Based in Paraguay, El Surtidor is a non-profit media company that covers topics such as the challenges of being a woman in one of the most Catholic countries in Latin America and the impact of oligarchies on regular people’s lives. Its name is Spanish for “The Provider.” They directly acknowledge how important it is to be transparent to provide precise and reliable information in a better way.
“Let us tell you where we’re coming from to inform you.”
El Surtidor
Here are some highlights from the El Surti statement for ComingFrom.org:
They reject the ‘view from nowhere‘
El Surti journalists are straightforward when addressing how they see the world. They reject the idea of objectivity, but they promise to be transparent and honest.
- El Surti: “We assume ourselves, like all people, with biases, convictions and contradictions. We do not intend to be neutral or objective but rather transparent and honest. That is why we share the process and sources of our work so that you can understand and verify the information we publish. And when we mess up, we own it.”
They tell readers who funds them
The website is a project created by Memetic Media, a non-profit organization controlled by communications workers in Paraguay. The statement highlights that, by organizing themselves like this, they are independent. However, El Surti could look to Talking Points Memo for how to better detail its sources of funding and how the money is used.
- El Surti: “We are an independent media managed by its workers. Our journalistic independence is key to inform you better and monitor power. Reporters, editors, illustrators, designers discuss as a team and agree on what, how and when to publish. We don’t answer to any patrons or political parties.”
They highlight the people behind the project
Presenting its staff is an important part of El Surti’s statement. Readers can browse through 15 well-designed cartoons that portray editors, reporters and illustrators who work at the website. Each of the mini-bios has small nuggets of information that tell something about their backgrounds. For example, some of the reporters present themselves as feminists and human rights activists.
