Read The Beacon's editorial standards

Mission: The Beacon cultivates engaged and informed communities through accessible reporting and active community engagement on crucial local subjects, anchored by a sustainable nonprofit revenue model.

Our team of about half a dozen reporters focuses on coverage of state and local government, health, education, housing and labor. Geographically, we’re focused on the Kansas City area and statewide issues in Kansas and Missouri.

These four core values guide our journalism and organization:

Truth: Unwavering honesty and accuracy in all our reporting.
Inclusivity: Championing diverse voices and perspectives.
Transparency: Openness about our reporting and funding.
Equity: Everyone deserves access to information that helps them understand and act on the issues that affect their lives.

About us

The Beacon launched in 2020 in Kansas City, Missouri, during the COVID-19 pandemic, addressing a dire need for trustworthy local news. By 2022, we had reporters in the state capitols of Missouri and Kansas, enhancing our statewide coverage. That expansion allows us to support urban, suburban and rural news organizations across the region, who publish our work (free of charge), ensuring everyone has access to critical information affecting their communities.

We rely on our unique Community Journalism Lab, which helps us listen and respond to the community, spotlighting crucial yet underreported topics.

Our reporters are trusted, independent voices, curious about the problems communities face. They understand the local community by engaging with it, taking its questions and building expertise to bring back the smartest answers. That means taking a critical eye to proposed solutions, with a decided focus on fact, context and explanation. Because we’re journalists, we also spot developments before they become obvious to the larger community. So we launch conversations with deeply reported stories in those moments when they deliver the most public service.

We start with an explanatory approach, but we frame our stories in ways that can hold a community accountable for how its government responds to, or neglects, its problems and how it shares the burdens of fixing them. We give our readers the most thoughtful understanding we can of the competing interests that intersect in the public square —public services, commerce, culture, health, civic life.

A Beacon story aims for analysis and it charts the news with context. Whenever needed, it challenges public officials, businesses, political factions and advocacy groups. It does so without favor. Our work relies on our reporters’ ability to quickly research, analyze and build expertise so they can write with authority and determine what is true or false — even as we embrace complexity.

We do this in our role as watchdogs on public officials and businesses to fill gaps in an increasingly fractured news media landscape.

Ownership and support

As a nonprofit, we accept gifts, grants, sponsorships and advertising from individuals and organizations for the general support of our activities. Our news judgments are made independently and not on the basis of donor support.

The Beacon may consider donations to support the coverage of particular topics, but they do not determine the specific stories we pursue or the way we frame that reporting. For example, the Health Forward Foundation helps fund our health care coverage, the Missouri Foundation for Health funds our Missouri rural health reporting position and Arnold Ventures supports our state government coverage. We will cede no right of review or influence of editorial content, nor of unauthorized distribution of editorial content.

To maintain transparency and uphold our editorial independence, we do not accept anonymous donations over $50. We publicly disclose all major funders ($5,000+) and follow strict ethical guidelines to ensure that no donation influences our journalism.

List of our financial supporters here.
Financial Transparency (Beacon tax documents)

Ultimately, our sustainability relies on people like you. Support The Beacon

Leadership

STEPHANIE CAMPBELL is The Beacon’s CEO. Campbell brings deep experience in nonprofit leadership roles spanning the education, startup, philanthropy, technology and performing arts industries, as well as skills in budget management, venture philanthropy, strategic planning and employee engagement. Campbell previously served as vice president of operations and communications at Kansas City-based nonprofit Leanlab Education, a nonprofit working towards equity in K-12 education, and associate director of the Regnier Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. In her free time, she enjoys unwinding on the tennis court and spending time with her three kids.

✉️ stephanie@thebeacon.media

Get to know the rest of the team that makes The Beacon possible.

Additional Guidance

The Beacon Board of Directors is a nonprofit governing board that has no influence over editorial content or day-to-day newsroom operations.

