About The Conversation Our charter

About The Conversation



Who we are

The Conversation is an independent source of news and views, sourced from the academic and research community and delivered direct to the public.

Our team of professional editors work with university, CSIRO and research institute experts to unlock their knowledge for use by the wider public.

Access to independent, high-quality, authenticated, explanatory journalism underpins a functioning democracy. Our aim is to allow for better understanding of current affairs and complex issues. And hopefully allow for a better quality of public discourse and conversations.

We have introduced new protocols and controls to help rebuild trust in journalism. All authors and editors sign up to our Editorial Charter. And all contributors must abide by our Community Standards policy. We only allow authors to write on a subject on which they have proven expertise, which they must disclose alongside their article. Authors’ funding and potential conflicts of interest must be disclosed. Failure to do so carries a risk of being banned from contributing to the site.

Since our launch in March 2011, we’ve grown to become one of Australia’s largest independent news and commentary sites. Around 35% of our readers are from outside Australia.

The Conversation started in Melbourne, Victoria, and the innovative technology platform and development team is based in the university and research precinct of Carlton.

We believe in open access and the free-flow of information. The Conversation is a free resource: free to read (we’ll never go behind a paywall), and free to share or republish under Creative Commons. All you need to do is follow our simple guidelines. We have also become an indispensable media resource: providing free content, ideas and talent to follow up for press, web, radio or TV.

Sincere thanks go to our Founding Partners who gave initial funding support: CSIRO, Monash University, University of Melbourne, University of Technology Sydney and University of Western Australia. Strategic Partners Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Corrs Chambers Westgarth, RMIT University and a growing list of member institutions also provide financial support.

Our Newsroom is based in Melbourne, Australia. We also have editors in Sydney, Canberra, Brisbane, Perth and Jakarta. We are wholly owned by The Conversation Media Trust, a not-for-profit company.

Our charter

We will:

• Inform public debate with knowledge-based journalism that is responsible, ethical and supported by evidence.
• Unlock the knowledge of researchers and academics to provide the public with clarity and insight into society’s biggest problems.
• Create an open site for people around the world to share best practices and collaborate on developing smart, sustainable solutions.
• Provide a fact-based and editorially independent forum, free of commercial or political bias.
• Support and foster academic freedom to conduct research, teach, write and publish.

• Ensure the site’s integrity by only obtaining non-partisan sponsorship from education, government and private partners. Any advertising will be relevant and non-obtrusive.
• Protect editorial freedom in all commercial agreements.
• Ensure quality, diverse and intelligible content reaches the widest possible audience by employing experienced editors to curate the site.
• Set the standard in journalism best practice. Be open, transparent and accountable. Where errors occur correct them expeditiously.
• Work with our academic, business and government partners and our advisory board to ensure we are operating for the public good.