This page describes the practical standards behind Daily Watch Reports journalism — the day-to-day rules that turn the principles in our Editorial Policy and Ethics Policy into consistent practice.
Sourcing and verification
We build stories on the most authoritative sources available — official statistics, original documents, primary research and named experts. Significant factual claims are verified before publication and, wherever possible, linked to their source. Our approach is detailed in our Fact-Checking Policy.
Quotations
We quote people accurately and in context. We do not alter the meaning of a quote through selective editing, and we do not fabricate or composite quotes.
Anonymous sources
Named sources are always preferred. We use anonymous sources only when the information is of clear public interest, cannot reasonably be obtained on the record, and the source would face genuine risk if identified. Anonymity is approved by an editor, not granted casually, and never used as cover for unfounded attacks.
Headlines and framing
Headlines must be supported by the article beneath them. We do not use misleading, exaggerated or clickbait headlines, and we write summaries and social copy that reflect the story accurately.
Images and media
Images are captioned and credited, and we do not digitally manipulate photographs in ways that misrepresent reality. Illustrative or stock imagery is used only where it does not imply documentary evidence.
Updates and versioning
When a developing story changes materially after publication, we update it and make clear that it has been updated. Substantive corrections are logged transparently under our Corrections policy rather than made silently.
Reader contributions
Where readers contribute tips or feedback, we verify information before acting on it and handle personal data in line with our Privacy Policy.
Contact
Questions about our standards can be sent to [email protected].