Diverse Voices

We acknowledge and condemn the ongoing legacy of racism in the U.S. and in the institution we are part of — the press. We commit to standing against racism as we build our organization and conduct our work.

The Beacon values diversity and inclusion. Varied experiences and voices contribute to our ability to write accurately and with care about the people and issues in our region.

We make deliberate efforts to amplify communities that have been traditionally overlooked in news coverage and seek their insight on the stories we cover and stories we may be missing.

We provide nuanced and comprehensive coverage that drives civic engagement. Through our journalism, we hope to empower historically underserved communities by facilitating mutual learning and growth. Our strategies include focus groups, listening sessions and candidate forums, all aimed at nurturing robust civic engagement.

Our Community Journalism Lab helps strengthen ties between The Beacon and our community. Through strategic partnerships and tailored initiatives, our community representatives ensure The Beacon resonates with, and authentically represents, a broad spectrum of voices within the community. Our lab aims to enhance The Beacon’s inclusivity and relevance by seeking out different perspectives, rather than waiting for them to find us. We search for participants who are diverse in race, gender, sexual orientation, location, age, ideology, class and religion.

In stories and at events, The Beacon strives to include multiple voices and points of view. We ask people for their preferred pronouns for stories (ex: he, she, they). When in doubt, as a neutral option, we refer to a source on second and subsequent references by last name. We track our efforts to include diverse sources and report them openly.

Reporters document their sources in a shared diversity audit, allowing us to measure progress, share insights with the community and continuously improve.

Diversity Staffing Report

At The Beacon, we strive for a staff that reflects the diversity of the Kansas City community and the broader populations we serve across Missouri and Kansas.

The Beacon is committed to recruiting and retaining people from all communities, including communities that have long been underrepresented in media, particularly in the Midwest. We welcome talented professionals of all races, creeds, colors, religions, sexes, national origins, ages, sexual orientations, gender identities, disabilities and military backgrounds.

When hiring, The Beacon:

Uses consistent and inclusive wording in job postings.
Collects data on how candidates learn about open positions to better understand who is advancing through the hiring process.
Seeks to attract a diverse and highly qualified pool of applicants.
Asks applicants about their ability to communicate in languages other than English.
Is transparent about salary ranges and benefits in job postings.

We regularly survey staff to track diversity and share findings with the public in reports. We are working to expand this reporting to include additional insights, such as age diversity and languages spoken.

The latest survey shows:

Ethics policy

Our reporting on all platforms will be truthful, transparent and respectful. Our facts will be accurate, complete and fairly presented. Our analysis will represent our best independent judgment, not our preferences or those of our sources.

All journalists for The Beacon, contractors and employees, must sign this form saying they will abide by the Society of Professional Journalists’ Code of Ethics. The four tenets of the Code of Ethics:

Seek Truth and Report It
Minimize Harm
Act Independently
Be Accountable and Transparent

Editorial decisions are ultimately made by our editors and reporters.

All Beacon employees are required to disclose conflicts of interest to supervisors to help avoid potential ethical issues stemming from reporting about particular topics or people.

Our journalists may not work on stories or projects in which they have a vested interest, whether financial or personal. They should not invest in companies or industries they regularly cover. The editor must be promptly notified should a conflict, or perceived conflict, arise.

Our journalists may moderate panels and speak at events, including our own newsroom’s events, underwritten by corporate sponsors, as long as their role is purely journalistic; sponsors do not determine the panelists, the subject matter or the questions. Our journalists may speak at events hosted by other companies or institutions if the event is otherwise consistent with our policies and with an editor’s approval.

Our journalists, including freelancers, may not accept any gift from any company, individual or institution that could have an interest in our reporting. We always pay our own way when traveling for editorial or business purposes. Gratuities, such as a pen, mug or certificate, offered to a newsroom associate for being a guest speaker at a community meeting or service club may be accepted as long as the value of such items are $10 or less and they are offered to every speaker. Our preference is for such items to be politely refused, citing our ethics policy. We understand that it is difficult to pay for meals offered at such speaking events, but our journalists should if there is a mechanism to do so.

