The principles we hold to, how we source, verify, and report, and what we do when we get something wrong.
Insider Wire is an independent American news organization. We publish stories that we believe to be true and important, with our work on the record and our methods on the page. This document covers the ethics that govern our journalism, the operational standards behind it, and our corrections policy.
These standards apply to every byline, every contributor, and every story we publish. They are reviewed at least annually by the editorial leadership and updated as our practices evolve.
Independence
Insider Wire is privately held and sponsor-supported. We are not owned by a conglomerate, funded by a party, or steered by a press office. No advertiser, sponsor, donor, or political interest has any say over what we cover or how we cover it.
Separation of Business and Editorial
We do not sell coverage. We do not accept payment, gifts, travel, or other consideration in exchange for a story, a quote, or a favorable angle. Sponsored or paid content, when it appears, is clearly labeled and produced separately from the newsroom.
News and Opinion
We distinguish clearly between reporting and commentary. News stories present verified facts; opinion and analysis are labeled as such and reflect the views of their author, not a verdict of the newsroom.
01. Sourcing
Every Insider Wire story is built on identifiable sources. We prefer named, on-the-record sources and primary documents: court filings, agency releases, financial disclosures, livestreams, transcripts, and direct interviews over anonymous tips and aggregated reporting.
When we cite reporting by another outlet, we link to the original story and we name the outlet in the body of the piece. We do not republish another outlet's work as our own.
02. Verification
Before publication, every claim of fact is checked against at least one primary source or two independent secondary sources. Quotes are verified against the underlying audio, video, or transcript whenever one exists.
For breaking news, we publish what we can confirm in the moment and clearly label what is still developing. We update the same URL as new facts arrive rather than spinning off near-duplicate stories.
03. Anonymous Sources
We use anonymous sources only when the information is in the public interest, the source has direct knowledge, and identifying them would expose them to retaliation. Every anonymous source is known to at least one editor, and we describe their position with as much specificity as we safely can.
04. Attribution and Quotation
Quotes inside quotation marks are verbatim. Where a quote has been trimmed for length or clarity, we say so. We do not invent dialogue, recreate scenes, or attribute opinions to people who have not stated them.
05. Use of Artificial Intelligence
Reporting decisions, sourcing, and editorial judgment are made by humans. We use AI tools the way we use a search engine or a spell checker, as an aid in research, drafting, and headline testing. But no story is published without a human editor reviewing every claim of fact against its source.
We never use AI to fabricate quotes, sources, or events. AI-generated images of real people or real events are not used in news reporting.
06. Conflicts of Interest
Writers and editors disclose any financial interest, personal relationship, or political activity that could reasonably be seen to influence their coverage of a story. When a conflict cannot be disclosed away, the story is reassigned.
07. Right of Reply
Anyone named in an Insider Wire story in a critical light is given a meaningful opportunity to respond before publication. Where the subject declines or does not respond by deadline, we say so in the piece.
After publication, requests for clarification or correction can be sent to [email protected].
08. Corrections
Errors happen. When one of ours is brought to our attention, whether by a reader, a subject of the story, or one of our own editors, we evaluate it, fix it, and publish a record of the change on the story itself.
We do not silently edit published work, and we do not delete stories to make a mistake disappear. The reporting stays on the page, the change is dated, and the reason is stated.
Reporting a Correction
Email [email protected] with a link to the story, the specific sentence or claim you believe is wrong, and any supporting evidence (a court filing, a primary source, a named record). An editor reviews every legitimate request and replies within 48 hours.
What Changes Look Like
Four kinds of update, all logged.
Correction
A fix to a factual error: a wrong name, date, number, attribution, or claim. We update the story, append a dated correction note at the top, and republish.
Clarification
A change that makes the original meaning unmistakable without altering the factual record. We add a dated clarification note at the top of the story.
Update
A new development on a still-active story. The original URL is kept, the new facts are added in line, and the headline and dateline reflect the latest state. Earlier facts are not removed; they are marked with the time they applied.
Retraction
The rare case where a story's core premise no longer holds. The body is replaced with a dated editor's note explaining what was wrong and why. We do not silently delete published work.
Turnaround
Material factual errors, meaning anything that misleads a reader about who, what, when, or where, are corrected as soon as we can verify them, generally within hours of confirmation. Less material issues (spelling, formatting, link rot) are fixed as part of regular maintenance.
To reach the desk on any other topic, write to [email protected].