Osage News

The Osage News independently covers the government, people, culture and daily life of the Osage Nation — within the Osage Reservation and throughout the world. It is based in the capital of the Osage Nation, Pawhuska, Okla., with journalists covering local, national and international news relevant to the Osage people. 

The Osage News has a stated commitment to producing accurate, fair and complete journalism to best serve the Osage people. Its journalists are expected to act with honesty, transparency and independence, and they take measures to avoid actual and perceived conflicts of interest. 

Osage News adheres to ethical policies and standards set forth by the Society of Professional journalists (SPJ). These standards apply equally to Osage News employees, freelancers and all others engaged in gathering information on behalf of the digital news site. Osage News journalists go through professional and ethical training and receive a copy of these ethical standards.

The Osage News is owned and partially funded by the Osage Nation, and the independence and freedom of the Osage News are protected by law. 

The news site is owned by the Osage people and is funded through a mixture of general operating support from the Osage Nation as directed in the Independent Press Act, advertising revenue and grants from charitable foundations. 

The Osage News prioritizes hiring Indigenous journalists and professionals who understand and appreciate the unique identity of being Indigenous in the United States. This includes lived experience, knowledge of culture, connection to land, respect for tradition and other Indigenous values. They seek to hire and contract professionals who reflect this diversity. 

The organization dedicates itself to reporting news that is accurate, factual and complete. It has developed verification and fact-checking protocols, but recognizes mistakes may happen. Osage News distinguishes between corrections (for mistakes) and clarifications (for vague or misleading content). Readers who believe a published story is inaccurate can contact the editorial team by email, phone or through written letter. 

The Osage News will occasionally need to use confidential sources to serve its people and their right to self-governance. However, the news site makes every effort to pursue information on the record. 

Anonymous sources are a last resort, but some stories cannot be told without allowing sources to go unnamed.

When a source requests anonymity, reporters first seek to change the person’s mind and to determine the reason the person wants to go unnamed. Then the Osage News will: 

• Consider if the material is information and not opinion or speculation, and is vital to the report.
• Weigh the potential impact and importance of the information on the lives of community members and its potential influence on public policy.
• Determine if the source is reliable and is in a position to have direct knowledge of the information.
• Consider the extent of personal or professional hardship and possible danger the source may face if his/her identity becomes known.
• Try to find other sources willing to be named. If that approach fails, an editor becomes involved. The Osage News editor decides whether to grant anonymity.
• Consider potential dangers, and come to an agreement on terms of use between the journalist and the source.

Osage News will not provide anonymity to those who attack individuals or organizations or engage in speculation. Unnamed sources are not allowed to be the sole basis of the story.