Last Updated: July 2023
Houston Stringer is committed to accurate, fair, independent, and responsible journalism. Our mission is to report matters of legitimate public interest while maintaining transparency with our readers and accountability in our reporting.
This policy explains the editorial standards we strive to follow and how requests for corrections are handled.
Editorial Standards
Accuracy
Houston Stringer strives to publish information that is accurate at the time of publication.
Our reporting may rely upon:
- Official statements
- Court records
- Public records
- Law enforcement agencies
- Government agencies
- Public meetings
- First responders
- Eyewitness accounts
- Interviews
- Documents
- Audio and video recordings
- Other credible sources
Some developing news stories involve rapidly changing information. Facts may change as investigations continue.
When appropriate, stories will be updated as additional verified information becomes available.
Independence
Houston Stringer maintains editorial independence.
Editorial decisions are made independently and are not influenced by advertisers, sponsors, political organizations, contributors, outside interests, or individuals seeking favorable coverage.
Publication of advertisements, sponsored content, or external links does not constitute an endorsement.
Fairness
Houston Stringer seeks to provide fair and balanced reporting whenever practical.
When reporting allegations involving identifiable individuals or organizations, reasonable efforts may be made to obtain comment from affected parties when appropriate under the circumstances.
Not every story requires or permits advance comment, particularly breaking news, emergency incidents, court proceedings, or reports based upon official public records.
Attribution
Whenever practical, Houston Stringer attributes information to its source.
Sources may include:
- Public officials
- Law enforcement agencies
- Government agencies
- Court filings
- Public records
- Press conferences
- Interviews
- Eyewitnesses
- Public documents
Anonymous sources are used sparingly and only when editorial judgment determines there is a legitimate public interest and sufficient reason to protect the source’s identity.
Opinion and Commentary
Houston Stringer distinguishes between news reporting and opinion content whenever practical.
Statements made by guests, interview subjects, commentators, callers, contributors, or members of the public remain the responsibility of the individual making those statements unless independently verified and reported as fact.
Artificial Intelligence
Houston Stringer may use artificial intelligence tools to assist with transcription, formatting, grammar, summarization, research assistance, translation, or other editorial support functions.
All published content remains subject to human editorial review before publication.
Artificial intelligence is not used as a substitute for editorial judgment or independent verification.
Corrections Policy
Houston Stringer welcomes notification of factual errors.
If an error is identified, we will review the information and, when appropriate, correct or clarify the content.
Corrections may include:
- Correcting factual inaccuracies.
- Updating stories with new verified information.
- Clarifying wording that could reasonably mislead readers.
- Adding editor’s notes when appropriate.
Minor typographical, formatting, punctuation, or stylistic errors that do not affect the meaning of a story may be corrected without notice.
Requests for Corrections
Requests should include:
- The title or URL of the content.
- A description of the alleged error.
- Supporting documentation, if available.
- Contact information for follow-up.
Submitting a correction request does not guarantee that content will be removed or modified.
Houston Stringer reviews requests based upon available evidence and applicable journalistic standards.
Requests for Removal
Houston Stringer generally does not remove lawfully published news articles, public records reporting, or matters of legitimate public interest solely because an individual disagrees with the content or believes it may negatively affect reputation.
Removal requests are evaluated on a case-by-case basis and may be considered when required by law or when extraordinary circumstances warrant editorial review.
Where appropriate, corrections or updates may be published instead of removing content.
Developing Stories
Breaking news frequently develops over time.
Initial reports may be based upon preliminary information provided by emergency responders, government agencies, or other sources.
Facts, identities, charges, injuries, or investigative findings may change as additional information becomes available.
Readers are encouraged to review updated versions of stories.
Public Records Reporting
Houston Stringer regularly reports information obtained from:
- Court records
- Police reports
- Government agencies
- Public meetings
- Public records requests
- Official filings
Publication of public records does not imply endorsement of the underlying allegations or legal claims contained within those records.
Community Contributions
Houston Stringer may publish content submitted by contributors, freelancers, members of the public, or guest authors.
Contributors are responsible for the accuracy of submitted material.
Houston Stringer reserves the right to edit submissions for clarity, grammar, formatting, legal compliance, style, length, or editorial standards prior to publication.
Publication decisions remain solely within Houston Stringer’s editorial discretion.
Transparency
When significant factual errors are corrected after publication, Houston Stringer may note that the story has been updated or corrected.
Not every editorial revision requires a correction notice.
Contact
Questions regarding editorial standards or requests for corrections may be submitted using the contact information published on the Houston Stringer website.