All journalists, contractors and interns who report or edit news must refrain from all partisan political activity, including making contributions to or displaying signs in support of candidates for office. This same policy applies to all publicly-identifiable social media. This is different from broad support for human rights, civil liberties and identity support. We encourage employees to vote and participate in local primaries/caucuses.

Beacon staff are prohibited from inducing or encouraging violations of law or public policy; or taking any other action inconsistent with applicable provisions of the Internal Revenue Code or related regulations.

Verification and fact-checking

At The Beacon, we take extra care to fact-check with sources and never plagiarize.

The Beacon encourages journalists to do verbal fact checks with sources upon request as a way to be transparent and build trust. We do not allow anyone outside of our organization to read stories or have a copy of story drafts before publication (prior review) with the exception of our attorney when requested by an editor. When doing a verbal fact check, reporters can read quotes back to sources for accuracy and check facts and figures with sources. This is meant as an opportunity to correct inaccuracies, not to change or edit stories to their liking.

Reporters strive to avoid email interviews, submitted quotes and emailed questions, which call the chain of custody into question and eliminate chances to ask follow-up questions. They must note in a story when the quote or interview were in an email.

Corrections

If we make a mistake in our reporting, we work quickly to address the error, correcting it at the bottom of the story and noting in the story that an error was made and corrected and the date and time of the change. We also make needed corrections in our social media and email newsletters. Editors determine if a correction is needed in consultation with the reporter. We always note corrections of factual errors, including misspelling of names, but may correct grammatical errors, typos that don’t change meaning and other misspellings without a note.

When we know our original story was republished by media partners, we contact them with the correction and updated information.

When our journalism is factually correct but the language we used to explain those facts is not as clear or detailed as it should be, the language may be rewritten and a clarification added to the story. A clarification can also be used to note that we initially failed to receive a comment or response that has since been added to the story or that new reporting has shifted our account of an event.

All corrections and clarifications are listed on our Corrections page. If a reader discovers an error on one of our news sites, they are encouraged to email the editor at hello@thebeacon.media.

Unnamed sources

We strive to have information on the record with full attribution to the source. Exceptions to this policy are rare, made only with the approval of the editor, and when the information is critical to the story and can be obtained in no other way. Anonymous sources must be reliable, have direct access to the information, and understand that their name will be shared with an editor. When possible, we disclose any bias a source may have.

We sometimes use terms that are unfamiliar to the general public. Here are the definitions we use at The Beacon, in publication and/or with sources:

On the record: The information provided is able to be used, including in quotes, with the person’s name attached as a source.
Not for attribution: The information can be published and can be used in quotes but not with the source’s name attached to it. This has to comply with the rules for anonymous quotes.
On background: The information can be published as general contextual information, but it cannot be used in quotes and cannot have the source’s name attached to it.
Off the record: The information provided cannot be published or used in quotes and cannot have the source’s name attached to it. This doesn’t prevent us from obtaining and using the same or similar information from another source.

Source transparency and ethical standards

We encourage reporters to be explicit with sources about how their information will be used, rather than relying on terms like “off the record” or “on background,” which may be unfamiliar or defined differently by different people.

When sharing information without full attribution, we explain the level of anonymity granted and why.

Example: “A person who told The Beacon on the condition that they won’t be identified by name because it could jeopardize their job.”

Protecting vulnerable sources

We do not identify survivors of sexual or domestic violence without their consent.
We do not disclose the relationship between an alleged abuser and a survivor if doing so could inadvertently identify the survivor.
All assault-related stories include trigger warnings and helpline resources at the top of the article.

