Editorial Policy

Our Commitment to Quincy

Quincy Current exists to provide timely, accurate and independent journalism about Quincy, Illinois and the issues that matter to the people who call this community home.

Our responsibility is first to the truth and to our readers.

We believe strong communities benefit from reliable local journalism: reporting that informs rather than inflames, verifies rather than speculates and respects the people whose stories we tell.

These standards explain how Quincy Current approaches that responsibility.

Independence

Quincy Current is an independent local news publication.

Editorial decisions are made according to newsworthiness, accuracy and the public interest. They are not made to benefit advertisers, businesses, political candidates, public officials, organizations or other outside interests.

Advertising does not purchase favorable news coverage.

Likewise, declining to advertise with Quincy Current will never be grounds for unfavorable coverage.

There is a clear distinction between the business interests of Quincy Current and the editorial judgment of the newsroom.

Where a relationship or conflict is significant enough that readers should know about it, Quincy Current will disclose it.

Accuracy Before Assumption

Accuracy is fundamental to our work.

Quincy Current strives to verify information before presenting it as fact.

Our reporting may draw from sources including:

• direct observation;
• interviews;
• official statements;
• public meetings;
• government documents;
• police and fire information;
• court records;
• budgets and public financial records;
• photographs and video;
• public-record requests;
• historical records; and
• other credible primary and secondary sources.

Being first is valuable.

Being right is more important.

When information cannot yet be independently confirmed, we will distinguish what is known from what remains uncertain.

Rumor, speculation and social-media discussion alone are not treated as established fact.

Developing and Breaking News

Local news frequently develops quickly.

In breaking-news situations, Quincy Current may publish confirmed information while additional facts are still being gathered.

Developing stories will be updated as credible new information becomes available.

Early reporting should clearly communicate what has been confirmed, what authorities have stated and what remains unknown.

We will not fill gaps in available information with speculation.

Sources and Attribution

Whenever practical, Quincy Current prefers identifiable, on-the-record sources.

Information obtained from another publication, government agency, organization, photographer or other source will be appropriately attributed.

When another news organization has performed original reporting that contributes materially to our coverage, we will credit that organization rather than presenting its reporting as our own.

Press releases and official statements may provide important information, but they should not automatically be treated as independent verification.

Anonymous Sources

Anonymous sourcing should be uncommon.

Quincy Current may protect the identity of a source when the information is important to the public, the source has legitimate reason to fear retaliation or harm, and the information cannot reasonably be obtained through ordinary public sourcing.

Granting anonymity does not eliminate the responsibility to verify information.

Anonymous sources will not be used simply to circulate rumors, personal attacks or claims that cannot be substantiated.

Fairness and Right to Respond

Fairness does not require pretending all claims are equally supported by evidence.

It does require representing relevant facts accurately and giving people or organizations facing significant criticism, allegations or accusations a reasonable opportunity to respond when circumstances permit.

If someone declines to respond or cannot be reached before publication, that may be stated in the story.

Corrections and Clarifications

Quincy Current strives to get every story right.

When we make a meaningful factual error, we will correct it.

Substantive corrections should be made transparently and, when appropriate, accompanied by a correction or editor’s note explaining what was changed.

Minor typographical, grammatical or formatting errors may be corrected without a formal notice when they do not alter the meaning of the article.

Developing stories may be updated as additional information becomes available.

Readers who believe Quincy Current has published an error are encouraged to contact:

news@QuincyCurrent.com

Please identify the article, the information believed to be incorrect and, when possible, documentation supporting the requested correction.

Removal of Published Articles

As a general principle, accurate journalism should remain part of the public record.

Quincy Current will not ordinarily remove truthful reporting simply because the information later becomes inconvenient, embarrassing or unfavorable to someone mentioned.

Removal or substantial alteration may be considered in exceptional circumstances involving significant factual error, legal obligations, legitimate safety concerns or extraordinary circumstances where continued publication would create an unjustifiable harm that outweighs the public interest.

News and Opinion

Quincy Current distinguishes factual news reporting from opinion.

News articles are intended to report verified information fairly and should not advocate for a political, commercial or personal position.

Opinion, commentary, analysis and editorial material should be clearly labeled so readers understand the nature of what they are reading.

The personal views of a writer or contributor do not change the factual standards applied to Quincy Current’s news reporting.

Government and Political Coverage

Quincy Current covers government because the actions of public institutions affect the lives, property, taxes and future of the community.

