Editorial Guidelines

The MiltonNews DAILY is committed to delivering the best citizen reported news coverage relevant to members of our community. We seek to balance our rights to freedom of expression and information with our responsibilities, for example, to respect the privacy of others, and protect children.

The MiltonNews DAILY Editorial Guidelines are a statement of the values and standards we have set for ourselves. They also codify the good practice we expect from the contributors of all MiltonNews DAILY content whether it is made for:

* radio
* television
* online
* mobile devices
* interactive services
* or the printed word.

As different technologies evolve, these guidelines apply to our content whoever produces it and however it is received.

Truth and accuracy

Our citizen reporters strive to be accurate and establish the truth of what happens in our community. While contributors attempt to weigh all relevant and available facts and information to get at the truth, the voracity of all articles must be judged by its individual merit and the trust that we hold for each other as residents of our community. The editor of this online publication will not attempt to establish independent fact-checking or research on any particular subject or posting.

Impartiality & diversity of opinion-

As a community we strive to be a fair and open minded people and as a publication we want to reflect these goals. Comments submitted by readers should be considered User Generated Content that may at times fall outside of our editorial integrity standards. The MiltonNews DAILY reserves the right to remove comments that do not respect the privacy or reputation of others. In our opinion, everyone in our community is a ROCKSTAR and should be treated as one.

Editorial integrity & independence

The MiltonNews DAILY is independent of both state and partisan interests. Our audiences can be confident that our decisions are influenced neither by political or commercial pressures, nor by any personal interests.

Serving the public interest

We seek to report and source stories of local significance. Our community contributors will produce content “of the people, for the people”. We will ask searching questions of those who hold public office and provide a comprehensive forum for public debate.

Fairness

Our output will be based on fairness, openness and straight dealing. Contributors will be treated honestly and with respect. The Editor reserves the right to remove any comments that assail the integrity of our contributors, businesses or organizations and do not respect others or their viewpoints.

Privacy

We will respect privacy and will not infringe it without good reason. Private behavior, correspondence and conversation will not be brought into the public domain unless there is a clear public interest.

Harm and offense

We aim to reflect West Milton and the surrounding area as it is, including all aspects of the human experience and the realities of the natural world. But we balance our right to both broadcast and publish innovative and challenging content with our responsibility to protect the vulnerable.

Children

We will always seek to safeguard the welfare of children and young people who contribute to and are featured in our content including their right to be heard.

Accountability

We are accountable to our local audience and will deal fairly and openly with them. Their continuing trust in the MiltonNews DAILY is a crucial part of our social contract with them. We will be open in admitting mistakes and encourage a culture of willingness to learn from them.