Editorial Principles

These principles set out the standards that every reporter, editor, translator and producer at Gökbörü Erbil Medya follows across all four of our publishing languages.

Accuracy and verification

• Everything we publish goes through every reasonable verification step.
• Contested claims, or claims with serious consequences, are not presented as fact unless confirmed by at least two independent sources.
• Where information cannot be verified but is published in the public interest, we say so clearly.
• Figures, quotes, names and titles are checked before publication.

Impartiality and balance

We take particular care with stories carrying ethnic or sectarian sensitivities in Kirkuk and across Iraq. When covering Turkmen, Kurdish, Arab, Syriac and other communities, we represent the views of those involved fairly and avoid language that is derogatory, generalising or inflammatory. People and institutions criticised in our reporting are given a right of reply.

Separating news and opinion

News reports convey facts. Analysis and opinion are kept distinct from news and labelled so readers can tell them apart:

• Analysis: pieces that place facts in context, drawing on expert assessment
• Opinion: pieces reflecting the personal view of the author
• Sponsored: content produced with an advertiser's support, which is not an editorial product of the newsroom

Anonymous sources

We use anonymous sources only when the information is significant to the public interest, cannot be obtained on the record, and the source would face genuine risk if named. At least one senior editor knows the source's identity. Where possible we explain to readers why anonymity was granted and how the source is in a position to know.

Conflicts of interest

Staff do not report on matters in which they have a personal, family or financial interest, and they disclose any such situation to their editors. We do not accept gifts, payments or favours in exchange for coverage.

Graphic content, minors and victims

• Images of the dead or injured are used only when editorially essential, with a warning and with respect for human dignity.
• We do not identify children, or victims of sexual violence, trafficking or similar crimes.
• We treat bereaved families and people who have experienced trauma with care and respect.

Use of AI tools

AI tools may support tasks such as translation assistance, transcription and research. Editorial responsibility for everything we publish always rests with people. We do not publish AI-generated news that has not been verified by a human editor, and where AI has played a material role in producing content, we disclose it to readers.

User-generated content

Photos, videos and information from social media or readers are not published until their origin, date and location have been verified. If verification is only partial, we say so, and we seek the owner's permission wherever possible.

See how we fix mistakes in our Corrections Policy and how we handle sources in our Sourcing Policy.