Editorial policy of The European Correspondent
Introduction
"Doing journalism means taking responsibility for the public. We are aware of our biases and strive not for artificial objectivity but fairness. We do not focus on sensation but on context and classification. Journalism needs empathy – towards the story and those who experience it." – From our manifesto.
This document is split into two parts:
The European Correspondent's (TEC) editorial policy sets out ethical and professional standards that TEC expects all journalists to follow.
More elaborate guidance on the editorial policy.
The purpose of this document is to clearly and transparently set out the principles, values and standards that drive The European Correspondent's (TEC) journalism and by which we expect all journalists and contributors to abide.
Primarily, we aim to foster the bond of trust between TEC and its audience and protect the integrity of TEC and its journalism.
The standards in this document apply globally to all TEC journalists, our practices, and all published TEC journalism. The staff is responsible for familiarising themselves with and adhering to the TEC editorial policy.
On the policy's basis, complaints can be raised against TEC's journalism to the editorial director, and it's also the basis of any decision pursuant to received complaints.
This document should be read considering the free expression rights and responsibilities of journalists while respecting the rights of others.
By following the policy, journalists working for TEC protect the independence, standing, and reputation of TEC, colleagues, and themselves.
We review the TEC editorial policy periodically and update it if appropriate. We will mark the date of the latest revision.
Notes
Many great editorial codes and policies have been written before. This document, therefore, partially relies on three leading documents on the matter: The Guardian News & Media Editorial code of practice and guidance, the Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics, and the New York Times Ethical Journalism handbook.
We align with the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) Code of Ethics as a guiding framework for our journalistic practices. The SPJ Code emphasises the principles of truth-seeking, harm minimisation, independence, accountability and transparency.
Latest version: February 2024
Editorial policy
Accuracy
We pledge to deliver news content that is factually accurate, thoroughly researched, and verified through reliable sources. Our editorial team actively cross-references information, confirms facts, and corrects errors promptly. We prioritise precision in language and context to ensure that our reporting provides a truthful and nuanced representation of the events shaping the European landscape. While free to editorialise and display opinion, a publication must distinguish clearly between comment and fact.
Diversity and inclusion
TEC celebrates and strives for internal diversity in all aspects: race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, socioeconomic background, disability, religion, or other characteristics. We recognise that looking at problems from different perspectives helps us to get better every day.
Fairness
We strive to present diverse perspectives, giving voice to various opinions and viewpoints and adopting a constructive and critical approach to reporting. We promote a fair, balanced, and inclusive representation of the issues and individuals featured in our content. The diversity of our editorial board, composed of journalists from different European countries, is our biggest asset in ensuring fairness.
Editorial independence
The cornerstone of our journalistic work is editorial independence. We are free of external influences and external financial reliance meddling in editorial standards. We recognise this principle's vital role in maintaining the integrity, credibility, and trustworthiness of our news coverage.
Our commitment to editorial independence is reflected in our editorial guidelines and our internal governance and structure.
The internal governance structure of The European Correspondent involves Managing, Editorial and Strategic Directors, Editors-in-Chief and a board of Leading Editors, all of whom are responsible for overseeing different parts of the editorial process, ensuring that it aligns with our established guidelines and meets the highest journalistic standards.
We enforce a strict separation between editorial and business functions. Our funding sources, whether through donations, sponsorships or advertisements, do not influence the content, tone, or direction of our reporting. We remain committed to delivering news that serves the public interest, free from external pressures.
Media governance model
The European Correspondent believes in and operates according to the social responsibility model of media governance, having full trust in the media industry’s capacity to set up principles of professional integrity and ethical norms.
Transparency
Transparency is fundamental to building and maintaining our audience's trust. We disclose the sources of our information and provide background to help readers understand the context of the stories we cover unless exceptional circumstances, such as safety concerns, demand the anonymity of sources.
Furthermore, we pledge to disclose the sources of our funding and partnerships publicly. This also applies to journalism created during paid journalistic trips or activities.
Public engagement
TEC's editorial team remains open to feedback, welcoming constructive criticism, suggestions, and comments from our audience. This open dialogue is vital in our continuous effort to refine and enhance the quality of our reporting. Our readers are invited to send in story recommendations.
Privacy
Everyone is entitled to respect for their private and family life, home, health and correspondence, including digital communications. Journalists and editors will be expected to justify intrusions into any individual’s private life without consent.
