Journalist’s Code of Ethics as determined by the Media Entertainment and Actors Alliance (the MEAA).
Respect for truth and the public’s right to information are fundamental principles of our journalism. We search, disclose, record, question, entertain, comment and remember. We inform citizens and animate democracy. We scrutinise power, but also exercise it, and are responsible and accountable.
We are committed to:
- Honesty
- Fairness
- Independence
- Respect for the rights of others
We educate ourselves about ethics and apply the following standards:
1. We report and interpret honestly, striving for accuracy, fairness and disclosure of all essential facts. We do not suppress relevant available facts, or give distorting emphasis. We do our utmost to give a fair opportunity for reply.
2. We do not place unnecessary emphasis on personal characteristics, including race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, age, sexual orientation, family relationships, religious belief, or physical or intellectual disability.
3. We aim to attribute information to its source. Where a source seeks anonymity, we do not agree without first considering the source’s motives and any alternative attributable source. Where confidences are accepted, we respect them in all circumstances.
4. We do not allow personal interest, or any belief, commitment, payment, gift or benefit, to undermine our accuracy, fairness or independence.
5. We disclose conflicts of interest that affect, or could be seen to affect, the accuracy, fairness or independence of our journalism. We do not improperly use a journalistic position for personal gain.
6. We do not allow advertising or other commercial considerations to undermine accuracy, fairness or independence.
7. We do our utmost to ensure disclosure of any direct or indirect payment made for interviews, pictures, information or stories.
8. We use fair, responsible and honest means to obtain material. We identify ourselves and our employer before obtaining any interview for publication or broadcast. We never exploit a person’s vulnerability or ignorance of media practice.
9. We present pictures and sound which are true and accurate. Any manipulation likely to mislead will be disclosed.
10. We do not plagiarise.
11. We respect private grief and personal privacy. We have the right to resist compulsion to intrude.
12. We do our utmost to achieve fair correction of errors.
Content Funding on The Driven
The Driven, like many independent news organisations around the world, relies on the generous support and funding we receive from our readers, listeners, advertisers and philanthropists.
As climate impacts get more serious, and the level of misinformation and disinformation intensifies, the need for trustworthy reporting and analysis that informs and empowers Australians has never been more urgent. Our funding ensures we can continue to produce quality, independent journalism that serves the public interest.
All content on the The Driven, Renew Economy, and One Step off the Grid websites is editorially independent from our funding sources, unless specifically identified. This means the stories are written, edited, and selected by The Driven journalists and editors, and are not dependent on the approval of our funders. This ensures The Driven can play a leading role in producing unbiased, accurate, and in-depth reporting about climate change and the renewable energy transition, which is complex and demands nuanced and focused reporting.
Our funded content makes clear how it has been commissioned and produced, and who has funded it:
‘Supported by’ is used to describe content which is editorially independent that The Driven has produced with funding from philanthropic foundations who wish to support specific subject areas.
‘Sponsored content’ is used to describe content that is produced under the editorial oversight of Renew Economy editors but is guided by the needs of specific sponsors.