This Code of Ethics governs everyone who produces content for Media Rounds — staff desks, editors and contributors alike. It is the public version of the rules our newsroom works by, published so that readers, sources and partners can hold us to them. Where this Code is silent, staff are expected to apply its spirit: verify first, publish honestly, correct openly.
1. Accuracy first
We publish only what we can verify. Every news report requires confirmation from at least two reputable sources before publication, and single-source claims are either held until confirmed or published with explicit attribution and a plain statement of what could not be confirmed. Numbers, names, dates, scores, titles and quotations receive a dedicated check against the source material. Speed never outranks certainty. Where a story is developing, we state what is known, what is not yet known, and what we are doing to find out — and we update the story in place, noting the update, rather than scattering fragments across new articles.
2. Honest sourcing
Sources are identified as fully as safety and prior agreements allow. Anonymous sources are used sparingly; where anonymity is granted, the reason is stated in general terms where possible, and the information must clear a higher verification bar. We never fabricate sources, quotations, scenes or credentials, and we never present speculation, rumor or a single outlet’s unverified claim as established fact. Claims by governments, companies, campaigns and pressure groups are reported as claims — attributed to their makers and tested against independent evidence wherever such evidence exists. When sources conflict, the conflict is reported.
3. Independence and conflicts of interest
Editorial decisions at Media Rounds are made by the newsroom and by no one else. No advertiser, sponsor, commercial partner or network interest may determine whether a story runs, how it is framed, what it concludes or how prominently it is displayed. Staff who hold a financial or personal interest that could bear on a story they are covering must disclose it to their editor and recuse themselves where a conflict exists. Gifts, hospitality and benefits beyond trivial courtesy value are declined, and anything that could reasonably be seen as an inducement is declared to the desk editor before any coverage decision.
4. Fairness and the right of reply
People and organizations facing significant criticism or allegations in our reporting are given a reasonable opportunity to respond before publication, and their response is represented fairly and at reasonable length. Coverage of disputes presents the material claims of each side with attribution to their makers. Quotations are never trimmed in ways that distort a speaker’s meaning, and interview subjects are not promised copy approval — factual checking with a source is not a veto.
5. Originality: no plagiarism, no fabrication, no automation abuse
Our stories are written by our desks, in our own words, from sources we have read. We do not copy the text, structure or distinctive framing of other outlets; we do not republish wire copy, press releases or other sites’ reporting as our own work; and we do not rewrite a single article into a “new” story. Artificial-intelligence tools may assist with research organization and drafting support, but they are never a source, never a byline, and no story is published without human verification of every factual claim and human editing of the text. Fictionalized colour, invented detail and composite characters have no place in our news reports.
6. Harm, privacy and vulnerable people
We seek to inform while minimizing harm. Victims of crime, accidents and disasters are identified in accordance with law, official confirmation and reasonable regard for family notification; private individuals are not named where naming adds nothing of public value. Coverage of health, including mental health, avoids sensationalism, states the strength of evidence behind claims, and never presents research findings as personal medical advice. Children are covered with heightened care, and images of vulnerable people are used only where their publication serves a genuine public interest.
7. Transparency and corrections
Our desks, desk bylines, beat descriptions and standards are public, as are this Code and our Corrections policy. Errors are corrected visibly, with a dated note on the article explaining what changed; substantive corrections are never made silently. Business or network relationships that could create a perceived conflict in a specific story are disclosed within that story. Sponsored content is labelled as sponsored wherever it appears, without exception.
8. Accountability
Readers may challenge any story, headline, image or correction through our Contact page, and challenges receive a response from an editor — where practicable, an editor other than the one solely responsible for the original piece. Verified breaches of this Code result in proportionate action, from correction and editor’s notes to removal of material and termination of a contributor’s engagement. This Code is reviewed periodically by the newsroom, and the version published here is the version in force.
Media Rounds is published by 24World Media, 1411 N Sterling Ave, Palatine, IL 60067. This Code applies across all desks, beats, formats and platforms that carry our reporting.
