Frontline

Frontline, through its investigative practices, aims to question, explain and enact change in the world through original reporting and analysis that only answers to public interest and concern. 

Frontline aims to be fair and accurate through its guidelines for conflicts of interest, fact-checking standards, treatment of unnamed sources and ensuring corrections are transparent. 
 

Frontline is produced by the WGBH Educational, a public media organization that serves as PBS's largest producer of content for TV and web. WGBH and its programs are supported by multiple funding sources, including more than 150,000 individuals, foundations, corporations and the federal government. About 9% of the organization's local operating budget is funded through a community service grant provided to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting by Congress annually.

Frontline producers exercise their editorial judgment as to which characters are best suited to push forward a story line, and which sources are best able to present the information the program seeks to deliver. However, the organization says it encourages its producers to consider diversity in race; ethnicity; gender and gender identity; sexual orientation and geographic and economic status as a positive value in choosing whom to present.

When errors are reported after broadcast or publication, producers are expected to immediately bring them to the attention of the executive producer and help make any necessary corrections. Some errors require consultation with the WGBH legal department before any steps are taken to make corrections or respond to the complainant directly.

Frontline occasionally uses unnamed sources out of necessity by concealing or keeping confidential a source’s name or by disguising a source’s voice or appearance. In such cases, the policy states the name and background information about the source must be disclosed to the executive producer for approval, and possibly to WGBH's legal department.