About Us
Our Mission
The Syracuse Reflector — Where objectivity matters. — is committed to delivering accurate, fair, and community-focused journalism. We believe an informed public is the foundation of a healthy democracy, and we strive to make the news accessible to everyone in Syracuse and beyond.
Our editorial team follows strict journalistic standards, clearly distinguishing between factual reporting and opinion, and sourcing stories transparently so readers can evaluate the information themselves.
Look Up Words While You Read
We know that great journalism sometimes uses precise — and occasionally unfamiliar — language. That's why we've built an interactive dictionary directly into every article.
How it works: Simply highlight any word or phrase in an article and a definition panel will appear instantly, right there on the page. No need to open a new tab or break your reading flow. Whether it's a legal term, a place name like El Salvador, or a word you just want to confirm, the definition is one highlight away.
This feature is powered by the Free Dictionary, which draws on Wiktionary and other open reference sources to provide definitions, pronunciations, and usage examples for hundreds of thousands of words and phrases in English.
We believe this small feature makes a big difference — helping readers engage more deeply with stories, build vocabulary naturally, and feel confident they understand exactly what they're reading.
AI-powered fallback
If a word or phrase isn't found in the Free Dictionary — such as a proper noun, an acronym, or a very specialized term — we automatically fall back to an AI-generated definition so you never hit a dead end. AI definitions are clearly labeled so you always know the source.
The 5 Ws — At a Glance
Every article on our site includes an At a Glance sidebar that distills the story into the five fundamental questions of journalism: Who, What, Where, When, and Why.
These quick-reference summaries let busy readers grasp the core facts of a story in seconds, without having to read the entire piece first. They're especially useful for breaking news, where understanding the essentials fast matters most.
Media Bias Meter
We're committed to transparency about how stories are framed. Every published article is automatically analyzed by our AI and assigned a bias score on a spectrum from Far Left to Far Right, with Center / Objective in the middle.
The score is displayed as a visual gauge in the article sidebar, so readers can immediately see where a piece sits on the political spectrum — and factor that context into how they interpret the reporting.
We believe this kind of radical transparency helps readers think critically, seek out multiple perspectives, and make up their own minds rather than simply taking any single outlet's framing at face value.
Wire Services & Attribution
In addition to original local reporting, we aggregate trusted wire content from a deliberately balanced mix of sources spanning the political spectrum — left, center, and right — so you can read multiple perspectives on the same issues.
- Voice of America (VOA) — U.S. government-funded international broadcaster; center/nonpartisan.
- Radio Free Asia (RFA) — Nonprofit broadcaster focused on Asia; center/nonpartisan.
- Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) — Independent broadcaster covering Eastern Europe and Central Asia; center/nonpartisan.
- Radio Farda — RFE/RL's Persian-language service covering Iran; center/nonpartisan.
- The Conversation — Expert commentary from academics and researchers; leans center-left.
- States Newsroom — Nonprofit network of state capitol newsrooms; center/nonpartisan.
- Global Voices — Community of citizen journalists from around the world; center-left.
- The Center Square — State and national policy reporting; center-right.
- The Daily Signal — News and commentary from the Heritage Foundation; conservative/right.
All wire content is clearly labeled with its original source, and we link back to the originating publication so you can read further and draw your own conclusions.
Community Discussion
Readers are encouraged to share their perspectives in the comments section below each article. We ask that all participants maintain a respectful and constructive conversation. Spam and abusive content will be removed.
Get in Touch
Have a tip, correction, or question? We'd love to hear from you. Send us a message →