Editorial Guidelines

Editorial policy and complaints-handling process

Editorial guidelines

The Scottish Banner is committed to print and online publishing of quality public interest journalism by reporting facts in an accurate and balanced manner. We do not accept adverts or articles which we deem unethical, fraudulent or misleading.

Accuracy and clarity

1. Ensure that material in news reports and elsewhere is accurate and does not intentionally mislead. Content is distinguishable from other material such as opinion.

2. Provide a correction or other adequate remedial action if published material is significantly inaccurate or misleading.

Fairness and balance

3. Ensure that factual material is presented with reasonable fairness and balance, and that writers’ expressions of opinion are not based on significantly inaccurate factual material or omission of key facts.

4. Ensure that where material refers adversely to a person, a fair opportunity is given for subsequent publication of a reply if that is reasonably necessary to address a possible breach of Principle 3.

Privacy and avoidance of harm

5. Avoid intruding on a person’s reasonable expectations of privacy, unless doing so is sufficiently in the public interest.

6. Avoid causing or contributing materially to substantial offence, distress or prejudice, or a substantial risk to health or safety, unless doing so is sufficiently in the public interest.

Integrity and transparency

7. Avoid publishing material which has been compiled by deceptive or unfair means, unless doing so is sufficiently in the public interest.

8. Ensure that conflicts of interests are avoided or appropriately disclosed, and that they do not influence published material.

Our complaints policy can be viewed at: www.scottishbanner.com/complaints

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