Public officials, candidates, ballot questions and governmental decisions should be evaluated according to the same journalistic standards regardless of political affiliation or viewpoint.

Our responsibility is to give readers the information necessary to understand an issue and reach their own conclusions.

Quincy Current does not currently endorse candidates for public office.

Should that policy ever change, any endorsement would be prominently identified as opinion and separated from ordinary news reporting.

Advertising and Sponsored Content

Advertising helps support the work of Quincy Current.

It does not control it.

Advertisements will be visually distinguished from editorial content.

Articles or features created as part of a paid relationship will be clearly identified with language such as Sponsored, Sponsored Content, Paid Partnership or another unmistakable disclosure.

Payment will never be accepted in exchange for disguising advertising as independent journalism.

Conflicts of Interest

Those contributing journalism to Quincy Current should avoid financial, business, personal or organizational relationships that could reasonably call the independence of their reporting into question.

Local journalism takes place within a community where reporters may know the people and organizations they cover. Such familiarity alone does not necessarily prevent fair reporting.

When a relationship presents a meaningful conflict, Quincy Current may disclose the relationship, assign the story differently or take another appropriate step to preserve editorial credibility.

Crime, Accidents and Public Safety

Public-safety reporting requires particular care.

An arrest or accusation is not a conviction.

Quincy Current will strive to accurately describe the legal status of individuals mentioned in crime and court reporting and avoid language that assumes guilt before it has been established.

We weigh legitimate public interest against unnecessary harm, particularly when identifying victims, juveniles or private individuals involved in traumatic circumstances.

Graphic or disturbing photographs and details should be published only when there is a legitimate journalistic reason for doing so.

Children and Vulnerable Individuals

Additional care should be exercised when reporting on minors, victims of tragedy and people in vulnerable circumstances.

The fact that information can legally be published does not always mean that publishing every available detail serves the public interest.

Photography and Visual Journalism

Photography is journalism.

News photographs should accurately represent the scene that was photographed.

Normal adjustments involving exposure, contrast, white balance, cropping, sharpening and similar photographic processing may be used when they do not change the factual meaning of the photograph.

Objects, people or important contextual elements should not be digitally added, removed or materially altered in documentary news photography in a manner that could mislead readers.

Photographs supplied by law enforcement, government agencies, businesses, readers or other third parties should be identified or credited appropriately whenever practical.

Historical photographs should be identified as archival when appropriate.

Artificial Intelligence

Technology may assist the newsroom, but it does not replace editorial responsibility.

Quincy Current may use artificial-intelligence tools for limited functions such as research assistance, transcription, organization, data analysis, drafting assistance, image preparation or other newsroom workflows.

A human remains responsible for the information Quincy Current publishes.

Facts obtained through AI tools must be independently verified before publication.

AI-generated material should never be presented as documentary evidence of an event that did not actually occur.

Photorealistic AI imagery will not be presented as authentic news photography.

When the use of artificial intelligence is material to understanding how important content was created, Quincy Current may disclose that use to readers.

Original Reporting, Copyright and Attribution

Quincy Current values original journalism.

We do not knowingly plagiarize or present another journalist’s work as our own.

Information obtained from other publications should be appropriately credited.

Direct quotations, photographs, graphics, video and copyrighted material belonging to others will be handled according to applicable permissions, licensing, attribution and fair-use principles.

Headlines

Headlines should accurately reflect the substance of the story.

Quincy Current seeks to attract readers through the importance and quality of its journalism rather than through misleading sensationalism.

We avoid headlines designed primarily to provoke outrage, exaggerate facts or create an impression unsupported by the article.

Community Submissions and News Tips

Quincy Current welcomes news tips, event information, photographs, story ideas, press releases and other community submissions.

Submission does not guarantee publication.

Material may be edited, independently verified or declined according to Quincy Current’s editorial standards.

Submitting information does not give the submitter editorial control over resulting news coverage.

News tips may be sent to:

news@QuincyCurrent.com

Accountability

Journalism asks public institutions, officials, businesses and community leaders to answer for their actions.

A news organization should be willing to do the same.

Quincy Current welcomes thoughtful criticism, questions about our reporting and legitimate challenges to factual accuracy.

Our credibility will ultimately be determined not by what we say about ourselves, but by whether our reporting consistently demonstrates accuracy, fairness, independence and respect for the community we serve.

Quincy Current

Real News. Local Focus. Quincy First.

QuincyCurrent.com
news@QuincyCurrent.com