Rogers Communications Inc. and its subsidiaries (“Rogers”), including Rogers Sports & Media, must comply with Rogers’ News Policy’s principles and standards that guide decision making when producing news on all of the company’s platforms. The Rogers News Policy is designed to enhance and protect our reputation as a trusted source for news, which is built on accuracy, fairness, and telling stories that matter to, and reflect all, Canadians. This is a summary of Rogers’ News Policy, which is a comprehensive guidance document for company employees to ensure honesty, transparency and editorial independence of our newsrooms.
Journalistic freedoms come with the responsibility to be impartial and independent, in order to provide fair and balanced news reporting. Rogers must ensure that news teams remain able to report news stories independently and without editorial interference.
Rogers is committed to principles of journalistic independence and must maintain a safeguard between the company’s newsgathering operations and the company as a corporate entity to ensure that news is covered in an impartial and independent manner. Any interference, whether direct or indirect, real or perceived, undermines the principles of journalistic independence and may damage Rogers’ credibility among readers, viewers, and listeners.
It is our responsibility to work within Canadian laws and to consider the significance of what we broadcast and publish. All news employees are required to review and acknowledge their acceptance of Rogers News Policy when hired and on an annual basis. News employees must also adhere to broadcasting codes and internal corporate policies that relate to specific platforms.
All news editorial decision-making resides with the respective Supervisor with absolute and final privilege belonging to the President, Media. In the event that a Supervisor has any concerns related to journalistic independence that cannot be resolved with the President, Media, that Supervisor can address those concerns with the Chief Legal Officer.
Rogers is committed to reflecting diversity and the multicultural dynamics of Canada, and to avoid stereotyping in news coverage. An individual’s race, national or ethnic origin, religion, sexual orientation, marital status, and physical and mental disabilities may only be reported when relevant to the story.
Stories concerning Rogers, its affiliated companies or its shareholders are covered with the same standards of fairness, balance, and accuracy applied to any other story. When Rogers-owned radio, TV stations and digital platforms are broadcasting and publishing information about the company’s properties, news employees should provide full disclosure when reporting on company information.
On written request for removal or update of stories (e.g. concerning criminal charges), and upon receipt of sufficient documented proof of updates (e.g. court decision), Rogers will update a story published on company digital properties with the new information (e.g. charges were dropped). We will not unpublish a story or remove names. This policy is based on the premise that the original story was factually accurate and justifiable on legal grounds. If the original story was flawed and indefensible, it will be removed or a retraction posted, depending on the facts. Otherwise, an updated version of the story will be published, as written by the news team. The updated version will replace the original. This applies to online stories only. A digital update on a story will not require Rogers to update the story in broadcast.
Granting anonymity to sources is permitted in circumstances where it is necessary to obtain sensitive information vital to the public good or where the source might face harm, legal jeopardy, or loss of livelihood for speaking with journalists. When anonymity is granted, Rogers will make every effort to respect that agreement except when prohibited by legal obligations.
It is the responsibility of the VP, Regulatory, Media to interpret this Policy and ensure its compliance throughout Rogers. Any suspected incidents of non-compliance to the Policy can be brought to the attention of a direct Supervisor, the VP of News, the President of Media, the VP Regulatory Media, the Chief Legal Officer or through Rogers’ internal confidential STAR Hotline.
Rogers expects any employee who has reason to suspect a violation of applicable law or regulations or who has concerns about potential business/ethical misconduct, including violations of editorial independence, to speak to their manager or HR Business Partner, or if neither avenue is appropriate, to report such suspicions or concerns to the Rogers STAR Hotline, which allows anonymous reporting, if desired. Any such reports will be kept confidential. Rogers will not permit any retaliation against any employee for making any such report in good faith.
