Delaware Source is an independent, community-powered local news organization serving Delaware County. We exist to help a fast-growing community understand itself — so people can make informed decisions about their lives, their neighborhoods and the future of the county.
Delaware County is changing quickly. Growth brings energy, opportunity and pride – but it also raises real questions about housing, schools, infrastructure, traffic, public spending and who benefits from progress. These decisions all have real, day-to-day impacts — our job is to provide reporting that adds clarity, context and meaning for daily life in Delaware.
Delaware Source is built on four core principles: presence, clarity, usefulness and trust. Every reporting decision we make comes back to those values.
A Thoughtful Launch, By Design
Delaware Source is a new newsroom, but it is not starting from zero.
We are owned and operated by Source Media Properties, the locally-owned company behind Richland Source, Ashland Source and Knox Pages. Since 2013, our organization has built nationally recognized, community-centered newsrooms across North Central Ohio. Delaware Source applies all those lessons from day one.
Because we are launching in a new market, we are being deliberate about how we show up. We will not attempt to cover everything immediately. Instead, we’ll focus on reporting that is meaningful where it matters most.
Our early success won’t be measured by how much we publish, but by whether our work helps readers better understand what’s happening in their community.
Key Contacts & Where to Find Us
Office address: 18 E William St. Delaware, OH 43015 (COHatch Delaware)
Office hours: 9-5
News Tips & Questions: news@delawaresource.com
Press Releases: pressreleases@delawaresource.com
Sales & Ads: sales@delawaresource.com
Membership: membership@delawaresource.com
Help Desk: help@delawaresource.com
General Inquiry: contact@delawaresource.com
If you’d like to reach our team, here are key points of contact for Delaware Source:
What We Cover — and Why
Delaware Source focuses on stories that meaningfully affect daily life in Delaware County. Our reporting priorities reflect what residents told us they value and need:
- Growth & Change: Development, zoning, housing, infrastructure, traffic, population shifts and the ripple effects of growth.
- Schools & Families: School decisions, capacity strain, construction, levies, student experiences and youth activities.
- Public Life: Local government, public safety, health, and policies that shape everyday decisions
- Community & Culture: People, events, arts, outdoor life, food, small businesses and local traditions
We also cover community-centered topics – like high school sports and local events – because they signal presence and shared attention, not just power.
Our Approach to Journalism
Our reporting aims to answer three core questions whenever possible:
- Here’s what this means
- Here’s how this connects
- Here’s why this is happening now
We practice solutions journalism, which means we don’t stop at identifying problems. When appropriate, we examine responses – what’s been tried, what’s working, what hasn’t and why. That doesn’t mean avoiding tough stories. It means telling the whole story.
We do not chase outrage or shock value. We report challenges honestly, but we don’t exploit them. Accuracy, fairness and context matter more to us than being first.
How We’re Funded
Delaware Source is part of Source Media Properties, a for-profit, locally owned company founded in 2013 with the goal of building sustainable, community-serving journalism.
Our newsroom is supported by a mix of:
- Individual memberships and subscriptions, which are essential to sustaining independent local journalism
- Corporate partnerships and sponsorships aligned with community value
- Advertising and marketing services provided through our in-house agency
- Project-based grants that expand reporting capacity
Membership matters — a lot. Reader subscriptions directly support newsroom operations and allow us to invest in reporting that serves the long-term interests of the Delaware community.
Advertisers, sponsors and partners do not influence editorial decisions or coverage.
Transparency & News Literacy
Not all content on Delaware Source is the same – and we label it clearly.
- Reported Content is produced, edited and fact-checked by our newsroom.
- Submitted Content is shared by community members or organizations and lightly edited.
- Opinion Content reflects the views of the author, not the newsroom.
- Sponsored Content is promotional and clearly marked.
We believe readers deserve to know what they’re reading and why it’s published.
Accuracy, Corrections and Engagement
We’d rather get the story right than get it first.
Accuracy is a priority. When we make a mistake, we correct it transparently and clearly note what changed and why.
We encourage readers to engage with us by sharing tips, asking questions, offering feedback or pointing out errors.
Readers can also participate directly through Open Source, our community engagement platform that allows anyone to submit questions, ideas or topics they want our newsroom to explore. Open Source helps ensure our reporting reflects real community needs and concerns. Delaware Source is journalism for and with our community.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy
At Delaware Source, we use artificial intelligence as a tool — not a replacement for real humans.
We may sometimes use AI to help us work more efficiently, but our journalism is created, reviewed and approved by humans. AI assists our work, it does not replace our reporting, judgment or responsibility to the reader.
How We Use AI
We may use AI tools to support tasks such as:
- Brainstorming or refining language
- Generating headline or SEO suggestions
- Transcribing interviews
- Summarizing public documents
- Drafting posts for social media
- Identifying patterns in data
Our journalists review and verify everything we publish. AI does not independently draft or publish our reporting.
What We Don’t Use AI For
We draw clear boundaries:
- AI does not make editorial decisions.
- AI does not replace reporting or interviews.
- AI does not independently draft or publish our journalism.
- AI does not alter journalistic photographs.
- AI does not create photorealistic depictions of real people for news coverage.
AI in Visual Journalism
Our first choice is always original photography or artwork. When that’s not available, we may use AI to create clearly illustrative images that are not otherwise possible to photograph. These are conceptual illustrations — not journalistic images — and they are labeled accordingly.
We do not publish AI-generated photorealistic images of real people in news contexts, and we do not fabricate scenes or events.
All AI-generated visuals are reviewed by an editor, and labeled with how they were created.
Disclosure
Routine internal uses of AI (such as brainstorming or SEO assistance) are not individually disclosed.
If AI plays a significant role in published content — especially in visual elements — we will disclose that clearly within the story.
Privacy and Responsibility
We do not submit confidential or sensitive source information into open AI systems.
AI helps us work smarter, but humans remain accountable for everything we publish.
This policy will evolve as technology evolves. We welcome your questions and feedback.
Covering Youth & Juvenile Cases
At Delaware Source, we believe in transparency, accountability and fairness — especially when covering young people involved in the justice system.
Juvenile court exists for a reason. Under Ohio law, cases involving minors are handled differently than adult criminal cases, with an emphasis on rehabilitation. Many juvenile records may later be sealed or expunged.
Because our reporting lives permanently online, we approach juvenile cases with care.
As a general practice, Delaware Source does not publish the names of minors charged in juvenile court unless:
- The minor is being charged as an adult, or
- There is a compelling public safety reason that requires identification.
These decisions will be made by the editor after weighing public interest and potential long-term harm.
We believe the public has a right to understand what happens in our schools and community. At the same time, we recognize that a young person’s involvement in the justice system should not automatically become a permanent digital label.
Our goal is to inform the community while avoiding unnecessary, lifelong harm.
When appropriate, we may include an editor’s note explaining our decision-making in a particular case.