Our Editorial Commitment
Investigative Journalism Reportika (IJ-Reportika) is committed to accurate, fair, and evidence-based reporting. We know that credibility is earned continuously, not claimed once – so this page explains how we approach editorial standards, and how we handle it when we get something wrong.
Editorial Standards
Sourcing
- We rely on primary sources wherever possible – original documents, data sets, on-record interviews, and direct field reporting.
- When we cite secondary sources (other outlets, reports, or indices), we identify them clearly and, where relevant, note their limitations or potential biases.
- Anonymous sources are used only when a source’s safety, employment, or wellbeing would be at risk from public identification, and only when we can independently corroborate the information provided.
Fact-Checking
- Every article passes through an internal review before publication, checking factual claims, figures, and quotations against original sources.
- Survey-based reports include their methodology, sample size, and data collection period, so readers can evaluate the findings themselves.
Editorial Independence
- Story selection, framing, and conclusions are determined solely by our editorial team based on newsworthiness and public interest.
- As outlined in our Funding & Transparency page, no funder, donor, or reader contribution influences editorial decisions.
Opinion vs. Reporting
- We distinguish clearly between investigative reporting and analysis/opinion pieces. Any piece that includes interpretation, argument, or opinion beyond straight factual reporting is labeled as such.
Corrections Policy
We are committed to accuracy, but no newsroom is infallible. When we make a factual error, we correct it – transparently and promptly.
How to Report an Error
If you believe an article contains a factual error, we want to hear from you. Please email us at with:
- The article title and URL
- The specific claim or statement you believe is incorrect
- Supporting evidence – a source, document, or reference that supports the correction
Reports without supporting evidence will still be reviewed, but claims backed by verifiable evidence are addressed fastest.
What Happens Next
- Acknowledgment. We aim to acknowledge all correction requests within 10 business day.
- Review. Our editorial team independently reviews the claim against the original sourcing for the article, and evaluates any new evidence submitted.
- Outcome. One of the following will happen:
- Correction issued – if the claim is verified as inaccurate, we update the article and add a visible correction note (see below).
- Clarification issued – if the original wording was accurate but ambiguous or could be reasonably misread, we revise for clarity and note the change.
- No change – if our review confirms the original reporting was accurate, we will explain our reasoning to the person who submitted the request. We’re glad to engage further if new evidence is provided.
- Response. We aim to respond to the submitter with the outcome of the review within 15 business days of acknowledgment.
How Corrections Are Displayed
- Corrections are never made silently. Every corrected article includes a visible correction notice at the top or bottom of the piece, stating what was changed, when, and why.
- For significant factual errors that materially affect the meaning of an article, we will note the correction prominently and, where appropriate, on our social media channels.
- We do not delete or unpublish articles to avoid a correction, except in rare cases involving legal obligations, safety concerns, or a source’s fabricated information – and even then, we will note that a piece was removed and provide a general reason.
Escalation
If you’re not satisfied with the outcome of a correction request, you can request a secondary review by replying to our response and explaining why. Persistent good-faith disputes over factual accuracy are taken seriously and reviewed by a senior member of the editorial team.
Contact Us
For corrections: contact@ij-reportika.com For general editorial inquiries: ijrepjournalism@gmail.com For all other queries, use our Contact Page to check our social media handles.
We publish investigative journalism on subjects that are often contested and sensitive. We expect scrutiny of our work, and we welcome it – holding ourselves accountable is part of holding others accountable.
Last updated: 10/1/2022
