The Batavian strives to be an indispensable resource for the residents of Genesee County of news and community.
We work hard to be the first source of news for events and issues that are current, working to continually to answer for readers the question, "What is happening in my community now?"
We strive to be as complete as possible in our local news coverage.
We don't waste much time and effort on stories that are not directly relevant to Genesee County.
We aim to be truthful, honest, transparent and fair. We place a higher value on the idea of fairness over the often-misunderstood goal of "objectivity." We make no pretense to being "objective" in the manner that word is often understood (a strict, no opinion, "just the facts" standard). Instead, we strive to be scientifically objective (the original goal of "objective journalism," meaning we evaluate evidence and facts and put them in context). Our goal is to be fair to all interested parties and be honest in presenting facts, even if those facts contradict our own opinions on a subject.
We support locally owned businesses first and foremost. We believe that locally owned businesses are the civic and economic backbone of any community. In order for local communities to thrive, locally owned businesses must be successful.
We believe in conversation. We believe that everybody has a right to be heard and strive to create an online environment for a broad range of participation from people in the community that is respectful and civil.