Draft template. This page describes standards a news publication should hold itself to. Before publishing, confirm that every commitment reflects how [YOUR ORGANIZATION] will actually operate, and edit or remove anything that does not. Do not publish promises you cannot keep.
Purpose of this policy
This policy explains the standards USFeedNow sets for its journalism and how those standards apply to reporters, editors, contributors, and anyone else who publishes under our name. It exists so readers know what to expect from us and can hold us to it. It was last reviewed on [INSERT DATE].
Accuracy and fact-checking
Accuracy is our first obligation. Before a story is published, the person responsible for it is expected to confirm names, titles, dates, figures, quotations, and the central claims of the story against reliable sources. Numbers should be checked against the original data whenever possible, not against another article’s summary. Claims that cannot be verified should be left out, clearly attributed, or explicitly described as unconfirmed.
[Describe your actual review process here, for example whether a second person reviews stories before publication. If no second review exists yet, do not claim one.]
Attribution and sourcing
We identify where information comes from. Preferred sources include on-the-record interviews, official documents and filings, primary data, peer-reviewed research, and direct observation. We link to original material when it is public and useful to the reader. When we rely on another outlet’s original reporting, we credit that outlet and link to it. We do not present the work of others as our own.
Anonymous sources
Anonymity is a last resort. We use unnamed sources only when the information is important, there is no reasonable way to obtain it on the record, and the source has a genuine reason to fear harm or retaliation. When we grant anonymity, we tell readers as much as we responsibly can about why and how the source knows what they say, and we seek corroboration from other sources or documents. [State who must approve the use of an anonymous source, if you have such a rule.]
Corrections and clarifications
We correct our errors openly. The process, including how to report a mistake, is described in our Corrections Policy.
Breaking news and updates
In fast-moving events, early information is often incomplete or wrong. We may publish short initial reports, and we will say when facts are still emerging. Stories that change materially will be updated, and the updated time will be shown. When an update changes the meaning of the story or corrects an earlier claim, we will say so in the text rather than silently replacing it. We do not use breaking-news labels to attract attention to stories that are not urgent.
Conflicts of interest
Staff and contributors must disclose any financial, personal, or professional relationship that could reasonably appear to influence their coverage, and should not cover subjects where such a conflict exists unless an editor approves and the relationship is disclosed to readers. Journalists should not accept gifts, payments, or favors from people or organizations they cover, and should not trade on unpublished information. [Add any specific rules, such as limits on political activity or investments.]
Independence from advertisers and sponsors
Advertising and editorial decisions are separate. Advertisers and sponsors do not review stories in advance, cannot request coverage or changes to it, and receive no special treatment in what we publish. Advertising is labeled. If USFeedNow ever publishes sponsored or partner content, it will be clearly marked as such, will not be written to look like news reporting, and will be kept apart from editorial sections. [Confirm whether sponsored content is published at all.] See our Advertising Policy.
Opinion and analysis
News reporting, analysis, and opinion are different, and we label them differently. Opinion pieces reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of USFeedNow. Analysis explains and interprets facts but should still be grounded in reporting. Headlines and summaries must fairly reflect the content of the story beneath them.
Headlines, images, and captions
Headlines should be accurate, specific, and supported by the text. They should not exaggerate, mislead, or promise information the story does not deliver. Photographs and graphics should be what they claim to be. We do not alter images in ways that change their meaning. Captions and credits should identify the subject and the source of an image. We use images only when we own them, hold a license, or have permission. [Describe where your images come from, for example staff photos, licensed agencies, or public-domain sources.]
Plagiarism and copyright
Plagiarism is a serious breach of our standards. Copying text, images, audio, or video from others without permission and credit is not allowed. Short quotations may be used with attribution where the law allows, and all reused material must be credited. Contributors are responsible for ensuring their work is original. Suspected plagiarism will be investigated, and confirmed cases will lead to correction or removal of the material and appropriate action against the person responsible. If you believe we have used your work without permission, contact [INSERT EMAIL].
Use of AI tools
[This section must describe your real practice. Edit it before publishing.] Our standard is that people, not software, are accountable for everything we publish. If AI tools are used for tasks such as transcription, translation, research assistance, or headline suggestions, a human must check the output against reliable sources before it is used. AI must not be used to invent quotations, sources, statistics, or images presented as real, and no AI-generated article should be published without human review and editing. Where AI-generated images or illustrations are used, they must be labeled as such. If our use of AI tools changes in a meaningful way, we will update this policy.
User-generated content and comments
Where comments or reader submissions are enabled, they reflect the views of the people who post them, not USFeedNow. We may moderate, edit, or remove comments that are abusive, unlawful, misleading, spam, or off topic. Content that comes from readers, including photos or videos, should be verified as far as reasonably possible before it is used in a story, and the source should be credited with permission.
Privacy and sensitive reporting
We weigh the public interest against the potential for harm when reporting on private individuals, minors, victims of crime, and people in crisis. We take particular care with stories involving children and with the publication of personal information. We do not publish private information that has no public value.
Errors, complaints, and contact
Readers can raise concerns about our reporting at [INSERT EMAIL] or through our Contact page. We will review complaints in good faith and reply where a reply is appropriate. [State a realistic response time only if you can meet it.]
Changes to this policy
We may update this policy as our practices develop. The date of the last review appears at the top of this page.