Article 6: How GFTV stays independent

Introduction

Based in Singapore, Global Furry Television (GFTV) operates online platforms and communities with a global reach.

For years, hundreds of thousands of people relied on GFTV’s flagship news service for its calm, impartial reporting, even during difficult moments.

Our work documents often misunderstood or ignored parts of the furry fandom, and shows that rigid, black-and-white thinking leads to division, not understanding.

People tried many times to sway or pressure GFTV to serve external interests. These attempts range from direct and indirect social, moral, and reputational pressure, to intimidation and harassment of our team and community members.

Individuals have tried to import political advocacy into GFTV spaces, demanding that our newsroom abandon objectivity in favour of specific sociopolitical causes.

Some of these actions are unethical. Some are illegal. They reflect the reality that the internet’s openness also attracts bad actors.

For this reason, GFTV established Article 6 in its Charter to set clear, public boundaries needed for our safety, neutrality, and responsible operation under Singapore law.

59. GFTV, its Personnel shall —

59.1 act independently of any other person, grouping or organisation;
59.2 not participate in or affiliate with any political party and activist group or organisation and their activities;
59.3 have no financial interests or personal relationships that could conflict with their ability to serve at GFTV fairly and independently;
59.4 actively preserve GFTV’s independence, such as actively rejecting offers, agreements, gifts, and rewards, monetary or not, that entail the sacrifice of GFTV’s right to self-determination, independence, and neutrality.

60. Additionally, Personnel who, before their inauguration into GFTV, are affiliated with any political party and activist group or organisation and their activities —

60.1 shall disassociate, leave and clear of any participation or association with parties, groups and organisation and their activities; and
60.2 shall ensure that any information they provide to the Organisation is complete and truthful and furnish or amend it truthfully and accordingly where needed.
60.2.1 Personnel who do not follow this principle are responsible for any consequences given by GFTV or under the law.

61. Article VI shall be unamendable in any manner stated in the Charter and form the bedrock of GFTV’s identity and purpose.

A. What Article 6 guarantees

1. Freedom from influence – External persons, groups, or organisations cannot influence, direct, or use GFTV for their agenda.
   
   This includes political parties and activist groups (PPAGs), and any other outside body that may seek to steer our governance, culture, or reporting. These bodies may weaponise GFTV for foreign interference or hostile information campaigns.
   
   
2. Freedom from coercion – GFTV Personnel contribute as themselves in internal governance.
   
   Personnel must be free from pressure that is direct or indirect, formal or informal, and especially pressure that is social, moral, or reputational, where such pressure seeks to influence GFTV’s governance, decision-making, or reporting.
   
   This includes attempts to force outcomes through coordinated shaming, moral framing, reputational threats, political or activist campaigning, organisational leverage, or intimidation.
   
   
3. Independence – GFTV remain the master of its own direction.
   
   The furry fandom is global and, in some regions, politically vocal. Article 6 lets us push out pressure to rally, campaign, or take positions on political, identity-based, or sociopolitical causes.

B. What Article 6 mandates

1. GFTV and its Personnel must act independently of all outside parties.
   
   No external group may have authority over GFTV’s decisions. For this reason, GFTV Personnel may not participate in or affiliate with PPAGs, including their activities.
   
   This does not ban personal beliefs. It prevents outside agendas from creating expectations and pressure that compromise GFTV’s independence.
   
   
2. Personnel affiliated with PPAGs before joining GFTV must fully disassociate from them and their activities before inauguration.
   
   They must truthfully declare this to GFTV and update it when required. Personnel who do not do so are responsible for any consequences imposed by GFTV or under the law.
   
   
3. GFTV must reject anything demanding it to sacrifice its self-determination.
   
   This includes rejecting offers, agreements, gifts, rewards, or benefits — monetary or otherwise — if they require GFTV to give up its independence, neutrality, or right to decide its own direction.
   
   
4. GFTV must permanently enforce its independence and neutrality.
   
   Article 6 is unamendable because independence and neutrality form GFTV’s bedrock and identity. To repeal Article 6, Personnel must dissolve GFTV entirely.

C. What Article 6 achieves

1. Our news reporting stays independent and neutral.
   
   Many media channels today openly allow politics or ideology to shape their coverage. GFTV does not.
   
   This independence is one reason audiences continue to rely on our channels, especially during sensitive or contentious situations.
   
   
2. Only GFTV Personnel decides GFTV’s direction and how our communities are governed.
   
   Decisions about our culture, standards, and way of operating are made within GFTV, not imposed from outside.
   
   
3. GFTV Communities may grow on their own terms.
   
   GFTV’s Communities grow through the people who participate in them, together with GFTV Personnel who govern these spaces in line with Article 6, the Charter, and the law.
   
   As cosmopolitan spaces, our Communities define their own culture, resolve differences internally, and grow organically within these boundaries.

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