The Charlotte Observer

Mission Statement: We deliver what people need to discover and understand the region. “ ... the mission remains the same as it has been for decades: to report clearly, truthfully, completely. The Observer has shared one Pulitzer Prize and won three others outright, including two for public service, the pinnacle of American journalism (only seven newspapers have won more).” Founded: The first Charlotte Daily Chronicle, predecessor of today’s Charlotte Observer, rolled out on March 22, 1886, as a challenge from one faction of the Democratic Party to a bloc led in large part by the publisher of the Charlotte Daily Observer, founded in 1869. In August 1887, the overwhelmed Observer folded; in 1892, the Chronicle took its name. Trumpeting the “New South” and the Charlotte region’s industrialization, the Observer thrived in the early 20th century. Two months before the 1929 stock market crash, its publisher, sensing danger, sold his NYSE holdings at a huge profit, amassing the cash to expand operations during the Depression by taking advantage of cheap newsprint. CharlotteObserver.com originally launched as Charlotte.com in 1996, and today is the Carolinas’ most visited news and information website. We are the online version of The Charlotte Observer, sharing content with McClatchy affiliates and our interactive partner, WBTV/WBTV.com. These ethical guidelines for McClatchy newsrooms outline the values and standards that guide our journalism. No policy can address every conflict that may arise in our day-to-day work. It’s the responsibility of each McClatchy journalist to use good judgment and confer with news managers if the answer to an ethical question is not completely clear. This story was originally published February 6, 2015 at 2:16 PM with the headline "About us."