Editorial Standards…
The Heartlands Tribune is committed to independent journalism, factual accuracy, editorial transparency and open debate.
We publish news, analysis, commentary and opinion from an openly left-wing perspective. We do not claim political neutrality, but we do require factual claims to be supported, sources to be treated responsibly, and opinion to be presented as opinion.
Our editorial independence is not for sale.
1. Editorial Independence
The Heartlands Tribune operates independently of political parties, governments, corporations, advertisers, donors and institutional sponsors.
Editorial decisions are made according to journalistic judgement, public interest and the relevance of a story to our readers.
Financial support does not purchase favourable coverage, editorial influence or access to our contributors.
Where a contributor has a material personal, political or financial interest in the subject they are writing about, that interest should be disclosed where relevant.
2. Accuracy
Accuracy is fundamental to our journalism.
Contributors and editors are expected to take reasonable steps to verify factual claims before publication.
Particular care should be taken with:
- names, dates and locations
- quotations
- statistics and numerical claims
- legislation, court judgments and official documents
- claims concerning individuals or organisations
- photographs, video and other evidence
- information taken from third-party publications
The level of verification required will depend on the seriousness and potential consequences of the claim.
Our detailed approach is set out in our Fact Checking Policy.
3. News, Analysis and Opinion
The Heartlands Tribune publishes several forms of journalism.
News reporting should seek to establish and communicate relevant facts accurately and fairly.
Analysis may interpret events, identify patterns and draw conclusions based on available evidence.
Opinion and commentary may express strong political arguments, criticism and personal viewpoints.
Opinion does not remove the obligation to be accurate about facts.
We believe readers are capable of distinguishing between evidence and argument when the distinction is made honestly.
4. Our Political Perspective
The Heartlands Tribune publishes from an unapologetically left-wing standpoint.
Our journalism is particularly concerned with:
- class and economic inequality
- workers’ rights and organised labour
- public ownership and public services
- political accountability
- civil liberties and free speech
- the effects of economic and political decisions on working-class communities
- concentrations of corporate and institutional power
This perspective informs the questions we ask and the subjects we choose to examine.
It does not entitle us to manufacture evidence, distort facts or ignore information simply because it is inconvenient to an argument.
5. Sources
We prefer primary sources wherever reasonably available.
These may include:
- legislation
- court judgments
- official statistics
- parliamentary records
- company filings
- government and public-body documents
- direct statements and interviews
- original research
- first-hand testimony
Secondary sources may also be used, including reporting by other publications.
Important factual claims should be corroborated where reasonably possible.
Where a source has a clear political, commercial or institutional interest in a story, that context should be considered when assessing the information they provide.
6. Anonymous and Confidential Sources
There may be circumstances where a source cannot safely or reasonably be identified.
Anonymous or confidential sources may be used when there is a legitimate journalistic or public-interest reason to protect their identity.
Editors should consider:
- the source’s access to the information
- their possible motivations
- whether the information can be corroborated
- the seriousness of the allegation
- the consequences of publication
Anonymity should not be granted merely for convenience.
7. Right of Reply
Where serious allegations are made about an identifiable individual or organisation, reasonable efforts should be made to seek a response before publication where circumstances allow.
The absence of a response does not prevent publication where the story is supported by sufficient evidence and publication is in the public interest.
Responses received after publication may be added to an article where appropriate.
8. Headlines, Images and Social Media
Headlines should accurately reflect the substance of an article.
They may be direct, provocative or strongly worded, but they should not knowingly misrepresent the underlying story.
Images, captions and graphics should not be presented in a way that materially deceives readers about an event or person.
Social media posts promoting our journalism should fairly represent the substance of the article being shared.
9. Photographs, Video and Digital Material
The Heartlands Tribune may publish photographs, video, screenshots, documents and other digital material where relevant to our journalism.
Where material has been edited, cropped or presented for illustrative purposes, care should be taken not to create a materially false impression.
Digitally created or altered imagery should not be passed off as documentary photography of an event that did not occur.
10. Artificial Intelligence
The Heartlands Tribune is a small independent publication with a deliberately lean operation.
Artificial intelligence tools are used as part of our editorial workflow to assist with tasks including research, source comparison, transcription, drafting support, editing, headline development, image concepts and technical publishing work.
AI is used as a tool, not as an editor, proprietor or source of authority.
Published material remains subject to human editorial judgement. The Editor-in-Chief is responsible for deciding what is published, what claims require verification, what sources are reliable and whether an article meets The Heartlands Tribune’s editorial standards.
AI-generated claims are not accepted as fact merely because an AI system produced them. Significant factual assertions should be checked against reliable primary or secondary sources before publication.
Where AI-generated or substantially AI-assisted imagery is used editorially, it should not be presented as documentary evidence of an event that did not occur.
The Editor-in-Chief is dyslexic, and AI-assisted tools are routinely used for proofreading, spelling, grammar and clarity as part of the publication process.
The use of AI does not remove human responsibility for accuracy, fairness, corrections or editorial decisions.
For The Heartlands Tribune, AI is part of the machinery of a small modern newsroom. Accountability remains human.
11. Corrections and Updates
When a substantive factual error is identified, we believe it should be corrected clearly and proportionately.
Developing stories may also be updated as reliable new information becomes available.
Corrections, clarifications, updates and retractions are handled under our Corrections Policy.
We do not regard disagreement with an argument or political position as evidence that a factual correction is required.
12. Fairness and Context
Fairness does not require pretending that all arguments are equally supported by evidence.
It does require representing material facts honestly and avoiding deliberate distortion.
Relevant context should not be omitted where its absence would create a substantially misleading impression.
Quotations should not be edited in a way that materially changes their meaning.
13. Public Interest
Journalism sometimes requires publishing information that is controversial, uncomfortable or strongly contested.
In deciding whether publication is justified, we may consider whether the material contributes to:
- exposing wrongdoing or abuse of power
- informing public debate
- holding public institutions or powerful individuals accountable
- protecting public health or safety
- revealing significant failures of government or corporate conduct
- advancing understanding of matters of legitimate public concern
Public interest is not the same as what merely interests the public.
14. Conflicts of Interest
Contributors should avoid undisclosed conflicts that could reasonably call their independence into question.
Relevant financial, political, organisational or personal interests should be disclosed where they have a material bearing on the subject being covered.
Where a significant conflict cannot be properly disclosed or managed, another contributor may be better placed to cover the story.
15. Plagiarism and Attribution
The Heartlands Tribune does not knowingly publish plagiarised work.
Material taken from other sources should be attributed where appropriate.
Quotations should be clearly identified, and the work of other journalists, researchers, writers and organisations should be credited when relied upon substantially.
16. Contributors
Contributors are responsible for the accuracy of material they submit.
Editors retain the right to:
- edit for clarity, accuracy, style and length
- request evidence for factual claims
- reject material that cannot be adequately supported
- correct or update material after publication
- refuse publication where editorial standards are not met
Publication does not necessarily mean that every contributor shares the same political or editorial position.
17. Reader Accountability
Readers are encouraged to challenge our reporting where they believe we have made a factual error.
Credible complaints supported by evidence will be reviewed.
We believe independent journalism is strengthened, not weakened, by being open to scrutiny.
Questions, corrections or concerns about our journalism can be sent to:
Email: contact@heartlandstribune.com
For more information, please see our:
- Fact Checking Policy
- Corrections Policy
- Ownership & Funding Information
- About The Heartlands Tribune
- Privacy Policy
The Heartlands Tribune
Independent. Reader-funded. Ad-free.
No billionaire owners. No paywalls. No corporate ads.
