Welcome to MercerMe! By accessing or using our website (mercerme.com) and related services, you agree to the following Terms of Service.
General Terms
- MercerMe is an independent digital news publication serving Hopewell Valley, NJ.
- By using our website, you agree to abide by these terms and all applicable laws.
- We reserve the right to update these terms at any time. Continued use of MercerMe after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the revised terms.
Editorial Independence Policy
- MercerMe retains full authority over all editorial content to protect the integrity of our reporting and the trust of our community.
- We maintain a strict separation between editorial decisions and all sources of revenue, including donations, sponsorships, advertising, and grants.
- Financial support does not constitute endorsement of any donor, advertiser, or their views, products, or services.
- We may accept funding to support coverage of specific topics aligned with our mission, but editorial decisions remain entirely ours.
- Funders and donors do not review, influence, or pre-approve any editorial content.
- We publicly disclose all donors who contribute $5,000 or more in a calendar year.
- We may accept anonymous donations for general support only when we are confident that proper safeguards are in place to protect editorial independence.
Content & Copyright
- All content on MercerMe, including articles, images, and graphics, is the property of MercerMe unless otherwise noted.
- You may not reproduce, republish, or distribute MercerMe content without permission, except for personal, non-commercial use or as otherwise allowed under fair use.
- Guest posts, letters to the editor, and submitted content grant MercerMe a non-exclusive license to publish and edit submissions as needed.
Advertising & Sponsorship
- MercerMe offers advertising opportunities for local businesses.
- Sponsored content will be clearly marked.
- Advertisers must comply with all applicable advertising laws and policies set by MercerMe.
Subscription & Supporter Contributions
- MercerMe offers voluntary subscription-based support.
- Payments made to MercerMe as donations or subscriptions are non-refundable unless stated otherwise.
- MercerMe reserves the right to adjust subscription benefits at any time.
Subscription Policy
- Supports can cancel at any time through their dashboard.
Corrections & Retractions
- We strive for accuracy and correct errors when identified.
- Corrections are noted at the bottom of the article.
- In rare cases, a full retraction may be issued. (See our Corrections & Retractions Policy for more details.)
Privacy Policy
MercerMe does not share any personal data collected with third-parties nor do we store information we collect about your visit to this blog for use other than to analyze content performance through the use of cookies, which you can turn off at anytime by modifying your Internet browser’s settings. We are not responsible for the republishing of the content found on this blog on other Web sites or media without our permission.
Retractions & Corrections Policy
At MercerMe, we are committed to accuracy, fairness, and accountability in our reporting. If an error is identified in an article, we promptly review the issue and take appropriate corrective action.
Corrections
If a factual error is found in an article, we will correct it as soon as possible. Minor corrections, such as typos or formatting errors, may be updated without notice. However, for substantive factual changes, we will:
- Edit the article to reflect the accurate information.
- Note the correction at the bottom of the article with an asterisk (*) indicating when the correction was made and, when relevant, a brief explanation of the change.
Example: Correction: This article originally misstated the date of the event. It has been updated to reflect the correct date as of [date].
Retractions
In rare cases where a significant error fundamentally undermines the accuracy or integrity of an article, MercerMe may issue a retraction. A retraction will be considered when:
- The core premise of an article is proven to be false or misleading.
- The publication of the article caused harm based on incorrect information.
- The article does not meet MercerMe’s editorial standards for accuracy and fairness.
If a retraction is necessary, we will:
- Clearly mark the article as retracted, with an editor’s note explaining the reason for the retraction.
- Remove the article from public view, if warranted, while maintaining a record of the retraction for transparency.
- Publish a retraction notice separately if the impact of the error is significant enough to require a standalone clarification.
Our goal is to uphold the trust of our readers by ensuring the information we publish is accurate and responsible. We encourage readers to notify us of any potential errors by emailing [email protected].
Letter to the Editor Policy
Letters to the Editor are published at the discretion of the editor. The submission of any letter does not guarantee publication, and the editor reserves the right to not publish any submission.
Calendar Policy
The Community Calendar is meant for community notices and announcements to highlight and inform individuals about upcoming community events that are charitable, educational, cultural or recreational and taking place in or around Mercer County. MercerMe also reserves the discretion to accept events that are newsworthy. If your non-commercial organization has an event that is appropriate for the MercerMe community calendar, please submit the details and a photo for consideration. The calendar submissions will be approved by the editor. Please make sure submissions are clear and the subject is not in capital letters. Please do not submit: 1) sales/promotions; 2) the same event more than once; 3) consecutive multi-day events (with some exception but no classes/camps).
Conflicts of Interest Policy and Disclosures
- MercerMe is committed to transparency and maintaining the trust of our readers.
- We disclose any relevant conflicts of interest in the articles we publish, including those involving reporters, editors, or contributors.
- The founder and publisher, Mary Galioto, does not frequently write articles. However, in the interest of transparency, she discloses the following:
- Her former spouse, with whom she shares children, is the current mayor of Hopewell Borough.
- She serves as the PR & Media Coordinator for the Hopewell Valley Arts Council, a paid freelance position.
- Any individual associated with MercerMe is expected to disclose personal, professional, or financial relationships that could reasonably be seen as influencing their work.
- We avoid assigning coverage in situations where a significant conflict of interest exists or cannot be clearly disclosed.
