Editorial Policy
These principles guide every story we publish.
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Accuracy and verification
Facts in our stories are checked against primary sources wherever possible: documents, data, official records and direct accounts. Claims we cannot verify are attributed or left out.
Independence
Editorial decisions are made by editors and reporters alone. Advertisers, sponsors, donors and subjects of coverage cannot approve, change or kill a story.
Fairness and balance
We seek comment from people and organisations criticised in our reporting and give them a fair chance to respond before publication.
Conflicts of interest
Staff must disclose financial or personal interests relevant to their coverage. Where a conflict cannot be managed, the story is reassigned.
Anonymous sources
We use anonymous sourcing only when information is important, cannot be obtained on the record, and the source is reliable. Editors know the identity of every anonymous source.
Advertising and sponsorship
Advertising and sponsored content are separate from the newsroom and always labelled.
Use of AI tools
AI tools may assist with research, transcription or formatting. Published reporting is written, reviewed and approved by human editors who remain responsible for its accuracy.