TEC is entitled to use all publicly available personal information about an individual in its reporting. TEC pledges to disclose non-publically available personal data only when it is strictly necessary for the context of the reporting.
Guidance
Accuracy
Journalists should report factually and accurately. Errors must be corrected as soon as possible, and if a piece of journalism misleads, it should be clarified immediately.
Anonymous contributions
Journalism published by TEC should only be published anonymously or pseudonymously in exceptional circumstances, for example, where the journalist’s safety, privacy or livelihood may be compromised. In these cases, motives and alternatives should be considered, and the permission of the editorial director is needed. When anonymity has been granted, journalists must be diligent in ensuring it. In these cases, readers should be made aware that the identities of journalists have been pseudonymised or anonymised.
Conflict of interest
We define a conflict of interest as any situation where personal, professional, or financial considerations could compromise the accuracy of our reporting or our editorial independence. Individuals who are clearly affiliated with political parties or hold political/governing roles are not hired.
Our journalists and editorial staff are expected to promptly disclose any potential conflicts of interest during onboarding. Our editorial workflow and active reviews mitigate most risks linked to those conflicts. TEC keeps a regularly updated directory of the professional ties of all journalists.
Where a professional or financial conflict of interest is identified, the involved journalist is expected to abstain from the assignment. If that is impossible, a second editorial opinion in the decision-making process related to the subject matter must be involved.
Covering sensitive topics
We aim to uphold journalistic integrity, promote fair and just reporting, and ensure that coverage of sensitive topics, conflicting regions and countries is comprehensive, respectful, and reflective of diverse perspectives. Correspondents have an ethical obligation to refrain from nationalism in their coverage
We critically examine all the labels that are given by state authorities (examples: terrorist, spy, anti-terrorist operation etc.), particularly in the case of authoritarian countries. The leading editors, the editors-in-chief, and the editorial director will make a decision on the use of certain labels based on facts. This will ensure that we won’t amplify harmful and incorrect narratives.
We critically approach the references to the post-colonial areas and do not confirm the hegemonic tradition. For example: We do not refer to the former Soviet states as “post-Soviet countries”, downgrading their civilisational backgrounds to the nations’ recent colonial past and viewing them through the lenses of the colonial legacy, for the same reason we avoid names like Transcaucasia.
Where there is no dispute, we use original toponyms (such as Kyiv, not Kiev). Where there is a dispute between two states, or states and non-recognised territories, we use both versions (example: Stepanakert/Khankendi).
We make sure that the maps used are accurate, reflect the present state, and have the necessary captions.
When we cover sensitive topics of high public interest or conflicts, it’s our responsibility as journalists not to focus exclusively on the political aspect and dynamics but also to elevate the voices of people who are affected the most.
We aim to represent various perspectives to provide the full picture of the sensitive or conflictual dynamic. However, if there is consensus within the editorial board on which perspective is credible and factually correct or which side is the clear aggressor in a conflict, we commit to avoiding unnecessary and unjustified bothside-ist reporting.
We will demonstrate utmost caution when using the words “occupation”, “war”, “victory”, “genocide’’ and ‘’ethnic cleansing” in order not to elevate nationalism and war rhetoric. In case of a government claim, or statement, correspondents should approach these words critically and, when in doubt, put them in quotation marks.
We will rely mostly on the definitions and labels given by the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the United Nations where available.
We should be aware that as we are curating news, we should approach any media with critical thinking depending on their origin, funders and agenda.
Credits
The source of published material – whether pictures, text or other media – obtained from another organisation or individual must be acknowledged, including quotes taken from other newspaper articles and social media. If an article contains a significant amount of agency copy, then the agency should be credited.
Distressing content
Descriptions or depictions of graphic or violent details should be included only when essential to the facts of the story. Reporting on suicide, like reporting on sexual abuse, is one of the areas in which we favour not saying all that we know. In cases of severely disturbing and traumatising text passages, a trigger warning may be placed before.
Editorial responsibility
We prioritise clear and accountable editorial responsibility. The editorial director holds the ultimate responsibility for all published content, ensuring it meets our strict standards for accuracy and fairness. Each leading editor manages their team, ensuring their journalists and correspondents uphold these standards, focusing on truthfulness and balance.
Correspondents, in turn, are responsible for presenting story ideas that resonate with TEC's audience strategy and needs. Correspondents have a responsibility to provide critical reporting and not select or omit stories with the objective of supporting and/or damaging the interests and position of certain groups. They are also responsible for the choice of trustworthy sources, as well as the factual accuracy of the reporting to the extent of information availability.
