Editorial & Fact-Checking Policy
Editorial standards, fact-checking methodology, anti-misinformation guidelines, and grievance redressal mechanism of Kotputli News.
1. Editorial Independence & Ethics
Kotputli News Network operates under strict professional editorial standards designed to preserve journalistic integrity, objectivity, and public trust. Our reporters, editors, and contributors adhere to rigorous ethical guidelines across all reporting domains—crime, politics, municipal affairs, business, agriculture, education, and cultural celebrations.
2. Fact-Checking & Verification Methodology
Accuracy is the core pillar of our journalism. We adhere to the following fact-checking protocol before publishing any news item:
- Primary Sources First: Whenever possible, claims are verified directly with primary actors, official police press notes, hospital casualty records, district administration communiques, or judicial court orders.
- Two-Source Rule: Controversial or unverified claims require confirmation from at least two independent credible sources before publication.
- On-Ground Verification: Field reporters physically inspect locations, interview eyewitnesses, and examine physical documentation before reporting on municipal, land, or criminal disputes.
- Digital Verification: Photos and videos submitted via citizen tips are verified using reverse image lookups, metadata extraction, and timestamp corroboration to prevent deepfakes and outdated footage.
3. Transparent Corrections Policy
Kotputli News believes that admitting and correcting errors promptly is essential to maintaining public trust. If an error of fact occurs in a published article:
- The error is corrected within the text immediately upon verification.
- A visible Editor's Note / Correction Notice is appended to the bottom or top of the article clearly detailing what was changed, the previous inaccurate statement, and the timestamp of correction.
- Major corrections are highlighted on our social media handles and home page if the original inaccurate report gained widespread circulation.
4. Separation of Editorial and Commercial Advertising
Kotputli News maintains an impenetrable wall between our newsroom and commercial advertising departments:
- Commercial sponsors, Google AdSense, and local advertisers have zero influence over news selection, investigative reports, or editorial opinions.
- All sponsored articles, paid partnerships, and promotional native content are conspicuously tagged with labels such as "Sponsored", "Promoted", or "Advertisement".
- Our journalists and editors do not accept gifts, honorariums, or favors from political parties, candidates, or business entities that could compromise reporting integrity.
5. Protection of Anonymous Sources & Minors
We strictly protect whistleblowers and confidential informants when public interest outweighs attribution. Under no circumstances do we disclose the identity of juvenile victims, victims of sexual offenses, or minors accused of juvenile offenses, in full compliance with the POCSO Act and Indian penal statutes.