Whistleblowing service for news and media companies
WeMoral is a whistleblowing service for publishers, broadcasters and digital newsrooms. Staff and freelancers get a safe way to raise a concern inside the company. Outside sources get a secure page to send you tips.
From a customer in media
A media group with about 1,000 staff in four EU countries moved to WeMoral. Its time to acknowledge a report fell from 11 days to 2 hours. That keeps it well inside the 7 days the EU Directive allows.
One service for newsroom staff and outside sources
Inside the company
A whistleblowing channel for staff and freelancers
Under EU law, a media company with 50 or more workers needs a channel for staff to report. It should reach everyone who works on your output, including freelancers and contractors.
- Freelancers, stringers and casual crew can report without a company email or an account.
- Reports go straight to the handlers you name and skip the editorial chain.
- You can limit who sees a reporter's personal details.
- The audit log records every read and every change to a case.
Outside the company
A secure tip line for sources
The same service can take tips from readers, viewers and people who work elsewhere. The reporting page is public, so anyone with the link can use it. There is no app to install.
- No IP address is logged, and analytics scripts are off on the form.
- Hidden data, such as the author's name and edit history, is stripped from each file.
- Your journalist asks follow-up questions in an encrypted thread and never learns who the source is.
- A source can record a voice message in the form instead of typing.
Stripping file data protects the source. It also removes clues a desk might use to verify a file, so plan to check the content and ask in the thread. On Enterprise you can run the staff channel and the tip line as two forms, each with its own questions.
Who can use the channel in a media company
A newsroom relies on people who are not on the payroll. The EU Directive protects many of them when they report. Some national laws also expect your channel to be open to them.
| Who | Why the law covers them |
|---|---|
| Staff journalists and editors | Employees are the core group the Directive protects. |
| Freelancers and stringers | Self-employed people who work for you are covered too. |
| Crews, printers and other contractors | People who work for your contractors and suppliers are protected when they report. |
| Interns and trainees | Paid or unpaid, they are covered. |
| Board members and shareholders | This includes board members who are not on the staff. |
| Job applicants and former staff | A concern raised during hiring, or after someone has left, still counts. |
What media employees report
Pressure on editorial decisions
Concerns that an owner, an advertiser or a political contact is steering what gets covered.
Sponsored content
Paid content that is not marked as an ad, or deals that tie coverage to ad spend.
Conflicts of interest
A reporter who covers a firm they own shares in, or an editor who has not declared a link to a story.
Sourcing and accuracy
Quotes, figures or images that do not add up, and corrections that are held back.
Bullying and harassment
Tight deadlines and a strong chain of command make these hard to raise, so a route outside that chain helps.
Source and data safety
Unpublished material, contact lists or source details handled in a way that puts people at risk.
WeMoral comes with twelve report types, and you can rename each one. A newsroom might add one for editorial pressure.
When a report concerns the editor-in-chief
In a newsroom, the person a report is about is often the person who decides what runs. That means the set-up needs more care than in most companies.
Settle three things before you share the link.
Who handles reports about senior editors
Pick handlers outside the editorial chain, such as legal, HR or a board member. Roles decide who can read, answer or close a case.
How tips and staff reports stay apart
A tip is a story lead, while a staff report is a legal process with deadlines. Use categories or separate forms so each one reaches the right desk.
How freelancers find the channel
Freelancers rarely see the intranet. Put the link in contracts, in the emails that hire them and in your guide for contributors.
Frequently asked questions
Does a media company need a whistleblowing channel by law?
In the EU, the duty comes from your national whistleblowing law, based on the EU Whistleblower Directive (2019/1937). In most EU countries it starts at 50 workers. Check how your law counts freelancers and casual crew. Elsewhere, check your local law.
Can we use the same service as a tip line for sources?
Yes. The reporting page is public, so readers and people at other organisations can use it too. It logs no IP address, removes hidden data from files and lets your team reply in an encrypted thread. Edit the form questions so they suit a tip rather than a staff report.
Is a tip from an outside source a whistleblowing report?
Not always. The Directive protects people who report wrongdoing they saw at work. A reader with a story idea is usually outside it. A source who brings news about their own employer to the press may be protected, under the rules on going public. Treat both with care, and track staff reports separately because they carry legal deadlines.
Where are reports and source material stored?
In Frankfurt, Germany, so the case data stays in the EU. Reports, files and messages are encrypted in transit and at rest, and files are scanned for viruses when they arrive.