{"id":59,"date":"2026-07-27T01:00:16","date_gmt":"2026-07-27T06:00:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/panhandleweekly.com\/ds1\/editorial-standards\/"},"modified":"2026-07-27T01:00:16","modified_gmt":"2026-07-27T06:00:16","slug":"editorial-standards","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/panhandleweekly.com\/ds1\/editorial-standards\/","title":{"rendered":"Editorial Standards"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Panhandle Weekly&#8217;s job is to provide accurate, useful, independent reporting for Destin, Fort Walton Beach, Niceville, and the surrounding Emerald Coast. These standards describe the principles we use when reporting, editing, correcting, and presenting our work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Accuracy comes first<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We verify names, dates, locations, quotations, numbers, documents, and material claims before publication. We distinguish what we observed, what records show, what a source alleges, and what remains unknown. Speed does not excuse avoidable error.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Sourcing and attribution<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>We prefer primary sources: public records, direct interviews, official data, meeting video, court filings, and on-the-record statements.<\/li><li>When we rely on another news organization, we identify and link to it whenever practical.<\/li><li>We do not present press releases, social posts, or AI-generated summaries as independent verification.<\/li><li>Anonymous sources are used sparingly, when the information is newsworthy, the source is in a position to know it, and there is a credible reason the source cannot be named.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Fairness and the right to respond<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">People and organizations facing significant criticism should have a meaningful opportunity to respond before publication when circumstances allow. A response may be summarized for clarity and length, but its substance should not be distorted. We do not promise favorable coverage in exchange for access, advertising, information, or any other benefit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Public safety, crime, and courts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">An arrest is not a conviction. We use language such as &#8220;police said,&#8221; &#8220;according to the affidavit,&#8221; and &#8220;alleged&#8221; when facts have not been adjudicated, and we include the presumption of innocence when reporting criminal charges. We avoid unnecessary personal detail, graphic material, and sensational framing. Names of minors and victims of sexual violence are withheld except in rare, compelling circumstances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Conflicts, gifts, and independence<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Editorial decisions are made for their public value. Advertising, sponsorships, and affiliate relationships &#8211; if used &#8211; must be clearly labeled and kept separate from news judgment. Contributors should disclose financial, political, family, or organizational relationships that could reasonably raise questions about their independence. We do not accept payment for news coverage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Artificial intelligence and visual material<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Automation may assist with research organization, transcription, copy editing, or production, but it is not a source and does not replace human editorial responsibility. Factual claims must be checked against reliable material. AI-generated visuals are labeled as illustrations and are never presented as documentary photographs of an event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Corrections and updates<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When we make a material factual error, we correct it promptly and explain the change. Developing stories may be updated as new information becomes available. Silent edits are limited to spelling, punctuation, formatting, or other changes that do not alter meaning. Learn more in our <a href=\"\/ds1\/corrections-policy\/\">corrections policy<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to reach us<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Questions about these standards, requests for clarification, and concerns about our coverage can be submitted through the <a href=\"\/ds1\/contact\/\">newsroom contact form<\/a>. Please include the relevant story URL whenever possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Last reviewed: July 26, 2026.<\/em><\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Panhandle Weekly&#8217;s job is to provide accurate, useful, independent reporting for Destin, Fort Walton Beach, Niceville, and the surrounding Emerald Coast. These standards describe the principles we use&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"pagelayer_contact_templates":[],"_pagelayer_content":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-59","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/panhandleweekly.com\/ds1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/59","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/panhandleweekly.com\/ds1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/panhandleweekly.com\/ds1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/panhandleweekly.com\/ds1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/panhandleweekly.com\/ds1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=59"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/panhandleweekly.com\/ds1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/59\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/panhandleweekly.com\/ds1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=59"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}