Editorial policy
Rubryka is a media outlet of useful solutions for everyone
Rubryka is the first Ukrainian solutions-oriented media. We are an independent media outlet guided by the Solutions Journalism approach, which adheres to journalistic standards and speaks to the Ukrainian audience and international readers. We operate in three languages — Ukrainian, English, and Russian.
We adopt a constructive approach to journalism, specifically embracing solutions journalism, to keep our readers informed about current events in Ukraine and worldwide. Solutions journalism and constructive journalism are journalistic methods that prioritize reporting on responses to societal problems. This entails not just discussing problems but also exploring and highlighting potential solutions at the state, community, and individual levels.
We incorporate elements of solutions journalism into our content creation, utilizing its format where appropriate. Rubryka produces comprehensive case stories as well as instructional guides and useful compilations to provide valuable resources for our readers.
Rubryka focuses on the following topics:
- What's going on — explanations on current events within the realms of politics, economics, and global affairs.
- Cases — entrepreneurs' stories, social initiatives, and practices worth spreading.
- In-Handy — lifehacks, culture, education, and inspiration for every day.
- Ecorubric — everything you need to know about environmental issues and protection in Ukraine, along with global practices. If you've had questions but hesitated to ask, we've got you covered.
- She's Got It — section for socially active women: our content is tailored to empower you further. Explore materials that contribute to your strength and engagement.
- Urban — urban development and practices
- eRubric — monitoring technologies and digitalization.
- InvestSolutions — investment solutions for the economy and civil society amidst war
- Health — solutions for and about health: both physical and mental.
- Blogs — op-eds and opinion pieces.
Rubryka's mission
We aim to be the drivers of positive changes in society, replication of practical solutions, and a bridge between our readers and public initiatives. We empower our readers to actively engage in civil society, fostering the development and visibility of public initiatives we highlight. Through the use of solutions journalism, we aim to cultivate a community of change. Our aspiration is for readers to transform into agents of change, facilitating the growth of the projects and initiatives we feature.
Rubryka's values and ethical principles
Rubryka adheres to the following principles in its work:
- Inadmissibility of separatism and anti-Ukrainian ideas in any manifestation.
- Non-discriminatory policy.
- Gender equality and representative balance.
- Human rights, including the rights of minorities and people with disabilities, are their representation and protection.
- Environmental development and environmental protection. Implementation of environmental policies and eco-awareness development.
- Compliance with objective journalism standards, verification of the truthfulness of information, protection of sources, respect for copyright, and rules of conflict-sensitive journalism.
- Compliance with the principles of solutions journalism and journalistic standards (balance of thought, objectivity, completeness, accuracy, reliability, promptness).
- Adherence to the principles of sensitive journalism, particularly in working with people injured due to war, manifestations of violence, etc.
Solutions journalism is Rubryka's main focus
In its pieces, Rubryka adheres to the principles of constructive journalism and includes "pillars" of solutions journalism or its elements.
| Problem | Explains the problem that an initiative or individual, emphasized in our content, is working to address. |
| Case — response to a problem | What kind of solution did this person/organization/community/etc. find, or in which solution participates. It must not be in theory but in action — not just an idea, but specific steps that already have results or influence. |
| Restrictions, obstacles, pitfalls | What obstacles impeded the implementation of the solution? What challenges arose on the path to their plan? Where did things go awry? In what ways did the outcome differ from expectations, hopes or plans? |
| "Evidence:" the result, how it worked out, why it works | What is the result? Is the goal/improvement achieved, and what does it look like? |
| + parallels, similar / other solutions | Optional, briefly: how others approach this problem; perhaps this case started a trend, etc. |
| + call to action | Optional. |
Solutions journalism is an approach in the coverage of socio-political topics when the main attention of the journalist and the reader is aimed at the solution, not the problem. Thus, the content created in the format of solutions journalism reveals both the problem and a way to solve it — describing it and its mechanics so that others can reproduce such a solution.
When choosing cases and collecting information, Rubryka's journalists and editors use open sources of information, professional networks, appeals from citizens and civil society organizations, and public requests. Information is collected and processed in accordance with Ukraine's legislation and in compliance with professional journalistic ethics. In the coverage of conflict situations, Rubryka always requests comments from different sides of the conflict. Rubryka protects the anonymity of its sources except when Ukraine's legislation requires otherwise.
The editorial staff at Rubryka may share the produced content with the involved parties before publication, enabling them to identify inaccuracies or misinterpretations in the direct speech, as agreed upon beforehand. The editors are not obliged to make changes in direct speech.
