CAPRIVI VISION, is a first black Community newspaper in Namibia, with a clear editorial policy that reflects its commitment in serving the local communities and promoting a reading culture. Here are the key primary aspects of its editorial policy:

1. Inform, Educate, and Entertain:
   • Caprivi Vision aims to inform, educate, and entertain its readership.
   • It covers a wide range of topics, including local news, national news , and international news.
   • By providing relevant and engaging content, the newspaper fosters a reading culture among its audience in promoting democracy and human rights. Article 21, of the Namibian Constitution gives and protects all people with the freedom of speech and the right to express their opinions, the freedom of media and other media to impart information. Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights states that Every individual shall have the right to receive information. Aand Every individual shall have the right to express and disseminate his opinions within the law. Together with Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) states that “Everyone has the right to freedom of Opinion and expression. this right includes the freedom to hold opinions without interference, and to seek., receive, and impart information and ideas through any media, regardless of frontiers”
2. Community Focus:
   • The newspaper prioritizes community issues.
   • It highlights and profiles local matters, ensuring that the voices and concerns of the people in the Zambezi Region are heard.
   • Through its reporting, it contributes to community development and empowerment.
3. Multilingual Approach:
   • Recognizing the linguistic diversity of the region, Caprivi Vision publishes content in both English and siLozi.
   • This approach ensures accessibility for readers from different language backgrounds.
4. Independence and Youthful Perspective:
   • Caprivi Vision proudly identifies itself as the “first black youthful independent regional/community newspaper.”
   • Its editorial stance reflects independence, allowing it to address issues relevant to its readership without bias.
5. Online Presence:
   • The newspaper has migrated from traditional print to online-only news delivery.
   • By embracing digital platforms, it reaches a wider audience and adapts to changing media consumption habits¹²³.

In summary, Caprivi Vision strives to be a reliable source of information, a platform for community engagement, and a catalyst for positive change in the Zambezi Region, Namibia and the world in general.

Editorial Strategy

THE CAPRIVI VISION Editorial Policy

Will serve as a guideline in which it will serve its mandate of “Watching the Nation” in reporting news accurately, fairly and truthfully.

This Editorial Policy adhere to all Media Code of Ethics of the Editors Forum of Namibia, and editorial strategy reinforces editorial independence; and accountability through transparency.

It also respects and abides to the Community Media Policy of Namibia and the Code of Practice for Community Media which both still underway for adoption in Namibia.

This editorial policy guides the Caprivi Vision Staff to uphold the highest standards of transparency, accountability, and community involvement.

The guidelines are monumentally presented to contribute to editorial content based on four aspects: gathering of news, newsroom management and practice, basic editorial rules, and conflicts of interest.

The public interest consists of the following:

• Establishing corrupt practices of those elements leading all public entities, unruly unethical conduct in the public image;
• Setting the facts correct when an individual or an institution has misled the public on a matter of public knowledge;
• Divulging where a person or institution fails to comply with their obligatory mandate;
• Public administration and execution of services at all levels of society;
• Administrative justice;
• Rendering of Public health and safety of all people;
• And any other matters pertaining government inefficiency functions and systems.

In defence of these public, CAPRIVI VISION is committed to an editorial independence, in producing our own local content free from censorship.

Making sure that advertising, advertorial and other sponsored items are identified and distinguished from all editorial materials in line with the principles of journalism.

A.     Traditional mandate

 

1)      Undisclosed Contribution

Articles commissioned by [THE CAPRIVI VISION] are published undisclosable or with a by-line “By Staff Reporter “here is to protect the journalist’s safety, privacy and livelihood where it is threatened.

2)      Remittance for published content

All published items such as stories, video clips and photographs taken by our freelancers are paid at an agreed rate with the Editor and the Freelance Journalist.

3)      Freelance employee:

The [Caprivi Vision Newspaper] accepts commissioning payments of all freelance employees or those who are not employed full-time on a daily basis. Here, the Editor must make or agree on terms and conditions of the two parties on the type of contributions is needed.

4)      Confidentiality:

Editor and other senior rank staff assigned in the newsroom should be obliged to treat everybody with access to personal information of other members as confidential and not to otherwise disclose it to anyone except in the course of discharging formal responsibilities.

5)       Copyright:

Permission should be granted to journalists and editors before using a content from the unauthorised sources or intermediaries – for example all material produced by freelancers and journalists employed by The Caprivi Vision becomes the own content or product of the Caprivi Vision as its own Copyrights.