Editorial review process
The European Correspondent has a multi-level editorial review process. Stories go through an initial review by the leading editors, which is followed by feedback and an exchange of views from the senior editorial leadership. Before publication, all journalism is seen and approved by the senior editorial leadership team.
The multiple stages support diverse perspectives, fact-checking, and constructive critique to enhance the depth and quality of our journalism.
Errors and omissions
It is TEC's policy to correct errors as soon as possible. All complaints, corrections, and requests by readers for published journalism to be amended or, in exceptional cases, deleted should be brought to the attention of the co-editors-in-chief and the editorial director. Journalists have a duty to cooperate with the editors frankly, openly, and timely. Alterations of factual errors must be marked as such. TEC corrects errors in social media posts immediately and issues correction notes in subsequent newsletters for errors in previous editions.
Language
Our use of language reflects our values, as well as changes in societal standards and norms. Journalists and editors must read and adhere to the TEC language guide. If a specific issue is not covered there, journalists should consult the Guardian's style guide and contact the leading language editor.
Plagiarism
Journalists must not claim others' work as their own. Journalists must not reproduce other people’s material without attribution.
Professional development of the team
We actively encourage our editors, correspondents and other team members to grow professionally within and outside The European Correspondent. We believe in providing opportunities for career advancement and skill development whenever possible, recognising that a motivated and evolving team is essential for staying at the forefront of the ever-changing media landscape.
Acknowledging the unique strengths and professional aspirations of each team member, we adopt a flexible approach to professional development. We propose workshops to all our correspondents and editorial staff, offer them opportunities for growth within the organisation, and invest in training our journalists individually with the help of team leads.
Republishing policy
Journalists are free to republish their work with TEC, given the consent of the original publisher and the responsible leading editor and co-editor-in-chief.
Similarly, published original journalism by TEC may be conditionally republished by other media organisations. To arrange republishing, contact the editorial director, Julius E. O. Fintelmann, at [email protected].
Right to reply
In the case of original reporting, journalists should make every effort to contact the person or organisation that is the subject of a story before publication in order to put allegations to them and give them an opportunity to respond. This assists accuracy, is a matter of fairness and is vital in demonstrating that the public interest in publishing a story has been considered. The complexity of the issues and the ability to respond over time zones should also be considered. The more serious the criticism or allegations, the greater the obligation to allow the subject the opportunity to respond.
In addition, in case of arranged interviews, TEC strives to make quotes available for factual review should the interviewees request it.
Sources
When a source seeks anonymity or requests confidentiality, journalists should discuss this request with the relevant editor. Journalists have a moral obligation to protect confidential sources of information. Otherwise, sources of information should be identified as specifically as possible.
TEC will give preference to local sources and news outlets when possible instead of over-relying on traditional and global media outlets’ reporting. TEC refrains from relying on government sources, particularly in sensitive topics and in the case of non-democratic governments. If governmental sources are used, they must be clearly marked as such.
Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Journalists may use generative AI to assist in proofreading and copyediting. Journalists must not use it for any other purposes, especially not to do the writing for them. More importantly, AI cannot be relied on for information gathering as it is unreliable and inconsistent and tends to introduce errors and inaccuracies in unpredictable ways. AI is to be avoided in terms of using it for substantial elements of journalism as it is found to perpetuate stereotypes, inequalities, and social hierarchies.
Verification
All editorial staff members and journalists are responsible for fact-checking the content to the best of their ability. Journalists at TEC are their own principal fact checkers and often their only ones.
When submitting their pitches and features, they must flag to leading editors if there is a need for factual verification of information in case they haven’t managed to verify it themselves.
Prior to publication, all factual claims (names, places, dates, times, titles, etc.), as well as statistics, numbers, and quotes, are subject to rigorous fact-checking. Leading editors and correspondents collaborate to verify the accuracy of information through one or more credible sources, such as primary sources, official documents, international organisations, expert opinions, and credible news outlets.
In the case of original reporting and investigations, journalists should provide a list of sources and proofs of oral and written communication to primary sources.
If factual errors in the submissions of the journalists are identified, the leading editor must give written notification to the journalist. In case of persisting factual errors, the collaboration with the journalist should be suspended.
In the event that an error is identified post-publication, corrections and retractions can be promptly made to rectify inaccuracies. Please, refer to the Errors and Omissions section.