We wrote about the approach of solutions journalism in our work here and here.
Rubryka's brand format
Rubryka also started its brand format — the structure of articles that corresponds to "pillars" of solutions journalism:
- What is the problem?
- What is the solution?
- How does it work?
- Does it really work?
- Even more useful solutions!
Adherence to the brand format is a must-have for Rubryka's articles, with a few exceptions such as special projects, interviews, and op-eds.
You may find more about Rubryka's brand format here.
Cooperation with Rubryka
Rubryka is an independent media that works through grant support of partners in individual projects and commercial cooperation with advertisers in accordance with Ukraine's legislation.
In commercial cooperation, the Rubryka adheres to the following rules:
- The content creation takes up to 10 working days without time for amendment. By agreement with partners, the time to prepare the material can be changed.
- The number of edits from the customer for advertising piece is three stages. After the third stage, additional significant amendments may be introduced for an additional fee.
- In case the customer delays the feedback and editing of the material, the exposed date of its publication may be modified by the editorial board.
- The editorial board reserves the right to delete comments that may contain slander, insult the honor and dignity of other people, or be a manifestation of information bullying.
- The placement of partnerships and materials in cooperation is necessarily labeled with the corresponding plaques: Special project / Partner material / With the support / Company news / Promo / PR / Advertisement. The publication paid by an advertiser is identified as an advertisement.
- The editorial board does not accept advertising materials for tobacco products and electronic cigarettes, casinos and betting.
- Amendments to the already approved and published text are only possible for additional payment.
- If the client has false or incorrect information in the advertising material, the editorial board retains the right to remove such material from the site and inform readers.
For additional terms of collaboration with Rubryka and examples of our past partnerships, please refer to this link.
Free publication on Rubryka
Rubryka is open to non-profit cooperation with public and volunteer initiatives, charitable foundations, and civil society organizations. Non-profit placement of content on Rubryka's website is possible under the following conditions:
- It is possible to place expert opinion pieces in the publication, charge-free, provided that the piece's topic was agreed in advance with the editorial board. The editorial board is not responsible for the authors' opinion pieces.
- The free placement of news releases of non-governmental organizations is possible only if they are designed according to the standard format of the media outlet (see details in the section of Rubryka's brand format).
The placement of such pieces on Rubryka occurs only after editorial work with them. The editorial board does not pay the authorsnto prepare the above-mentioned pieces.
Rubryka's сopyright
The editors of Rubryka protect the copyright of their journalists, editors, photographers, designers, videographers, and editing artists who submit their works to Rubryka, on its platforms. The use of Rubryka's content by other media, organizations, or individuals is possible only if the original authorship and place of posting (Rubryka) are indicated. If a copyright violation of Rubryka is detected, the editors will contact the violator personally with a request to post appropriate disclaimers and links. The editors will defend the copyright in court if such requirements remain unfulfilled.
Mentions of Rubryka
The Rubryka team highly values interaction with both our readers and partners. We appreciate the sharing of our pieces on social media and welcome mentions in posts, announcements, reviews, and coverage of our work and events. Find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. For tagging on social networks, the Ukrainian-language Rubryka can be referenced as follows:
Rubryka also has pages of the EcoRubric project dedicated to the problems of environmental protection:
- Facebook — @ЕкоРубрика
- Instagram — @ecorubric
You can tag the English-language Rubryka in posts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram:
- Facebook — @Rubryka – Solutions from Ukraine
- Twitter — @RubrykaEng
- Instagram — @solutionsfromukraine
If you are Rubryka's partner and we did a joint special project, or if you are a public or volunteer initiative or its representative and Rubryka published piece created in cooperation with you, you can also tag the pages of the outlet in your posts, distributing the content created by Rubryka as part of a special project or collaboration.
If Rubryka has created a piece about the case of your organization or initiative, we will be glad to see posts mentioning our publication on your pages, especially if our material has helped your project to develop or become more visible.
Rubryka in English
The English-language Rubryka aims to inform a wide range of readers abroad about events in Ukraine and those related to Ukraine. In addition, the English-language Rubryka aims to spread stories of solutions from Ukraine, thus forming a vision of Ukraine not only as a country that suffers from war but also as one that finds solutions to the most acute social problems.
It follows the same principles that are prescribed in Rubryka's editorial policy. In addition, the standardized style of the Associated Press is followed, with exceptions and specifics fixed by the English Rubryka Style Guide. The latter is regularly updated and is not final.
