Good Morning Maldives exists to help readers understand the Maldives — its government, economy, and place in the world — with accuracy, independence, and a long memory. This charter sets out the standards we hold ourselves to. It is a public commitment: readers, the people and institutions we cover, and our own journalists should all be able to point to it and hold us to account.

Independence

Our journalism serves the reader and no one else. We are not owned or directed by any political party, government body, or commercial sponsor, and we do not let advertisers, funders, or sources dictate coverage. Where a relationship could reasonably be seen to affect our judgement, we disclose it (see Ownership & Funding). Sponsored content is always clearly labelled and never written by the newsroom.

Accuracy and verification

We verify before we publish. In practice that means:

  • We confirm factual claims against primary sources wherever a primary source exists.
  • We do not report a contested claim as fact on a single anonymous source; we seek corroboration and tell the reader how solid each source is (see Source Hierarchy).
  • We show our working on significant stories through the "Basis of reporting" box — what documents we reviewed, who we contacted, and the limits of what we know.
  • When we cannot confirm something, we say so plainly rather than implying more certainty than we have.

Fairness and the right of reply

Anyone facing significant criticism or allegation in our reporting is given a fair, specific, and timely opportunity to respond before publication. We record that request and its outcome. If a subject declines or does not respond by our deadline, we say so; if they respond after publication with a substantive point, we update the piece.

Sourcing and source protection

We prefer named, on-record sources and primary documents. We grant anonymity only when a source risks real harm — professional, legal, or physical — for speaking, and when the information is important and cannot be obtained on the record. Anonymity is a promise we keep: we protect the identity of sources we have agreed not to name, including from pressure by the state or others.

Transparency

We tell readers how we know what we report. We link to primary documents where we can, we publish our methodology for the data and reference pages we maintain, and we disclose the use of AI (see AI Disclosure). Our reference pages carry a visible "last reviewed" date so readers can see they are kept current.

Corrections and accountability

We correct our mistakes openly and promptly, and we keep a permanent, dated record of them (see Corrections Policy). A named editor is accountable for every piece. Readers can reach us to raise a concern, request a correction, or ask how a story was reported.

Our context, honestly stated

We are a young newsroom in a Small Island Developing State with a small market, real resource constraints, and a media environment still working through reform. We will not always have the reach of a large international outlet. What we will not compromise on is the standard: independence, verification, fairness, and transparency apply to every story regardless of our size. Where we fall short, we would rather say so — and fix it — than pretend otherwise.