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Dept. Charter — Standards

Editorial
standards

You know the headline. These are the rules we follow before we tell you the backstory.

  1. Standard 01

    Sourcing

    • Consequential claims are tied to a source a reader could check: a public record, a document, a named interview, a filing, or reporting by another outlet that we credit by name and link.
    • When we rely on someone else's reporting, we say so. We add context or analysis; we don't repackage their work as our own.
    • We label what kind of piece you're reading: reporting, analysis, a reader submission, a hypothetical example or paid content.
  2. Standard 02

    Reporting & verification

    • A human editor reviews factual claims, names, numbers and sources before a story is published. Nothing publishes automatically.
    • We don't invent scenes, quotes, motives, eyewitness accounts or figures. When something is unknown or disputed, we say that plainly.
    • When a story criticises a person or organisation, we try to reach them for a response before publication and note if they declined or didn't reply.
  3. Standard 03

    Interviews

    • Some interviews begin with a private written questionnaire sent by invitation. Those answers are the subject's own account. We treat them as interview material, not as independently verified fact.
    • Before we publish a claim from an interview as fact, we check it where it can be checked. If it can't be, we attribute it to the person who said it.
    • Being interviewed does not guarantee coverage, publication or a positive story. Quotes are used in context.
  4. Standard 04

    Independence

    • Editorial decisions are made by our editors. Advertisers, merchandise, partners and story subjects do not get approval over coverage.
    • Submitting a story idea is free and does not guarantee coverage.
    • If we have a personal, business or client relationship with someone we cover, we disclose it in the story or step back from covering them.
  5. Standard 05

    Sponsorship & paid content

    • Paid collaborations are clearly labelled as sponsored or paid, and kept visibly separate from independent coverage.
    • We sell our own merchandise. When a story mentions our shop or products, we say so.
  6. Standard 06

    Editorial control

    • Early notes, leads and suggestions are treated as unverified until an editor checks them against sources.
    • Every published story is checked and approved by an editor. Publication, outreach and corrections are editorial decisions.
  7. Standard 07

    Images & rights

    • We use images we created, licensed, or have permission to use, and credit them where possible. Illustrations and diagrams of hypothetical examples are labelled as such.
    • Photos supplied by interview subjects or readers are not published until an editor confirms the rights and releases them.
  8. Standard 08

    Corrections

    • If we get something wrong, we fix it and add a dated correction note to the story explaining what changed. We don't quietly rewrite the record.
    • Updates that add new information, such as a video premiere, are marked as updates without changing the original publish date.