R5 News
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Editorial Policy

Editorial Policy

Effective Date: 8 October 2026

R5 News is committed to providing news and information that is useful, relevant, responsible, and easy to understand. As a local and regional news platform, we recognise our responsibility to our readers, communities, sources, and the people featured in our stories.

This Editorial Policy explains the principles we follow while gathering, preparing, publishing, and correcting content on the R5 News app and its associated platforms.

1. Our Editorial Commitment

R5 News aims to publish content that is:

We seek to inform readers rather than deliberately influence, mislead, provoke, or create unnecessary fear.

2. Accuracy Comes First

Accuracy is one of the fundamental principles of R5 News.

Before publishing important information, our editorial team makes reasonable efforts to verify facts using reliable sources, official records, direct statements, credible reports, and other available evidence.

We distinguish between verified information, allegations, opinions, developing reports, and commentary. When information is still developing, we may clearly indicate that a story is based on preliminary or unconfirmed information.

We do not knowingly publish fabricated facts or deliberately misleading information.

3. Verification of Sources

The reliability of a news story depends on the quality of its sources.

Depending on the nature of a story, R5 News may use:

Information received from social media or messaging platforms is not automatically treated as factual. Where practical, such information is independently checked before being presented as news.

4. Breaking News and Developing Stories

News can develop quickly, particularly during accidents, natural disasters, public emergencies, elections, major incidents, and other significant events.

When complete information is not immediately available, R5 News may publish an initial update based on the information reasonably available at that time.

As new verified information becomes available, we may update the story.

We avoid presenting rumours, speculation, or unverified social-media claims as established facts.

5. Fairness and Right of Response

R5 News strives to present significant viewpoints fairly, particularly when reporting on disputes, allegations, investigations, complaints, or accusations involving individuals or organisations.

When appropriate, we will seek comments or responses from the relevant parties.

If a person or organisation provides a response after publication, R5 News may update the relevant report or include the response where editorially appropriate.

Being mentioned in a report does not necessarily mean that R5 News considers a person or organisation responsible for wrongdoing.

6. Headlines and Images

We aim to ensure that headlines accurately represent the substance of the story.

R5 News does not intentionally use misleading headlines, images, or descriptions simply to generate clicks or views.

Images and videos should be relevant to the story and, where possible, appropriately sourced or credited.

Illustrative or representative visuals should not be presented in a way that could reasonably make readers believe they depict an actual event when they do not.

7. Corrections and Updates

Despite our efforts, errors can occasionally occur.

When a factual error is identified, R5 News will review the information and, where appropriate, correct or update the published content.

Significant corrections may be clearly indicated so that readers understand that the earlier information has been amended.

Readers who believe that a story contains a factual error can contact R5 News through the appropriate contact channel with details supporting the correction.

Our objective is not to avoid mistakes entirely—which is not always possible—but to identify, correct, and learn from them responsibly.

8. User-Generated Content

R5 News may receive information, photographs, videos, comments, tips, or other material from users and members of the public.

User-submitted material may be reviewed before publication. Submission of material does not guarantee publication.

We may reject or remove content that appears to be:

Where appropriate, we may contact the contributor to verify the authenticity or context of submitted material.

9. Social Media and Viral Content

A post becoming viral does not make it true.

R5 News may report on information circulating online when it is editorially relevant, but viral content may be independently checked before being treated as factual news.

We take particular care with viral videos, photographs, screenshots, forwarded messages, and claims that could cause public fear, reputational harm, or social tension.

10. Artificial Intelligence and Digital Tools

R5 News may use technology and artificial intelligence tools to support certain editorial tasks such as research assistance, transcription, translation, summarisation, formatting, or content production workflows.

Technology does not replace editorial responsibility.

Published news remains subject to appropriate human review, and reasonable steps should be taken to verify important facts before publication.

AI-generated or digitally altered material should not be presented as authentic evidence or real-world footage when doing so could mislead readers.

11. Sensitive and Distressing Stories

R5 News may report on accidents, deaths, crime, violence, disasters, and other sensitive events when they are of legitimate public interest.

In such coverage, we aim to:

The purpose of reporting a sensitive event should be to inform the public, not to exploit tragedy for attention.

12. Children and Vulnerable Individuals

We take additional care when reporting stories involving children and vulnerable people.

Personal information, photographs, identities, or other identifying details will be handled carefully and published only when there is a legitimate editorial reason and where appropriate safeguards can be applied.

13. Crime, Allegations, and Legal Matters

A person accused of an offence should not automatically be described as guilty.

R5 News will make reasonable efforts to distinguish between an allegation, arrest, investigation, charge, court finding, and conviction.

Where legal proceedings are involved, reporting should be based on reliable information and presented in a manner that does not intentionally misrepresent the legal status of a matter.

14. Political and Public-Affairs Coverage

R5 News aims to report political and public-interest matters based on facts and relevant information rather than personal or organisational preferences.

Where competing viewpoints are materially relevant to a story, we seek to represent them fairly.

Editorial coverage and paid promotional content should be distinguishable.

15. Advertising and Sponsored Content

Advertising, brand promotions, sponsored material, or other commercial communications should not be deliberately presented as independent editorial reporting.

Where appropriate, sponsored or promotional content may be identified so readers can distinguish it from regular news coverage.

Commercial relationships should not determine the factual conclusions of editorial reporting.

16. Editorial Independence

R5 News seeks to maintain a clear distinction between editorial decisions and commercial interests.

Advertisers, sponsors, partners, political organisations, businesses, or other external parties should not be permitted to dictate the factual outcome of legitimate editorial reporting.

Editorial decisions should be based primarily on news value, public interest, relevance, accuracy, and responsible journalism.

17. Privacy

Being newsworthy does not automatically mean every personal detail should be published.

R5 News considers the public interest, relevance, sensitivity, and potential harm before publishing personal information.

We avoid unnecessarily publishing private details such as personal contact information, private addresses, financial information, or other sensitive information unless there is a legitimate and compelling editorial reason.

18. Respectful and Inclusive Reporting

R5 News serves diverse communities.

We aim to avoid content that unnecessarily promotes hatred, discrimination, harassment, or hostility toward individuals or groups based on characteristics such as religion, caste, ethnicity, nationality, gender, disability, or other personal characteristics.

When such characteristics are not relevant to a story, they should generally not be emphasised merely for attention.

19. Content Removal and Editorial Review

R5 News may review, modify, restrict, or remove published content when there is a legitimate editorial, legal, safety, privacy, or accuracy-related reason.

Removal of content does not necessarily mean that the original report was incorrect. Decisions may depend on the circumstances and information available at the time of review.

20. Reader Feedback

We value responsible feedback from our readers.

Readers can contact R5 News regarding:

Relevant concerns may be reviewed by the editorial team.

21. Our Responsibility to Readers

R5 News understands that local news can directly affect individuals and communities.

Our goal is therefore not simply to publish more stories, but to publish useful stories responsibly.

We will continue to improve our editorial processes, verification practices, technology, and standards as R5 News grows.

Our Editorial Principle

R5 News — Your Place. Your Stories. Your News.