6)      Legal Affairs:

We believe that the law regarding the defamation should be protected and adhered to as failure to break it is tantamount to court actions, Thereof; Caprivi Vision Staff should:

1. Acquaint and familiarize themselves with the applicable state of the law and seek redress they are uncertainties;

7)      Privacy:

Right to privacy means that we are not allowed to report or investigate and publish information surrounding bedroom or personal life of and an accused individual as this may result to their fundamental rights as human beings.

For example, this is cautioned that reporting and publishing personal identities, such as Personal Identity number, Social Security Numbers, Street names and other numbers that may enable others to intrude on the privacy or safety of those people who are the subject of media coverage.

B.       Editorial Rules

1. Accuracy, Truth and Verification

Caprivi Vision journalists and editors should gather news and produce the final content with accurately, truthfully, fairly and verification through fact checking of all items used in the process of packaging the news.

2)      Sources of Information

All sources of information should be make known to the public, unless where the Sources are in danger once the information is published, therefore on this situation Caprivi Vision will produce the content or material as obtained from undisclosed sources.

The source of published material obtained from another organisation or institution should be acknowledged with credit.

Offering copy approval should be avoided as a method of securing interviews or co-operation.

3)      Reporting on Children or Minor:

 

All children who are under the age of 15 should be given special caution when reporting about them.

According to Article 15, of the Namibian Constitution protects Children’s rights. Therefore, this editorial policy acknowledges and recognises that special protective measures in respect of children are needed and shall therefore:

Children who are under age should not be otherwise asked questions beyond their knowledge and capacity to answer.

The editor in charge must be informed when children are photographed or interviewed without the consent of a responsible adult or parent.

Journalists should not go deeper into minor’s privacy without proper understanding and consent.

4)      Direct quotations:

Journalists and editors should continue make use of the direct quotations, in order to make or add value on the stories.

5)      Grief:

People should be treated with sensitivity in reporting periods of grief and trauma.

6)      Photographs, videos and images:

Altering pictures or distorting audio-visual material is generally unacceptable. Where it takes place there should be clear indication that the images have been changed and digitally enhanced or altered, images, montages and illustrations should be clearly labelled.

C.       Conflicts of interest

[THE CAPRIVI VISION] values our reputation for independence and integrity. Journalists clearly have lives, interests, hobbies, convictions and beliefs outside their work.

We aim to ensure that outside interests do not come into conflict with our journalism or compromise our editorial integrity.

The following guidelines concern all active outside interests which, should they remain undeclared and become known, would cause a fair-minded reader to question the independence of our editorial work.

We recognise that objectivity is not a one-size-fits-all rule. A columnist, for instance, with views openly on display, may have more latitude than a staff reporter, who would be expected to bring rigorous qualities of objectivity to their work. If in doubt, journalists should consult a responsible editor or editor-in-chief.

a)      Free gifts:

No Staff member, Journalist and editors should accept gifts in the form of bribes.

No members of our staff, or freelancers should use their position to obtain private benefit for themselves or others. We do not allow any payment, gift or other advantage to undermine the accuracy, fairness or independence of our journalism.

No journalist or freelancer is allowed to do commercial products unless with the express permission of the responsible editor or editor-in-chief.

b)     Outside Interests:

Staff journalists have the right to activities outside work (including holding office or being otherwise actively involved in organisations, companies or political parties). However, these may sometimes be perceived as influencing or conflicting with the integrity of our journalism.

Staff should inform the editor-in-chief about any outside personal, philosophical or financial interests that might conflict with their professional performance, or could be perceived as doing so.

c)      Declarations of interest:

Journalists and Freelance employees should declare their own interests when we write about something which they having connection. This means that Full transparency must be disclosed as a declaration both print and online, the website.

d)      Declarations of Business Interest

CAPRIVI VISION is not affiliated to any political organisation or other -media companies. We are therefore careful to acknowledge that with a disclaimer on our website through the link called about us. Anyone or interest group wish in writing a story concerning on who we are should request comments and/or confirmation in the right way.

At the end of this document, we provide a summary of the areas and companies with which we have connection, either through ownership or in which it has an interest. Full details are on our website [https://linktr.ee/caprivinews?utm_source=linktree_profile_share&ltsid=fdc1556b-1047-4a61-a993-6d9e5a232d82].