In the absence of consistent, verifiable, “black-and-white” reporting, rumors inevitably become a source of information. The problem is, as General William Tecumseh Sherman, noted, “I hate newspapermen. They come into camp and pick up their camp rumors and print them as facts. I regard them as spies, which, in truth, they are.”

Prudent reporting on a topic demands fact-checking and that means when a “rumor” surfaces, multiple sources need to be contacted to get all sides of truth (or facts) in the matter. Hey, we are going to make mistakes on this information platform … but we are going to strive for fact-based articles. If we get wind of something by the rumor mill, we are either going to cite it as just that: a rumor. Or, more likely, we are going to talk with other sources or get the documentation. A great component of living in a free country is that citizens have access to government documents via the Right To Know Law.

Additionally, we try to subscribe to the Journalist’s Creed (The Journalist’s Creed was written [around 1906] by the first dean of the Missouri School of Journalism, Walter Williams. More than a century later, his declaration remains one of the clearest statements of the principles, values and standards of journalists throughout the world.)

• I believe in the profession of journalism.
• I believe that the public journal is a public trust; that all connected with it are, to the full measure of their responsibility, trustees for the public; that acceptance of a lesser service than the public service is betrayal of this trust.
• I believe that clear thinking and clear statement, accuracy and fairness are fundamental to good journalism.
• I believe that a journalist should write only what he holds in his heart to be true.
• I believe that suppression of the news, for any consideration other than the welfare of society, is indefensible.
• I believe that no one should write as a journalist what he would not say as a gentleman; that bribery by one’s own pocketbook is as much to be avoided as bribery by the pocketbook of another; that individual responsibility may not be escaped by pleading another’s instructions or another’s dividends.
• I believe that advertising, news and editorial columns should alike serve the best interests of readers; that a single standard of helpful truth and cleanness should prevail for all; that the supreme test of good journalism is the measure of its public service.
• I believe that the journalism which succeeds best — and best deserves success — fears God and honors Man; is stoutly independent, unmoved by pride of opinion or greed of power, constructive, tolerant but never careless, self-controlled, patient, always respectful of its readers but always unafraid, is quickly indignant at injustice; is unswayed by the appeal of privilege or the clamor of the mob; seeks to give every man a chance and, as far as law and honest wage and recognition of human brotherhood can make it so, an equal chance; is profoundly patriotic while sincerely promoting international good will and cementing world-comradeship; is a journalism of humanity, of and for today’s world.

And while rumors are jucier and more exciting to believe, we believe citizens are served better by truth and facts.