03/27/2026
Thank you so much to The Murray Sentinel for mentioning us in the comments alongside so many other respected news outlets. We do not take that lightly. We are not an anonymous, wildfire/gossip paper. Or page. There are MANY things that happen that deserve thoughtful consideration, time, and DEF truth and accountability.
Our biggest strength here at Bazooka is the ability to see the bigger picture, to give context, to make it all make sense from a local to national level, and give it *meaning*. So people can understand what is really happening.
And Bazooka Reloaded is not dead. It is alchemizing, transforming, expanding into new forms, but keeping some sacred traditions.
Don't worry - you will see us soon. š
Lately, Iāve noticed an increase in pages and websites presenting themselves as local news. That doesnāt mean theyāre all doing the same kind of work, and I think that distinction matters.
Anyone can request a record, obtain a court filing or attend a meeting. Journalism is not defined by access to information, but by the standards, discernment and care used to verify, contextualize and report that information fairly and responsibly.
Thatās why bylines matter. A byline tells readers who is standing behind a story. It tells you there is a real person taking responsibility for the reporting.
Identifying sources matters, too. It gives readers a way to judge the credibility of the information for themselves and helps distinguish verified reporting from rumor, speculation and opinion presented as fact.
And those standards arenāt unique to us. They reflect widely recognized principles of ethical journalism.
Readers in our area are also served by established local news organizations ā like WKMS, Hoptown Chronicle, WPSD, The Murray State and the Murray Ledger & Times, to name a few ā outlets that clearly identify who is behind their reporting.
Those commitments can take different forms across different newsrooms. Ours are spelled out through the Society of Professional Journalistsā Code of Ethics. In practice, that means:
Seek truth and report it:
We verify information before publishing, identify the sources of the information we report and provide the context readers need to understand what theyāre reading.
Act independently:
We maintain clear editorial standards, are transparent about funding and clearly distinguish reporting from opinion and advocacy.
Be accountable and transparent:
Our stories carry bylines. When we make a mistake, we clearly identify the error and correct it per our posted policy. We want readers to be able to evaluate our work for themselves.
Weāre also transparent about the Sentinel itself. Readers can find information about our mission and vision, nonprofit status, leadership and newsroom policies on issues such as anonymous sources, corrections, editorial independence and funding transparency.
Careful, standards-based reporting may not generate the most attention on social media, but it matters. It helps readers distinguish between reporting, opinion, advocacy and rumor.
ā Jessicaā¤ļø
P.S. If you value independent, transparent, locally focused journalism, please consider supporting The Murray Sentinel. donorbox.org/truth-takes-a-village/
