How do you ensure accuracy in your reporting?

In this current era of “fake news,” with AI-generated content taking over our timelines more and more each day, it’s important to understand what measures the Free Press takes to ensure our reporting is as accurate and truthful as possible. Here’s a few examples of things we do every day so that you can feel good about the reliability of the information you are reading in our pages and on our website:

• Verifying facts and claims: When our reporters receive news tips or information, the first thing they are going to do is try to verify it. In order to do this, they will reach out to a variety of people (also called “sources”) that will help them discern fact from fiction; those people can include the original source, experts such as professors, researchers or other professionals, witnesses (if applicable), police, government officials, and really anyone who might be relevant to the topic at hand. Sources can also include reports and other official documents.
• Try to find balance: Sometimes stories can be a “he-said-she-said” situation; in those cases, reporters will talk to people on both sides of the argument and try to find balance in their reporting, not favouring one side over the other.
• Many eyes read each story: Copy editors will read each story before it gets published; they check for grammar and spelling mistakes, of course, but they also check for factual errors and ask reporters to clarify any part of their story that doesn’t make sense.
• Transparent correction policy: If a mistake is made, the Free Press will let readers know using a correction notice on page A2 of the print paper, as well as at the bottom of the online story. We have a seperate FP 101 tile about how we handle mistakes, which you can read here.

In addition, all reporter and editor contact information is freely available on our website, and at the bottom of each story, because we stand by our reporting. If you see a mistake, or have a question about the accuracy of a story, feel free to contact us.