A project of the Public Alliance of Professional Journalists Communicating with the watchdogs  ·  Who we cover
WatchDoggery

The public weighs in on professional journalism.

WatchDoggery is where the thinking public weighs in on professional journalism — commentary, complaints, compliments, and questions. Our focus is standards-based news and information providers, whether newspaper or digital, local or national, video and broadcast, audio or podcast. The delivery method is irrelevant.

A $7 card charge confirms your identity and helps offset our costs. We do not store your payment information.

WatchDoggery — Real people. Real feedback. Better journalism for all.
Our review process

What happens after you submit

We're in the early days of organizing, and every submission is read by a person. Here's how we intend feedback to move from your form to a published summary — and, when it's warranted, to the outlet itself. We'll share more detail as the project grows.

Step one

We sort it

Each submission is categorized as a complaint, compliment, or comment, then matched to the outlet and the standard it touches.

Step two

We share it

Where it's useful, we pass substantive feedback to the outlet so editors can see what the public is telling them.

Step three

We publish patterns

We publish overviews of recurring themes so readers and outlets can see where coverage is working — and where it isn't.

Submit feedback now

Raise a complaint, offer praise, or comment

Use this form for a news article, broadcast, or stream from an outlet that follows professional standards. Be as specific as you can — a link or headline helps us find it quickly.

  • Every submission is read by a person.
  • We publish overviews, never your personal details.
  • A $7 card charge confirms identity; payment data isn't stored.

Thank you — your feedback is in.

Someone at WatchDoggery will review it and, where it's useful, share it with the outlet. Recurring patterns are published in our overviews.

Who we cover

Outlets that hold themselves to a standard

WatchDoggery focuses on news organizations that follow recognized journalism standards. If the outlet you have in mind fits one of these, we want to hear from you.

Local newspapers

Community and regional papers in print and on the web.

Online news sites

Digital-first newsrooms publishing original reporting.

Broadcast & streaming

Local or national news on air and on demand.

Review

Every submission gets a human review

Someone at WatchDoggery will review every submission. Our goal is to inform the public — we carry no regulatory power. Because the United States has no statutory press regulator, WatchDoggery is built around feedback, not enforcement.

FAQs

Answers to common questions

How does WatchDoggery work?
You submit a complaint, compliment, or comment about a news article, broadcast, or stream from a standards-based outlet. We sort it, share substantive feedback with the outlet where useful, and publish overviews of recurring patterns. Every submission is read by a person.
What does the $7 charge cover?
The $7 card charge confirms your identity and helps offset our operating costs. It is not a fee for a verdict, and it does not influence how your feedback is handled. We do not store your payment information.
What should I expect after I submit?
You'll receive confirmation that your feedback was received. A reviewer reads each submission and, where it's warranted, shares it with the outlet. Personal details are never published — only overviews of themes and patterns.
Can I request a second look?
Yes. If you believe your submission was misread or missed something, you can ask us to take another look. Reach out using the details in the footer and reference your original submission.
Which outlets fall outside your scope?
WatchDoggery covers outlets that follow recognized journalism standards. Opinion blogs, social media posts, advertising, and entertainment programming generally fall outside what we review.

Seen something worth flagging?

Complaints, compliments, and commentary all help make journalism better.

Submit feedback