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Corrections and clarifications
Issue: Publishing corrections and clarifications enhances our credibility.
Corrections should be published promptly and prominently. As soon as a correction is verified and approved, it should be published in the next print edition and as quickly as practicable online. Corrections and clarifications should be located in an anchored, visible, consistent position every day in the newspaper, and be located at the top of the online story.
Guidelines
Each newspaper should develop a clear, concise and consistently implemented policy. That policy should appear regularly in the newspaper and online. These are the minimum standards expected:
- Anchor corrections and clarifications. They should appear in the same place. Some newspapers put all corrections in one place, such as on Page 2 or Page 3. Some anchor them on the section cover in which the error occurred, including Page 1. The key is anchored visibility and consistency.
- Publish and post your corrections policy in the same place every day.
- Sample: The Bugle (or bugle.com) strives for accuracy. If you have a correction or clarification, please call 111-222-3333 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and 4 to 8 p.m. weekends.
- Remember that information may be factually correct but inaccurate in context. Context errors should be clarified.
- Verify the factual or contextual information before publishing a correction or clarification. Little is worse than correcting a correction. Verifying the information through the party involved and any possible official sources is important. Do not rely solely on third-party sources to verify a correction.
- When a correction is not enough to correct the error, editors may rerun the entire item in print.
- Include an editor’s note explaining the story was being rerun to correct or clarify information.
- Corrections rarely should repeat the error unless doing so is essential for clarity. Corrections should provide the right information with enough context for clarity. For example: Joe Smith’s position at the XYZ Company was incorrect in a story on Page B1 in Thursday’s Bulletin. He is the chief financial officer.
- Clarifications follow the same pattern: Joe Smith’s position at the XYZ Company was unclear in a story on Page B1 in Thursday’s Bulletin. He is the chief financial officer.
- Generally it is not necessary to include the phrase “we regret the error.” By correcting errors, we obviously regret them.
Issue: Online corrections should be treated with the same care and consistency with which we manage print corrections.
Corrections and clarifications
Issue: Publishing corrections and clarifications enhances our credibility.
Corrections should be published promptly and prominently. As soon as a correction is verified and approved, it should be published in the next print edition and as quickly as practicable online. Corrections and clarifications should be located in an anchored, visible, consistent position every day in the newspaper, and be located at the top of the online story.
Guidelines
Each newspaper should develop a clear, concise and consistently implemented policy. That policy should appear regularly in the newspaper and online. These are the minimum standards expected:
- Anchor corrections and clarifications. They should appear in the same place. Some newspapers put all corrections in one place, such as on Page 2 or Page 3. Some anchor them on the section cover in which the error occurred, including Page 1. The key is anchored visibility and consistency.
- Publish and post your corrections policy in the same place every day.
- Sample: The Bugle (or bugle.com) strives for accuracy. If you have a correction or clarification, please call 111-222-3333 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and 4 to 8 p.m. weekends.
- Remember that information may be factually correct but inaccurate in context. Context errors should be clarified.
- Verify the factual or contextual information before publishing a correction or clarification. Little is worse than correcting a correction. Verifying the information through the party involved and any possible official sources is important. Do not rely solely on third-party sources to verify a correction.
- When a correction is not enough to correct the error, editors may rerun the entire item in print.
- Include an editor’s note explaining the story was being rerun to correct or clarify information.
- Corrections rarely should repeat the error unless doing so is essential for clarity. Corrections should provide the right information with enough context for clarity. For example: Joe Smith’s position at the XYZ Company was incorrect in a story on Page B1 in Thursday’s Bulletin. He is the chief financial officer.
- Clarifications follow the same pattern: Joe Smith’s position at the XYZ Company was unclear in a story on Page B1 in Thursday’s Bulletin. He is the chief financial officer.
- Generally it is not necessary to include the phrase “we regret the error.” By correcting errors, we obviously regret them.
Issue: Online corrections should be treated with the same care and consistency with which we manage print corrections.
Because online corrections can be made without a reader knowing what specifically was done, our online errors become easy to conceal. That is not the transparent process we are committed to maintaining.
Guidelines
The online policy should mirror the print policy and include specific steps for online. These are practices that should be incorporated into online corrections:
- Make corrections to online content promptly in order to minimize any potential harm.
- Once information has been corrected, an editor’s note should be placed on top of the story stating the correction in a similar way to what is done in print (see examples above).
- It is OK to make minor copy editing changes without noting them as corrections.
- Time- and date-stamping all online content ensures that users know they are reading updated content.