Journalistic integrity and recording policy

Our journalists never misrepresent themselves to get an interview or story.
We always inform sources if an interview is being recorded, even though Kansas and Missouri are one-party consent states.
We do not use hidden cameras, go undercover or pay for interviews.

Efforts to contact sources

We make multiple attempts to contact primary sources, subjects or organizations relevant to a story.
We provide a reasonable amount of time for a response before publishing, though what is “reasonable” depends on the situation.
If we are unable to reach those involved, we explain our efforts to contact them in the story.

AI policy

At The Beacon, we continue to explore how we use the fast-evolving tools of our trade, including artificial intelligence and large language models. Our commitment is to harness technology that improves efficiency while upholding editorial integrity. We stake our reputation on getting our facts right and presenting them in the fairest possible context. We were accepted into the American Journalism Project’s 2025 Product and AI Studio to further our exploration of responsible AI use in journalism.

How we may use AI

Transcribing interviews using tools like Otter.ai
Checking spelling and grammar
Using a large language model such as ChatGPT (trained on the internet) to brainstorm story angles, sources or potential questions
Using a large language model such as ChatGPT to generate headline suggestions and story summaries, with review and refinement from reporters and editors

What AI does not do at The Beacon

AI does not write our stories. Every article is researched, written and edited by human journalists.
We do not use AI for fact-checking or editorial judgment. Our team is responsible for verification and conclusions.
We do not use AI-generated content without human oversight. One or more journalists, generally the bylined reporter and an editor or copyeditor, thoroughly review and finalize the content before publication.
We do not use AI-generated photographs or illustrations. All visuals used in our reporting are created by human photographers, illustrators or designers.

We are committed to using AI thoughtfully and responsibly, ensuring it enhances rather than replaces our reporting while maintaining the highest standards of accuracy, transparency and editorial independence.

Transparency

Our journalists will not republish stories, images or other content from outside sources without permission and credit, with the exception of public information gathered from government websites or paid stock images that we have permission to use (with proper attribution). Fabrication, plagiarism or in any way misappropriating another company’s or individual’s intellectual property are all grounds for immediate termination.

All information taken from other news outlets must include attribution and a link within the body of a story, or where appropriate on photos, video or data visualizations. There may be times when a link alone will suffice.

Images

Images used in our reporting must always tell the truth. Specifically:

Photo illustrations must be clearly labeled and attributed.
The content of a photograph may not be altered except as detailed below. The faces or identities of individuals must not be obscured by Photoshop or any other editing tool. Minor retouching to remove scratches or dust on scanned negatives or scanned prints is acceptable.
Cropping, dodging and burning, conversion into grayscale, and normal toning and color adjustments are allowed but are limited to what is minimally necessary for clear and accurate reproduction and that restore the authentic nature of the photograph. Changes in density, contrast, color and saturation levels that substantially alter the original scene or the appearance of individuals are not acceptable. Backgrounds are never digitally blurred or eliminated.

Bylines

The Beacon requires a byline on all original content.

Sometimes several journalists contribute to a single piece of news. The Beacon generally gives a byline to every journalist who worked on a story. Occasionally, smaller contributions to a story may be credited with a note at the bottom of the story instead of inclusion in the byline.

On rare occasions, we may use a ‘Staff’ byline because the story involved a limited amount of work from many people. In those cases, we provide a link to a senior editor responsible for all editorial content; or a link to a staff directory page, which includes contact details and bios.

Type of Story

Each article will be labeled to tell you what kind of story you’re reading, such as an explainer, investigative story or Q&A. Here’s how each type is defined:

News: Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Analysis: Based on factual reporting, incorporates the expertise of the journalist and may offer interpretations and conclusions.
Investigative: In-depth examination of a single subject requiring extensive research and resources.
Explainer: Provides context or background, definition and detail on a specific topic.
Q&A: An interview to provide a relevant perspective, edited for clarity and not fully fact-checked.

Public engagement

We put down roots in the communities we cover and work with our readers as well as for them.

