About us

Hold power accountable. Uncover solutions. Connect and empower the community.

Planet Detroit is an independent nonprofit local news organization designed to inform you about the environment and public health in Detroit and Michigan. We focus on accountability, solutions and community reporting, and we have a deep commitment to engaging with the community.

You can read our ethics policy here.


Our Mission

Our mission is to produce quality climate, equity, health and environment journalism in the public interest that centers grassroots voices,  holds power accountable, spotlights solutions + serves the community.


Our non-discrimination statement

Planet Detroit is committed to dismantling system racism in our communities and in journalism. We prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, marital status, national origin, mental or physical disability, political belief or affiliation, veteran status, sexual orientation, or gender identity and expression. We proactively work to include marginalized groups in our journalism and our business operations.


What’s our manifesto?

We believe the environment is the most important issue of our time, and threats to it, particularly global warming and the climate chaos it is creating, are real.

We believe that independent journalism is the most critical component of our democracy and that it is only through seeking and exposing the truth that we can overcome the environmental challenges facing us.

To us, independence means we cover issues without bias, with close emphasis on facts, and without a predetermined agenda.

However, this does not mean we don’t think the threats to our environment are real, or that global warming is not happening, or that humans should not address environmental problems.

What it does mean is that we remain agnostic about the solutions we cover. We evaluate them without bias.

Because the environmental issues we face can seem overwhelming and confusing, we are focused on providing background, context and covering solutions (but not advocating for them).

Because environmental issues often disproportionately impact low-income people and communities of color, we focus on making sure their stories are told.

Also, the environment is beautiful and amazing. We’ll try to take some space to appreciate that.


Who is behind Planet Detroit?

Our journalism is mission-driven and rooted in community partnership. Contact Nina Ignaczak at nina@planetdetroit.org to talk about ways we can work together. 


Our Editorial Independence Policy

Planet Detroit subscribes to standards of editorial independence adopted by the Institute for Nonprofit News:

Our organization retains full authority over editorial content to protect the best journalistic and business interests of our organization. We maintain a firewall between news coverage decisions and sources of all revenue. Acceptance of financial support does not constitute implied or actual endorsement of donors or their products, services or opinions.

We accept gifts, grants and sponsorships from individuals and organizations for the general support of our activities, but our news judgments are made independently and not on the basis of donor support.

Our organization may consider donations to support the coverage of particular topics, but our organization maintains editorial control of the coverage. We will cede no right of review or influence of editorial content, nor of unauthorized distribution of editorial content.

Our organization will make public all donors who give a total of $5,000 or more per year. We will accept anonymous donations for general support only if it is clear that sufficient safeguards have been put into place that the expenditure of that donation is made independently by our organization and in compliance with INN’s Membership Standards.

Staff


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