Editorial Independence

By Cliff Potts, CSO, and Editor-in-Chief of WPS News
Baybay City, Leyte, Philippines — February 4, 2026

Respect for Filipino Readers

WPS News does not exist to tell Filipinos what to think. The Philippines is a proud, independent nation with its own history, culture, and judgment. Any newsroom that assumes otherwise will fail.

There was once an attempt to apply a Western, cable-news style model to Philippine news coverage. That approach did not last. It failed because it treated Filipino audiences as an extension of Western political debates instead of as adults capable of forming their own conclusions.

WPS News rejects that model.

What We Do Instead

Our role is to provide verified information, context, and continuity. Readers are expected to assess that information using their own experience and values. This newsroom assumes its readers are adults with their own moral compass.

WPS News reports facts. Where issues of right and wrong are involved, they are addressed directly and plainly, without theatrical language or pressure to adopt a specific political position.

Editorial Perspective

The Editor-in-Chief of WPS News is Catholic. That background informs his personal moral framework, shaped by long study and reflection. It does not mean the newsroom takes direction from the Catholic Church, the Vatican, or any religious authority.

The guiding principles come from an early Christian ethic that emphasized truth, accountability, and concern for those affected by power. These principles influence how issues are examined, not what conclusions readers are told to reach.

Global Coverage

WPS News also reports on events outside the Philippines. This is done for the same reason local reporting exists: people need to understand the environment they live in. Global events affect trade, security, food prices, and political stability.

International stories are selected based on relevance, not ideology. They are included to provide awareness, not to promote fear or outrage.

What This Means for Readers

WPS News stands alongside its readers, not above them. Reporting is done with respect, restraint, and attention to detail. Humor may appear in artwork or presentation, but the reporting itself remains direct and factual.

This publication exists to inform, not instruct.

For more social commentary, please see Occupy 2.5 at https://Occupy25.com

This essay will be archived as part of the ongoing WPS News Monthly Brief Series available through Amazon.

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References (APA)

McQuail, D. (2010). McQuail’s Mass Communication Theory (6th ed.). Sage Publications.
Schudson, M. (2008). Why Democracies Need an Unlovable Press. Polity Press.
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. (2018). Journalism, “Fake News” & Disinformation. UNESCO.