Journalism with community benefit at its heart
Exeter Observer is published by Exeter Observer Limited, Community Benefit Society No. 8435 registered by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) under the Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Act 2014.
Other Exeter community benefit societies include Exeter Community Energy Company, Exeter St James Community Trust, Sylvania Community Stores and Co-Cars.
Exeter Observer is democratically owned and run by its members. They hold shares and have democratic rights on a one-member-one-vote basis regardless of the number of shares they hold (in contrast with the company convention of one-share-one-vote).
Membership is open to anyone who supports Exeter Observer’s community benefit purpose. It is a true non-profit organisation protected by a statutory asset lock: any surplus or assets can only be used for community benefit.
Its members elect an accountable board of directors at annual general meetings to oversee its affairs. The procedures by which decisions are made are laid out in the FCA-registered Rules of Exeter Observer Limited, a legally-binding constitutional document which also defines its aims and objects and how it is run. They are also available to download from the FCA website, as are our annual reports and accounts for the years ending April 2021 and 2022.
Exeter Observer is regulated by IMPRESS, the only recognised press regulator created following the Leveson Inquiry into the culture, practices and ethics of UK journalism. We adhere to its Standards Code and provide a robust complaints procedure with access to an independent arbitration service.
As an ICNN member Exeter Observer must also maintain editorial independence and professional standards in accordance with the NUJ Code of Conduct, and as a member of BBC Local News Partnerships we must meet strict eligibility criteria and uphold the Editors’ Code of Practice.
Exeter Observer is also a member of Co-operatives UK.
More about Exeter Observer
- Independent, investigative, in the public interest
- Journalism with community benefit at its heart
- The story so far
- Distribution & promotion
- Democracy doesn't work when people don't know
- Legacy local news
- Exeter media in perspective
- Local news that matters
- References
Exeter Observer is published by Exeter Observer Limited, Community Benefit Society No. 8435 registered under the Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Act 2014.
Our registered address is St Sidwell’s Community Centre, Sidwell Street, Exeter EX4 6NN.
