1. Our Editorial Mission

At ARTICLE 19, we believe journalism plays an essential role in an informed and democratic society. Our mission is to provide readers with accurate, meaningful, independent and accessible news that helps them understand the events and issues shaping their communities and the wider world.

We are committed to reporting matters of public interest while respecting human dignity, individual rights, diverse perspectives and the principles of responsible journalism.

Our editorial approach is guided by accuracy, fairness, accountability, independence and transparency.

2. Editorial Independence

ARTICLE 19 aims to maintain editorial independence in the selection, preparation and publication of news. Editorial decisions should be guided by newsworthiness, public interest, factual relevance and journalistic judgment.

Political parties, government bodies, advertisers, commercial organisations and other external interests should not improperly influence our editorial decisions.

Advertising, sponsorship and other paid promotional material must be distinguishable from independent editorial content.

3. Accuracy and Fact-Checking

Accuracy is a fundamental responsibility of our newsroom. We aim to verify information before publication and distinguish confirmed facts from allegations, opinions, assumptions and developing information.

Our verification process may include:

• Checking information against credible and relevant sources.
• Verifying names, dates, locations, figures and official statements.
• Consulting primary documents and records wherever available.
• Cross-checking important claims with independent sources.
• Seeking clarification from relevant individuals or organisations.
• Reviewing photographs, videos and digital material before publication.

When information cannot be independently confirmed, we aim to communicate that limitation clearly to readers.

4. Fairness, Balance and Right of Response

We strive to present news fairly and in proper context. Reports involving allegations, disputes, criticism or potentially damaging claims should make reasonable efforts to obtain responses from the relevant parties.

A person's or organisation's response should be represented accurately and without deliberate distortion.

Where a response is not received before publication, the report may explain that an attempt was made to obtain a comment, where appropriate.

Fairness does not require treating verified facts and unsupported claims as equally credible.

5. Sources and Attribution

We aim to identify the sources of information clearly so readers can understand where reported facts originate. Information obtained from documents, interviews, official statements, research and other publications should be attributed appropriately.

Anonymous sources may be considered when the information is genuinely important to the public interest and identification could expose the source to a credible risk.

The decision to grant anonymity should involve appropriate editorial consideration. The source's reliability, knowledge and possible motives should be assessed before publication.

We do not intend to use anonymous attribution merely to strengthen an otherwise unsupported claim.

6. Public Interest and News Selection

Our coverage may include politics, governance, public administration, business, economy, education, health, science, technology, sports, culture, entertainment and international affairs.

News selection is guided by relevance, public interest, significance, accuracy and the potential impact on readers and communities.

We seek to avoid sensationalism, misleading headlines and unnecessary exaggeration merely to attract readership or website traffic.

7. Headlines, Photographs and Visual Content

Headlines should accurately reflect the substance of the associated report. They should not deliberately mislead readers or create an impression unsupported by the article.

Photographs, videos, illustrations, graphics and captions should be presented in a manner that preserves their context and does not materially misrepresent events.

Where images are illustrative, archival, representative or digitally altered in a material way, we aim to provide appropriate clarification.

8. Corrections, Updates and Clarifications

We recognise that errors can occur in journalism. When a factual error is identified and verified, we aim to correct it promptly and transparently.

Our correction principles include:

• Correcting verified factual inaccuracies.
• Updating reports when significant new information emerges.
• Clarifying misleading or incomplete statements where necessary.
• Providing an appropriate correction or update note when material changes are made.
• Reviewing credible correction requests submitted by readers.

Corrections should not be made merely to conceal legitimate editorial decisions or remove accurate reporting because of external pressure.

9. News, Opinions and Sponsored Content

ARTICLE 19 may publish news reports, editorials, opinion articles, analysis, interviews, features and sponsored content.

We aim to distinguish factual reporting from commentary and personal opinion through appropriate labels, presentation and attribution.

Sponsored articles, promotional features and advertisements should be identified clearly so readers can distinguish paid material from independent editorial reporting.

10. Conflicts of Interest

Editorial staff, contributors and journalists should avoid personal, financial or professional interests that could compromise their independence or create a reasonable perception of bias.

Potential conflicts should be disclosed to the appropriate editorial authority and managed through suitable editorial safeguards.

Journalists should not accept gifts, payments, favours or benefits that could improperly influence their reporting or editorial judgment.

11. Privacy, Dignity and Sensitive Reporting

We aim to respect individual privacy and human dignity while recognising the importance of legitimate public-interest reporting.

Particular care should be taken when reporting on children, victims of crime, sexual violence, personal tragedies, vulnerable individuals and sensitive personal circumstances.

Identifying details should be handled carefully where publication may cause unnecessary harm, violate applicable law or compromise an individual's safety and dignity.

12. Hate Speech, Discrimination and Responsible Language

ARTICLE 19 does not support content that promotes hatred, violence or discrimination against individuals or communities based on religion, caste, ethnicity, gender, disability or other protected characteristics.

We aim to use accurate, respectful and contextually appropriate language, particularly when covering communal tensions, social conflicts, public protests and sensitive political developments.

Material containing offensive or discriminatory language may be published only when there is a legitimate editorial reason and appropriate context.

13. Artificial Intelligence and Digital Tools

ARTICLE 19 may use digital tools and artificial intelligence technologies to support certain newsroom activities, including research assistance, translation, transcription, formatting and content production workflows.

Such tools do not replace editorial responsibility. AI-assisted material intended for publication should undergo appropriate human review, verification and editorial oversight.

We do not consider AI-generated output an independent source of factual verification. Particular care should be taken with fabricated quotations, synthetic images, manipulated media and inaccurate information.

Materially AI-generated or manipulated visual content should be appropriately disclosed where necessary to prevent readers from being misled.

14. Social Media and User-Generated Content

Social media posts and user-submitted material may be considered as sources of news leads or public reactions. Their authenticity, context and relevance should be assessed before being relied upon.

User comments and submissions may be moderated according to applicable law and our platform standards. We may restrict content that contains threats, harassment, unlawful material, spam or personal information published without appropriate justification.

15. Editorial Accountability

We encourage readers to bring factual errors, misleading information, concerns about reporting or possible ethical issues to our attention.

Submissions will be reviewed by the appropriate editorial team. Where necessary, matters may be escalated for further examination and appropriate action.

Editorial accountability is an ongoing responsibility. We aim to learn from mistakes and continuously improve our reporting standards.

16. Review and Updates to This Policy

This Editorial Policy may be reviewed and updated to reflect changes in journalistic practices, newsroom operations, technology and applicable legal or regulatory requirements.

The latest version will be published on this page with its applicable effective date.

17. Contact the Editorial Team

For editorial feedback, factual corrections, complaints or questions about our journalistic standards, please contact ARTICLE 19: