News Corp Australia Editorial Professional Conduct Policy
This policy applies to News Corp Australia and its editorial employees. Editorial employees means full-time, part-time, fixed-term and casual employees and also contractors, contributors, consultants, freelance photographers, interns and volunteers.

The Editorial Professional Conduct Policy should be used in conjunction with the News Corp Australia Social Media Policy, News Corp Australia External Media Policy, News Corp Business Attire Policy, News Corp Acceptable Use Policy, News Corp Standards of Business Conduct, News Corp Anti-Bribery and Anti-Corruption Policy, News Corp Third Party Entertainment and Business Gift policy, News Corp Global Sanctions Anti-Boycott and Import Export Policy and other News Corp conduct policies relevant for editorial employees. Where the policy states an ‘authorised nominee’ can approve certain decisions, that person must be officially authorised by the relevant executive/s on whose behalf they are acting.

1.0 Accuracy and Reporting

1.1 Publications should take reasonable steps to ensure reports are accurate and not misleading.

1.2 Publications are free to editorialise, campaign and take stances on issues provided they take reasonable steps to fulfil the requirements of 1.3 and 1.4.

1.3 Comment, conjecture and opinion are acceptable in reports to provide perspective on an issue, or explain the significance of an issue, or to allow readers to recognise what the publication’s standpoint is on the matter being reported.

1.4 However, this does not allow us to knowingly publish inaccurate or misleading information and publications should correct significant inaccuracies or misleading material once they have been recognised as detailed in Section 2.0 – Mistakes.

1.5 Try always to tell all sides of the story when reporting on disputes and with such stories, reasonable steps should be taken to contact adversely named parties.

1.6 Journalists should rely only on credible sources.

1.7 Direct quotations should not be altered except to delete offensive language, protect against defamation, or to make minor changes for clarity.

1.8 Plagiarism is theft.

1.9 Information sourced from social media should be verified for accuracy. Editors should be informed of images sourced from social media sites. Publication and gathering of material from social media should also adhere to News Corp Australia’s Social Media Policy.

1.10 Images prepared for publication should meet the guidelines of the Photographic Enhancement and Manipulation policy, outlined below in Section 23.0 of this policy.

2.0 Mistakes

2.1 Subject to legal advice, a correction or other adequate remedial action should be provided promptly if published material is significantly inaccurate.

2.2 News Corp Australia supports self-regulation of the publishing industry and is a constituent member of the Australian Press Council.

2.3 Editors should publish Council adjudications on complaints about their publication in accordance with the publishers-Council agreement as detailed in the Council’s Constitution.

General Contact Address

The Australian
2 Holt Street
Surry Hills NSW 2010
Post: GPO Box 4245 Sydney NSW 2001
Tel: (02) 9288 3000
letters@theaustralian.com.au