This Code of Ethics governs everyone who writes, edits or publishes for Globe Media Times. It is published so readers can judge our work against a stated standard, not a vague assurance. Where this code and a commercial instruction conflict, this code prevails for editorial matters.
1. Accuracy before speed
We publish what we have verified, not what we hope is true. News articles are checked against more than one reputable source before publication. A claim carried by only one source, a forecast, an estimate, or an assertion by an interested party is attributed as such and is never presented as established fact. Figures are reported with their basis where the basis matters — for example, whether a number is preliminary, revised, or claimed by one side. If verification fails, the claim is omitted, however newsworthy it would be if true.
2. No invention
We do not invent quotations, statistics, names, documents or events. Paraphrase is never presented as a direct quotation. Composite characters, reconstructed dialogue and illustrative anecdotes presented as real are prohibited. Photographs must be genuine, licensed for our use, and captioned truthfully; an illustrative image is never captioned as if it showed the specific event. Artificial intelligence is not used to create news photographs, and any assistance tooling used in production does not replace editorial checking of facts, names and numbers.
3. Attribution and transparency
Readers are entitled to know the strength of what they are reading. Where outlets disagree or a development is unconfirmed, the article says so in cautious language. The Staff Reports byline signifies institutional, desk-checked reporting; it is never used to disguise a single unverified source as consensus. Sponsored or advertising material is labelled and kept separate from news judgement, in accordance with our Advertise page.
4. Independence and conflicts
Editorial decisions are made on news value and reader relevance. No advertiser, sponsor, affiliate or commercial partner may require, suppress or shape coverage, and no payment secures publication or removal of accurate reporting. Writers and editors must disclose any personal financial or close personal interest in a subject they cover, and must not trade on unpublished information. Gifts, hospitality and paid travel that could reasonably be seen to influence coverage are declined; unavoidable courtesies of nominal value do not create obligations and are never traded for coverage.
5. Fairness
People and organisations criticised in a material way are given a fair account of their stated position where it is available, and a reasonable opportunity to respond to new, serious allegations before publication where time and safety permit. We do not selectively edit quotations or documents to change their meaning. Criminal suspects are reported as suspects, not as convicted persons, and legal outcomes are reported as courts state them, with pending appeals described as pending.
6. Harm and dignity
We minimise gratuitous harm. Victims of crime, accidents, illness and bereavement are not identified beyond what responsible reporting requires, and private individuals are not subjected to publicity disproportionate to the public interest. Graphic detail is included only where it is necessary to understand the story. We do not publish private addresses, personal contact details, or material that endangers an identifiable person without an overriding public justification.
7. Sources and confidentiality
We protect confidential sources. A source who provides information on condition that their identity is not disclosed will not be identified by us except where the law compels disclosure, where the source consents, or where the source has materially misled us such that protection would perpetrate a deception on readers — and any such judgement requires senior editorial approval. Confidentiality is not a licence to publish the unverified: information from a confidential source is held to the same multi-source verification standard as any other reporting, and the article discloses, without identifying the source, the limits of what could be confirmed. We do not pay sources for news in ways that reward invention, and we do not publish documents we cannot authenticate.
8. Corrections and accountability
Errors are corrected visibly under our Corrections policy. Staff must report their own errors as promptly as they would report another’s. Plagiarism, fabrication and undisclosed conflicts are serious breaches and result in removal of the material and review of the responsible work. Readers may raise an ethics concern through the Contact form; concerns are reviewed by the desk and, where a breach is found, the article and, if needed, this code’s application are remedied openly.
This code is reviewed as practices and law develop. Amendments are published on this page and apply from publication.
