This page sets out what Columbia County Tribune stands for and how we work: our values, our code of conduct, how we report, and the practices you can expect from us. It is our promise to readers, and you can hold us to it.
Our Values
- Independence. We answer to the community we serve, not to corporate owners or outside interests.
- Local focus. We cover Columbia County first, and every community in it, including the smaller ones.
- Accuracy. We get the facts right, and when we get them wrong, we say so.
- Fairness. We report on public officials and ordinary people with the same care, and we give people a fair chance to respond.
- Openness. Our news is free to read, we show our sources when we can, and we explain how our work is done.
- Accountability. We hold ourselves to this page and invite you to do the same.
- The community’s record. This paper is made up of our stories and history, and we keep that record.
Our Code of Conduct
- We are honest about who we are. We identify ourselves as the Tribune when we report, and we do not use deception to get information.
- We treat people with respect. That includes people we disagree with and people we report on. We take special care with people in distress, with grieving families, and with children.
- We give people a fair chance to respond. When a story contains a serious allegation or sharp criticism of a person or organization, we try to reach them for comment before we publish.
- We quote accurately and in context. We do not change the meaning of what someone said.
- We give credit. We do not plagiarize, and we credit the work of others.
- We protect the people who contact us. We never publish the email address or phone number you send us. If you tell us we may not name you as a source, we will not name you.
- We do not make up quotes, sources, or facts.
- We keep news and opinion apart. Opinion is labeled, and so is every other kind of story.
Integrity in Our Reporting
- The editor reads every story before it is published and checks names, numbers, and quotes against the source.
- We check every tip before anything is published.
- We rely on public records and named sources whenever we can, and where we can, we link the documents behind a story.
- We use an anonymous source only when the editor knows who the source is, the information is important, and it can be verified in other ways.
- When a story is based on a press release, we say so.
- We confirm every obituary with the funeral home or by phoning the person who submitted it before we publish. We list the events we can confirm.
Our Practices
Corrections
We want to be told when we are wrong. If you see a mistake, use the Correction Request form. We review every request. When we confirm an error of fact, we fix the story and add a dated Correction note at the end of it that says what we changed. We do not quietly change facts after publication. Small fixes, such as a typo, may be made without a note.
Story Labels
Every story that is not plain news shows its label above the headline. A story with no label is news.
- News: reporting on events and facts.
- Analysis: reporting that explains the meaning or context of the news, grounded in facts.
- Opinion: the writer’s views, labeled as opinion.
- Letter: a letter to the editor from a reader.
- Sponsored: paid content from an advertiser, clearly labeled.
Letters and Comments
We do not have comments on stories. Letters to the editor take their place. Letters are 300 words or fewer, each writer may send one letter every 30 days, and we print your full name and town. We do not publish anonymous letters, and we confirm each letter with its writer before publishing it. See Letters to the Editor for the full policy. Letters and opinion pieces are the views of their writers, not of the Tribune.
Use of AI
The Tribune uses artificial intelligence (AI) tools to help gather public records and draft some stories. The same standards on this page apply to every story, however it begins: the editor reads and edits each one before it is published. We never use AI to make up quotes, sources, or facts, we do not present AI-generated images as photographs, and we do not use AI to identify or profile the people who send us tips. Privacy and Terms explains how we handle what you send us. Questions about how we use AI are welcome at info@columbiacountytribune.com.
Reader Voices
The Tribune wants to hear from every community in the county, including the smaller ones. If we are missing a story, a place, or a point of view, tell us. Send a tip, write a letter, or ask for a correction.
Hold Us to It
These standards are a promise to readers. If you think we have not kept them, tell us at info@columbiacountytribune.com. We review every message.