Contra Costa Pulse Ethics and Corrections Policy

Our Commitment

Contra Costa Pulse is committed to producing accurate, fair and community-centered journalism. We strive to report the truth, verify information before publication and hold ourselves accountable when we make mistakes.

Accuracy

We verify information through multiple sources whenever possible. We seek comment from the people and organizations who are the subject of critical reporting and give them a fair opportunity to respond.

We distinguish clearly between verified facts, analysis and opinion.

Independence

Our editorial decisions are made independently. Some reporting projects may be supported by grants or sponsorships that advance coverage of specific topics or communities. However, Contra Costa Pulse maintains full editorial independence. Funders do not review stories before publication or influence our reporting, news judgments or editorial decisions.

We disclose potential conflicts of interest when appropriate.

Fairness

We treat all people with dignity and respect. We strive to include diverse voices and perspectives, particularly those historically underrepresented in local news.

We avoid stereotyping based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, immigration status or socioeconomic background unless those characteristics are directly relevant to the story.

Anonymous Sources

We generally identify the people we quote and prefer to attribute information to named sources whenever possible. 

In some cases, we may grant anonymity when there is a compelling public interest and a source could face retaliation, harm or other serious consequences if identified.  

Occasionally, people interviewed at public events or in community settings may decline to provide their full name. When their comments are included, we will be transparent with readers about why they are not fully identified.

Corrections

We take accuracy seriously and promptly correct factual errors.

If a published story contains a factual mistake, we will update the story as quickly as possible and note the correction at the bottom of the article when appropriate.

Minor edits that do not change the meaning of a story such as for grammar, spelling or style may be made without a correction note.

How to Request a Correction

If you believe we’ve made an error, please contact us at:

Email: danielle@ccpulse.org

Please include:

* A link to the story.

* The information you believe is incorrect.

* Supporting documentation, if available.

We review every correction request promptly and update stories when warranted.

Transparency

When significant corrections or clarifications are made, we will clearly note what was changed so readers understand the update.

Maintaining our readers’ trust is essential to our mission. We welcome feedback and are committed to continually improving our journalism.