When you call yourself a journalist, you make certain promises to your audience. Journalists make these promises to protect the credibility of their work and earn the public's trust.

Much of the public doesn't realize just how strict the code of conduct is that journalists have traditionally followed. Unfortunately, there are news organizations that have chosen to erode these standards in their newsrooms, particularly in recent years.

At Watchdog City, we ask those who want to participate in the Watchdog City marketplace and call themselves journalists to abide by standards of journalistic integrity that are among the highest in the profession.

Being a journalist isn't about where you work. It's about how you do your work.

We are asking you to put independent journalists back to work by buying stories directly from them in the Watchdog City^TM marketplace.

You hold Watchdog City Journalists accountable by evaluating their work in our Credibility Ratings system.

Good journalism matters to each of us, to our society and to our planet.

► Journalists Account Sign-Up: The Watchdog City Press Credentialing Process

At account sign-up, Watchdog City Journalists must go through an identity verification process, swear (or affirm) Watchdog City's Oaths, including an oath to abide by The Watchdog City Journalists Code of Ethics, and submit a 10-year work history. ► Read more.

► Read the Watchdog City Journalists Code of Ethics

The Watchdog City Journalists Code of Ethics is based on rules and guidelines from the Society of Professional Journalists, the American Society of Newspaper Editors and major news organizations. ► Read more.

► Watchdog City's Oaths for Journalists

Watchdog City Journalists pledge to avoid conflicts of interest, refuse bribes, gifts, favors, fees, free travel and special treatment, and shun political involvement, making campaign donations of any kind, public office and service in community organizations if they compromise journalistic integrity. ► Read more

► Watchdog City's Mission for Journalists

Watchdog City^TM asks journalists to:

• Seek truth and the public good.
• Expose injustice.
• Report with fairness and accuracy.
• Defend the public's right to know.
• Respect human dignity.
• Discover and teach.

► The Watchdog City Credibility Ratings System

Consumers of news and information in the Watchdog City marketplace are asked to hold journalists accountable by providing credibility ratings related to these standards. We also ask all members of the Watchdog City^TM online community marketplace to report copyright violations and abusive violations of these standards. ► Read more

► Not Anything Goes in Our Blogosphere: Watchdog City's Standards for Bloggers

Being a journalist isn't about where you work. It's about how you do your work.

► Read Watchdog City Journalists Code of Ethics