From the Editor: The Reciprocity of Trust

“Gotcha” journalism has never been my strong suit, which is a good thing for the community and the subjects we interview therein. Honestly, the idea of running up on someone for a damning soundbite by which to impart drama and hardship for the speaker … yeah, you won’t get that from me or from any of Out Front’s writers. That’s not who we are.

So when a particularly salty story breaks, and the threat of litigation pops up in my inbox, I take great care to consider the motive behind heavy words like “sue,” “court,” or “legal team.” As I re-read the story in question, I think the whole way, “Have we done an injustice to someone? Have we reported an allegation as fact? Is there anything we could’ve done to better serve this party’s interests?” I have yet to answer those with a solid ‘yes.’

As an editor, I rest assured knowing the magazine has done our due diligence and reported claims, quotes, and allegations as they were told to us without the sensationalism of embellishment or slant. As well, I pride my team’s willingness to get out there with a reporter’s pad and recorder should anyone care to add pertinent information to enhance the story and/or shine a light on an angle we may have overlooked. As such, I want the community to know that we are here for you, no matter your role — if any — in a story we publish. Further, I want each and every one of you to know that you can trust us.

That, my friends, is our job. We are not at liberty to ignore an important story because it may or may not involve people we work with, or have had drinks with on a regular basis. We are not at liberty to dismiss an individual’s relevant-to-the-story claim once it’s been spoken into our recorder, whether true or not. In the case that there’s ever any confusion, let it be known that our team doesn’t consist of private investigators — we are reporters reporting and we’re good at what we do, because we actually give a damn to get it right.

So if there’s ever an article that you feel warrants something more, let us know! Your voices and stories are the essence, the very lifeblood of this publication and that’s not just lip-service. We put so much faith in our audience to be honest and upfront with criticisms and praise, and we aim to be just as genuine with our reflections and reporting on the community at large.

A love for a magazine that’s both entertaining and honorable? That’d be our strong suit.