Editorial Principles and Practices

Innovation involves a willingness to take risks, invent and experiment with new ideas to stimulate thought and generate interest and debate. This can often result in challenging content which may offend some of the audience some of the time.

 

This policy and code of conduct apply to TTM and provides the operating and ethical framework for all employees, including management, editorial contributors, contractors, consultants, freelancers, interns, volunteers and any other personnel involved in the production of our editorial platforms.

 

Accuracy and Clarity

• All editorial content and news columns should include original, fact-based reporting, with a commitment to balance, fairness and impartiality.

• Quotes should be accurate, and any editing should not distort the meaning of the opinion expressed.

• All reasonable steps are to be taken to ensure facts are reported within all General News content, and that information is accurate, not misleading, and is distinguishable from other material such as opinion or comment.

• Comment, conjecture and opinion are acceptable in reports to provide perspective on an issue or explain the significance of an issue. However, it is not acceptable to knowingly publish inaccurate or misleading information.  

• Reporters and contributors should rely only on credible sources.

• Direct quotations should not be altered except to delete offensive language, protect against defamation, or for the purpose of clarification.

 

Misrepresentation

• Employees should not use false names when representing TTM

• Employees should not try to obtain information, comment, photographs or video through deceptive methods.

 

Fairness and Balance

• Fair and honest dealing is essential to maintaining trust with audiences and with those who participate in or are otherwise directly affected by our content

• Content is to be published with reasonable fairness and balance

• Writers’ expressions of opinion are to be impartial, and any opinion will not induce inaccurate factual material or omission of key facts

• All sides of an issue, topic or similar will be reported, either within the same story or within a reasonable time frame of an alternate edition

 

 Integrity and Transparency

• TTM will avoid publishing material which has been gathered by deceptive or unfair means - unless doing so is sufficiently in the public interest.

 

Conflict of Interest

• A conflict of interest arises when personal interests or divided loyalties interfere with the employee’s ability to make sound, objective business decisions on behalf of the company.

• All employees (as defined by this policy) must take reasonable steps to avoid any conflict of interest (real or apparent) and ensure that they do not influence published material

• Any potential personal conflicts of interest are to be reported to the Managing Editor. Failure to do so may result in termination

 

 Anonymity

• All sources of information must be identified, wherever possible.

• Requests for anonymity of comment or information will likely result in the comment or information not being published.

• Any request for anonymity must be reported to and cleared by the Managing Editor.

 

 Payments, Gifts or Bribes

• As a general principle, no payment will be accepted for editorial. This excludes Advertorials which are to be clearly labelled as “Special Feature”, “Advertorial”, “Feature”, “Advertisement” or similar clear labeling.

• Employee, reporters or contributors must not request or accept any money, travel, goods, discounts, entertainment or inducements of any kind outside the normal scope of business hospitality.

• Bribes are to be rejected immediately, and the Managing Editor notified.

• Only the Managing Editor can decide to accept an offer or item which may or may not be limited to Reader Giveaways, Promotions, Competitions or other.

 

Privacy and Avoidance of Harm

• Privacy is the critical test of ethical journalism, and TTM seeks to balance respect for privacy with the public interest in disclosure of information and freedom of expression

• TTM will avoid publishing content or other material that causes serious offence, distress or prejudice, or could present a substantial risk to health or safety - unless doing so is sufficiently in the public interest.

• Please refer to the Privacy Policy which can be viewed at www.intouchmagazine.com.au/privacy-policy

 

Harassment

• Employees, contributors and other representatives should not harass or intimidate people when seeking information or photographs.

• Employees, contributors and other representatives should not photograph or film people on private property without their consent.

• Employees, contributors and other representatives should behave with sensitivity and courtesy toward the public and not put people under pressure to be photographed, filmed, or interviewed -  unless doing so is sufficiently in the public interest

 

Discrimination

• Employees should not make derogatory reference to a person’s race, nationality, colour, religion, marital status, sex, sexual preferences, or physical or mental illness or disability.

• No details of a person’s race, nationality, colour, religion, marital status, sex, sexual preferences, or physical or mental illness or disability should be included in a report unless relevant to the situation.

 

Errors and Clarifications

• TTM's commitment to accuracy includes a willingness to correct errors and clarify ambiguous or otherwise misleading information:

• TTM welcomes feedback on articles and urges readers to raise any concerns about potential factual errors in our stories and content.

• If published material is deemed inaccurate or misleading, then a correction or clarification notice may be published in the next available print edition. If material published is online, then the content may be altered or deleted altogether.

• All employees are encouraged to raise any concerns over the accuracy of published material on our platforms.

•  No employee or contributor may commit TTM to an admission of error, correction, or apology without reference to the Managing Editor.

 

 Complaints

• The first point of contact for mistakes, errors or clarifications should be the Managing Editor.

• We aim to acknowledge any complaints within 48 hours of receipt

• Our complaints handling process is transparent and is assessed against our editorial guidelines and code of practice

• Please refer to the Complaints Policy which can be viewed at Complaints & Feedback Policy

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Contact Information

• All contact information (emails and mobile phone numbers) are published on the website www.intouchmagazine.com.au

• Phone: +61 2 4943 0888 or +61 2 4943 2888

• Email: editor@intouchmagazine.com.au   

• Post: PO Box 165, Charlestown, NSW 2290