Our Community Journalism Lab (CJL) is a bridge between Beacon reporters and readers. We work to publish news that addresses local concerns by consistently engaging with people about what they feel is missing from the conversation. Community member insights directly fuel stories that are accessible, relevant and impactful.

Through our community work, we’re able to answer pressing questions and shed light on issues with real consequences for our neighbors. You’ll find articles addressing reader ideas and questions on our website labeled as Community Sourced. Join the movement by sending us a suggestion of what our team should look into here.

Learn more about how The Community Journalism Lab (CJL) is reimagining community journalism.

Writing stories is not enough. We are on a mission to get the full truth to the maximum people at the moments of greatest consequence. We do everything we can to bring stories, people and stakes alive for readers so they can engage in informed action and debate.

We build relationships with civic leaders and people working for change in their communities, who help us gain valuable insights into local challenges and opportunities. While we engage collaboratively, such as partnering with community groups to host listening sessions, we maintain editorial independence, ensuring that all reporting remains unbiased and serves the public interest.

From intimate coffee hours to expansive community conversations, our public events are inspired by current community concerns and tie back directly into the work of our reporters.

We are active on these social media platforms and respond to community comments and feedback:

We also track how the community informs our journalism and share it openly. And we peel back the curtain with our Behind the Beacon stories.

Connect with us

Address: 300 E. 39th St., Kansas City, MO 64111
Phone: 816-514-6071
Email: hello@thebeacon.media

Need to contact someone specifically? Find more information on our team page.

What to send us a story idea? Fill out this form.

Have a question about your donation? Email support@thebeacon.media or call 816-514-6071.

Want to work with us? Openings are listed here.

Privacy policy

It is important that visitors to our site understand what information we gather about them, how we use it and how we work to protect it. By using our website, and/or signing up for services such as membership or our newsletter, you consent to information practices outlined in our Privacy Policy (website).

We track how our visitors use this site so that we can see what people like and don’t like. We also analyze and aggregate information about use patterns and share the aggregated data with our advertisers (for example, we keep track of how many users see and click on particular stories). We may also collect personal information about you via registration for newsletters, commenting, donations, membership and other areas.

We will not release your name, email address or any other personal information to anyone outside Beacon Media Inc. without your consent, unless we are under a legal order to do so, or there is an emergency involving danger to a person or property.

Beacon Media Inc. may use cookies to identify you as a repeat visitor or customer of the website, to maintain session information for logged in users, and to track usage trends and patterns in order to better understand and improve areas of our website.

Security

Beacon Media Inc. employs a number of security methods designed to prevent unauthorized access, maintain data accuracy, and ensure correct use of information. Your personal data will be stored within a database that is located behind a firewall for added security.

No data transmission over the Internet or any wireless network can be guaranteed to be secure. As a result, while we try to protect your personal information, we cannot ensure or guarantee the security of any information you transmit to us, and you do so at your own risk. We are not liable for the illegal acts of any third party.

We do not encrypt normal web sessions, however any transmission to the Beacon Media Inc. website or service of credit card information uses SSL encryption to help protect the data.

Questions

If you have any questions regarding our Privacy Policy or our use of your information, please email hello@thebeacon.media.

We ask that news organizations that republish our work also follow these rules.

The Trust Project

The Beacon is pleased to be a member of the Trust Project and to support efforts to increase transparency and trust in journalism by displaying specially designed Trust Indicators on our stories. We launched the Trust Indicators on April 29, 2025.

The Trust Project is a global network of news organizations with a confirmed commitment to integrity through the Trust Indicators®, which help the public access trustworthy news that enables them to thrive and participate in a free and democratic society. The Trust Indicators are a set of enhancements to participating sites that spell out editorial practices and policies, and provide additional context. On The Beacon’s site, readers can find the Indicators on the page “Editorial Standards,” which is also linked from the Trust Project logo on each story.