Sourcing and verification. We base our reporting on primary sources wherever possible: public records, official data, agency and court documents, meeting materials and named sources speaking on the record. We link to sources in our articles. We do not invent quotes, interviews, events or statistics.
Attribution. Facts that are not common knowledge are attributed. When we draw on another outlet's reporting, we credit and link to it.
History and background pieces. Some of our articles explain North Coast history or how public systems work. These are original pieces written from primary and published sources, which we cite. They are dated with their actual publication date and updated when facts change; updates are noted.
Fairness and privacy. We seek comment from people and organizations that are the subject of significant criticism. We do not publish allegations, arrest reports or crime stories naming private individuals without strong documentation and an editor's approval, and we do not keep such stories online indefinitely when they no longer serve the public interest.
Corrections. We correct errors promptly and transparently. See Corrections.
Bylines. Author bios describe coverage areas. A person is responsible for everything we publish.
Independence and sponsored content. We don't accept payment for articles, links or coverage. If we ever publish sponsored material, it will be clearly labeled. Advertising never influences editorial decisions. See Advertise.
Dates. Articles show their actual publication date and, where relevant, the date they were last updated. We do not backdate content.
Questions? Contact us.