We Asked ChatGPT: Is NJ21st.com Advocacy Journalism?

Here’s what we got back:

Based on the information available, NJ21st.com exhibits characteristics of advocacy journalism. The platform, formerly known as Berkeley Heights Community Watch, has expanded its scope to include communities within New Jersey’s 21st District. It identifies as an independent, non-profit entity committed to increasing transparency and accountability in local government.

The site’s mission centers on providing a platform for diverse, independent voices to share informed perspectives on important local issues—particularly governance. This approach often involves critiquing political structures and advocating for transparency and civic engagement.

NJ21st.com also actively invites participation from residents, elected officials, and candidates in the district, reinforcing its commitment to public discourse. This participatory model aligns well with the principles of advocacy journalism.

In summary, NJ21st.com’s focus on highlighting local government issues, promoting transparency, and encouraging public contributions fits within the framework of advocacy journalism.

Now Let’s Talk About Ethics

1. Truth & Accuracy

“Evaluate the value of various sources of information.”
We verify every article using public records, OPRA requests, and firsthand attendance at meetings. Even our Community Voices pieces go through this process. Fun fact: we were the only news outlet to submit OPRA requests to the District within the BHPSNJ Business Administrator’s most recent report.

“Check the accuracy of information before reporting.”
Each article is reviewed by at least two team members. When the facts are unclear, we reach out to officials for clarification. For example, when we found major discrepancies in security spending between SLEOs/SROs and what was reported on the ACFR, we emailed both the Town and School District Administrators. No one responded—that silence speaks volumes.

“Know what sources are available to investigate the accuracy of information.”
Our reporting isn’t built on access to a few well-connected insiders. We use state databases, OPRA-obtained documents, and confidential sources within municipal government and BHPSNJ. When the former CFO alleged harassment and interference by the Township, we reviewed the documents and reached out to the Mayor. Her response? A demand to reveal our source—something we would never do.

“Acknowledge when the truth of a claim hasn’t been verified.”
This rarely happens. But when it does, we say so—often paired with a request for clarification from a relevant official.

2. Independence

“Journalists must be independent voices, free of special interests.”
We’re not on any political committee or club (they’re not fans of ours anyway).
We don’t take money from government entities, political organizations, or local businesses.
We don’t pose for selfies with elected officials (actually that part might not be entirely true).
We’re not anyone’s “official online news source”—and if that ever changed, we’d shut it down.
All of our written content is under a Creative Commons License.

3. Fairness & Impartiality

“Stories should be balanced and add context—even when objectivity isn’t possible.”
We’re opinionated, sure. But we base our opinions on facts.
We don’t pretend to be neutral by avoiding hard truths or silencing dissent.
You know where we stand—and that transparency builds trust.

We welcome criticism, don’t block readers, and accept submissions from all candidates and perspectives, as long as they respect our platform’s tone and mission. In a landscape of echo chambers, that’s as fair as it gets.

4. Humanity

“Journalists should do no harm—but that doesn’t mean avoiding difficult truths.”
We don’t target private individuals. You won’t find arrest reports or personal scandals here.

We do challenge institutions. If you’re a public official locking kids out of tennis courts while preaching kindness at council meetings, expect to see a meme pointing out the hypocrisy.

We use satire and political cartoons as tools, not weapons—and always with purpose.

And we will always – always – always- side with everyday people over politicians, corporate interests, special interests or bureaucracies-always.

5. Accountability

“Responsible journalism means owning your mistakes.”
We’ve made very few factual errors—maybe one, and we corrected it quickly.
We clarified one Community Voices article related to the OSC investigation after additional context became available.

We listen to feedback. We don’t always agree, but we always respond—and we always aim to improve.

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