About The Western Journal

History

The Western Journal was founded in 2009 as WesternJournalism.com, a project of the Western Center for Journalism. At the time the site simply linked to other content producers and served as a hub for the discussion of important current events in the political and media spheres. The site was established to provide an alternative for readers fed up with the overt leftism of establishment media outlets. Over time, the audience grew and writers began submitting original pieces to be published in full.

In 2011, Western Journalism began publishing political news and commentary on its new Facebook page. It wasn’t until 2013, however, that Western Journalism hired its first full-time staff writer and branched into publishing original content. During this time, the site grew rapidly, reaching several hundred thousand readers daily by the end of 2013.

The beginning of 2014 marked a strategic turning point for Western Journalism, as the staff began focusing heavily on its Facebook audience, experimenting with engaging titles, and analyzing results in real time. By May 2014, over four million unique visitors were reading Western Journalism each month.

In mid-2014, the director of marketing for the Western Center for Journalism, Patrick Brown, left to found Liftable Media Inc. and its first brand, the uplifting lifestyle site Liftable.com. Liftable Media’s founding mission is to be a positive influence on culture. Patrick took what he’d learned in building social media-optimized content on Western Journalism and by November five million unique visitors were reading Liftable.com each month.

Liftable Media maintained close contact with the Western Journalism staff, and, recognizing the overlap in audience and mission, soon offered to buy WesternJournalism.com. The offer was accepted and Liftable Media made its first acquisition, officially integrating WesternJournalism.com into Liftable Media on Jan. 1, 2015.

Not long after, Liftable Media was approached by the founder of ConservativeTribune.com, a conservative opinion blog that had also seen success on Facebook. The founder, Shaun Connell, wanted to work on other projects and asked if Liftable Media was interested in buying Conservative Tribune. In April 2015, Liftable Media made its second large acquisition, buying ConservativeTribune.com.

In November of 2017, WesternJournalism.com was rebranded as The Western Journal and moved to WesternJournal.com. In April of 2018, Conservative Tribune, Liftable, and The Wildcard, a sports site established in 2017 and also owned by Liftable Media, were integrated into The Western Journal as sections of one overarching site, The Western Journal.

Mission / Coverage Priorities

The Western Journal is an online media publication and streaming service that creates educating, entertaining, and informative digital content through the lens of traditional American values. The Western Journal serves as a trusted source of news, commentary, and entertainment regarding the stories and views that remain untold by establishment media sources.

As a values-based news organization, we believe that it is vitally important that we are transparent about our beliefs and how they may affect our coverage priorities. We believe that we should be open about the values we hold, as outlined below.

In our news coverage, we do not support political parties, politicians, or candidates. In our opinion and commentary sections, we sometimes support ideas that those parties or personalities espouse. Even more important than supporting policies we agree with editorially is our obligation to our readers to give a complete picture of the truth regardless of our beliefs. We therefore sometimes report facts at variance with points of view we may hold, letting the facts speak for themselves and allowing readers to make up their own minds.

The Western Journal upholds traditional Christian values as articulated in the Bible. These values include beliefs in original sin, the fallen nature of man, the exclusivity of Christ, the need for government to restrain men from injuring each other, the fundamental value of every human life (including those of the unborn), a rejection of racism in all forms, and the definition of marriage as between one man and one woman. The Western Journal advocates for broadly conservative positions on most issues, including abortion, national defense, small government, marriage, tax policy, and individual freedom.

Values

All Ethics and Editorial standards stem from the following values.

Freedom

At The Western Journal, we believe that individuals are granted God-given liberties and the autonomy to live in obedience to God’s will as outlined in 1 Peter 2:16. Freedom extends beyond mere personal liberties; it includes the freedom to practice and share one’s faith openly, engage in traditional family values, and a commitment to upholding moral absolutes as understood from the Bible.

Faith

At The Western Journal, faith is a guiding principle that influences the ethos, culture, and actions of the organization based on the teachings and beliefs of the Bible. This value influences how we treat our community of subscribers, readers, viewers, and followers. It guides us in our business practices, pursuing truth, and upholding traditional values. We believe in seeking God’s guidance and wisdom through a culture of prayer. Colossians 3:17 tells believers “Whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

Family

The Western Journal recognizes the sacred significance of the family unit and embraces the traditional nuclear family as shaped by the Bible. We believe that marriage is a sacred covenant between one man and one woman as outlined in Matthew 19:4-6. This covenant forms the basis for a strong family unit built on love, commitment, and mutual respect. We acknowledge the importance of providing a stable and nurturing environment for children to flourish. Our commitment to the traditional nuclear family is rooted in biblical values of love, forgiveness, compassion, and selflessness. We believe that strong families contribute to the well-being of society and leave a lasting impact on the world.

Equality

The Western Journal upholds Genesis 1:27 that individuals possess inherent worth, dignity, and rights because they are created by God in His image. This includes the protection of vulnerable individuals, and advocating for policies that uphold the value of every human being from conception to natural death. We also recognize the fall of man that led to a separation between humanity and God causing the presence of sin, moral brokenness, and evil in the world. That separation can only be restored through Jesus Christ. God’s love and salvation are extended to all who put their faith and trust in Him.

Representative Government

The Western Journal recognizes that governments derive their power from God (Romans 13:1). We are dedicated to promoting transparency, accountability, and civic engagement. Participation of the general population is a form of stewardship, a responsibility to engage in shaping the nation’s direction according to one’s moral compass, as encouraged in Exodus 18:21. Our content aims to empower citizens by providing them with the information they need to make informed decisions and actively participate.

Hard Work and Self-Reliance

The Western Journal values the principles of hard work and self-reliance as essential components of personal and societal growth. Through our content, we aim to inspire and motivate by sharing stories of perseverance, innovation, and the positive impact of determination. While recognizing God as the ultimate provider, we believe in personal responsibility and accountability. This includes prioritizing the voluntary charity of helping others in need over government welfare programs. Colossians 3:23 encourages believers to work wholeheartedly as if working for the Lord. Hard work is seen as a form of worship and stewardship of the opportunities God has provided.

Respect for Law & Order

Respect for the rule of law and maintaining social order is a fundamental value at The Western Journal. Christians are called to submit to governing authorities as outlined in Romans 13:1-7, with the understanding that there is no authority except that which God has established. Our content aims to promote an understanding of the legal system, its complexities, and the importance of upholding justice while respecting individual rights and liberties. Our coverage includes advocating for laws that align with biblical principles, including the sanctity of life and paying taxes.

Ownership / Funding Sources

The Western Journal is owned by The Western Journal LLC. The Western Journal is funded by paid advertising, memberships, and donations to provide a credible news and entertainment source for our readers.

If you’d like to donate online to The Western Journal, you may do so here. If you’d like to contribute by mail to The Western Journal, you may mail your donation to P.O. Box 74273 Phoenix, AZ 85087. We truly appreciate your support!

Actionable Feedback Policy

We believe that public feedback is not a one-way street — that is, simply publishing your comments or letters would be inadequate. Though we lack the resources to respond directly to every communication, we are committed to engaging with readers and taking appropriate action based on suggestions, complaints, and other feedback. You may help develop an individual story or line of coverage, answer questions that a story may raise, identify related or under-covered issues, and teach us about new and diverse sources, experts, and perspectives.

In line with this, we are committed to providing transparency about how our news is produced and offering regular points of contact and interaction. We believe that news organizations have a responsibility to engage with the public on the values, issues and ideas of the day, and that we have much to gain in return.

You can reach us through the following ways:

  1. Contact us page
  2. Submit correction link on each article
  3. Contact form on each author bio page

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