Our Newsroom, Staff and Editorial Teams

In the beginning, we didn’t think we’d be able to have a brick and mortar newsroom for several years, at least. Thanks to the Janney family, however, our team of reporters have a beautiful 1,550 sq. ft. newsroom in the historic Janney-Marshall building in downtown Fredericksburg in which to collaborate, research, and work. Through the generosity of our supporters throughout the community, we have also been able to, at a fraction of the retail cost, fully furnish, equip, and future-proof our newsroom with the technological framework reporters need to create a collaborative work environment. Here, our team of dedicated reporters can work together to produce the types of impactful stories that inform and create community cohesion. Equipped with state-of-the-art technology, the office will serve as a hub for our journalists to investigate, analyze, and report on a wide range of topics.

Our newsroom address is 401 Princess Anne Street, Fredericksburg, VA 22401. News isn’t made in a newsroom, though, so our reporters are often out where the news is happening. Please contact one of our reporters, or email [email protected] if you would like to visit.

Meet The Bylines

Our Board of Directors

Our Funding

We rely on your support to continue providing our services. As a nonprofit organization, we rely on various sources of funding, including grants, sponsorships, individual donations, and voluntary subscription fees. While access to our content will always be free, we encourage readers to consider making a monthly or annual donation to support our mission. Rest assured that we maintain a strict separation between our donors and our newsroom, and we are committed to full transparency regarding our funding sources (more on that here). You can make tax-exempt donations via our website or by sending a check to Fredericksburg Free Press, 401 Princess Anne Street, Suite 100, Fredericksburg, VA 22401. You can also make stock donations – contact [email protected] and we will help you with that.

Our organization’s EIN is 92-2461450. For more information about our tax-exempt status, you can review our IRS Tax Exempt Status Determination letter.

Journalistic Independence is a Fundamental Principle

What does Journalistic Independence really mean?

Journalistic independence is a fundamental element of a free and democratic society. Journalists and media outlets must be free from undue influence and interference in producing and reporting news. This affords journalists the freedom to follow their investigations and report on stories without being coerced or manipulated by external forces, such as political pressure, donors, sponsors, and other funders, Board members, government officials, or corporate entities. This independence is crucial to allow journalists to act as watchdogs, hold power to account, and provide the public with unbiased and objective information.

The Free Press maintains complete editorial independence and does not allow donors or Board members to influence or edit our content. We make editorial decisions based on journalistic integrity and the best interests of our readers, rather than on donor support. Accepting donations to support our coverage does not imply endorsement of the donors or their products, services, or opinions. We retain full authority over editorial content to protect the journalistic and business interests of our organization.

Further, have taken concrete measures to ensure that journalists have the freedom to exercise their professional judgment and adhere to ethical standards without undue influence, including:

• Our commitment to independence is explicitly stated in our Bylaws.
• Corporate donors are required to sign an agreement indicating their understanding and acceptance of our commitment to independence.
• Our Board members are strictly prohibited from involvement in newsroom decisions or content creation. Each Board member must sign a Non-Interference Policy Statement affirming their dedication to upholding this stringent level of independence. 
• As a member of the Institute for Non-Profit News (INN), we follow INN’s Membership Standards.
• We adhere to the guidance of the American Press Institute and the Trust Project
• Board members are required to sign their understanding and agreement to adhere to our Conflict of Interest Policy.
• Our Staff is committed to the SPJ Code of Ethics.

We are Nonpartisan

(but not afraid of controversy)

What does that mean?

Nonpartisanship plays a crucial role in providing the public with balanced and reliable reporting. It helps ensure that journalists fulfill their role as watchdogs, holding those in power accountable, and providing citizens with the information they need to make informed decisions.

In order to uphold our commitment to nonpartisanship, our reporting is based on verified facts and multiple sources, accurately representing different sides of a story, and avoiding the promotion or endorsement of any particular political ideology or agenda. Our editorial team and our Journalism Advisory Council are there to ensure that our reporting is exactly what we promise – nonpartisanship and independence.

Being nonpartisan does not mean, however, that our reporters shy away from covering controversial topics. Rather, when reporting on those issues, they adhere to ethical guidelines and standards, such as those listed in the Journalistic Independence section above. In short, they do not play favorites.

Nonpartisanship is important for newsrooms because it helps maintain the credibility and trustworthiness of the journalism profession. When news outlets are seen as nonpartisan, they are more likely to be seen as reliable sources of information by the public. That is the Number One Goal of Fredericksburg Free Press.

Transparency – the Key to Trust

Fredericksburg Free Press is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Our funding is sourced exclusively from donations, sponsorships, and grants received from individuals, corporations, and foundations.

As an independent news organization, we strive to maintain a clear separation between our donors and our newsroom to uphold journalistic integrity. We have implemented strict policies to ensure transparency and impartiality in our reporting.

For example, we do not accept anonymous donations or any contributions that could potentially influence our content. Anonymous donations cannot be tied to specific areas or types of coverage. We also have a limit of $5,000 for anonymous donations as an additional safeguard.

Moreover, we are dedicated to being transparent about our financial support. Whenever we cover stories involving donors who have contributed $5,000 or more, we disclose this information in the corresponding article to ensure full accountability.

We sincerely appreciate the support of all our donors, and we strive to maintain transparency by publishing the names of donors who contribute more than $100 here. This helps us acknowledge and recognize their commitment to quality journalism, as well as provide transparency to our supporters. We update this list to ensure it remains accurate and up to date. Our IRS 990 filings will be published on our site once they are filed.

Furthermore, any potential conflicts of interest involving a subject’s relationship with our Board of Directors or Staff will be disclosed at the bottom of the story. Disclaimers will also be provided regarding any company, organization, or public issue where a Board member or staffer may have a potential conflict of interest due to personal or business interests.

Our Commitment to Diversity

Commitment to diversity requires consistent and ongoing dedication. Our Bylaws establish our nondiscrimination policy, but our commitment to diverse perspectives goes beyond that, starting with our Board members themselves, and reflected at all levels of our organization. We believe that different backgrounds help journalists see issues from multiple angles and provide a more accurate portrayal of events. It also ensures that we provide a fair and balanced representation of news stories, have access to a broader range of sources, and avoid stereotypes and biases. In short, it just results in better news reporting. Overall, our diverse organization will lead to more inclusive, well-rounded, and accurate news coverage that actually reflects our community, benefiting both our news organization and our audience. Fredericksburg Free Press is dedicated to these ideals.