Journalistic Principles

Six principles that guide our work. Non-negotiable, not subject to commercial considerations.

1. Accuracy

Facts are facts. We verify with two independent sources before we publish. Doubt? Then we prefer to wait a day.

2. Independence

No shareholder, advertiser, or government dictates our content. Sponsored content is always clearly identifiable as such.

3. Fairness

For every person or organisation that may be portrayed negatively, there is an opportunity to respond — prior to publication.

4. Transparency

We cite our sources, explain our methods, and visibly correct ourselves when we make mistakes. Our funding and ownership are public.

5. Humanity

Behind every story is a person. We take privacy into account, especially for minors, victims of violence, and vulnerable groups.

6. Local Commitment

London is our audience and our client. We are accountable to the city — not to a head office elsewhere in the country.

Source Citation

When we use anonymous sources, we always internally document who they are and why anonymity is justified. At least one editor knows the identity.

Algorithmic Decisions

We do not use artificial intelligence to make final editorial decisions or to write articles. We use AI at most as a tool for transcription, headline suggestions, or error checking — always under editorial oversight.