Rayalaseema News commits to honest, accurate, and independent journalism for the Rayalaseema region. Our ethics policy sets the standards every reporter, editor, and contributor follows. We treat these as commitments to our readers, not internal guidelines.
Accuracy and verification
Every factual claim is verified before publication. We prefer primary sources - official records, on-the-record interviews, named sources - over secondary reporting. When we rely on another publication, we attribute the original outlet and link to it where possible. We do not publish claims that cannot be verified, even if other outlets have.
Independence
Rayalaseema News is independent of any political party, government office, or corporate interest. No reporter or editor may accept gifts, paid travel, or favours from sources, parties, or PR agencies whose work they cover. Reporters disclose any personal connection - family, financial, or social - to the subject of a story before reporting it.
Anonymous sources
We use anonymous sources only when (a) the information is in the public interest, (b) it cannot reasonably be obtained on the record, and (c) the source faces credible risk if named. An anonymous source must be known to at least one editor, who decides whether the source's information meets our evidence bar. We describe the source's position generically (e.g. "a senior official in the Kurnool collectorate") so readers can judge credibility without exposing the source's identity.
Sponsored content
Any article that is paid for by an external party - advertorial, sponsored content, branded campaign - is clearly labelled "Sponsored" at the top of the article and excluded from the news desks. Sponsored content is never written by the news team and never carries an editorial byline. Editors retain the right to refuse sponsored content that conflicts with our editorial values.
AI-assisted reporting
We use AI tools to translate, summarise, and check facts in our reporting workflow. Every AI-assisted article is reviewed by a human editor before publication. We do not publish AI-generated images, AI voice clones, or AI-generated quotes attributed to real people. When a graphic or chart is AI-generated, we label it as such.
Plagiarism and attribution
We do not publish text, photographs, video, or audio from other publications without permission or fair-use attribution. Embedded social media posts include a clearly visible source label and link. Reporters who plagiarise are subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination.
Reporting on minors and victims
We do not name or photographically identify minors involved in crime, violence, abuse, or family disputes without explicit consent from a parent or legal guardian. Survivors of sexual violence are never named in our reporting, in accordance with Indian law (Section 228A IPC).
How to report a violation
If you believe Rayalaseema News has violated this policy, email ethics@rayalaseemanews.com with the article URL and a description of the concern. Complaints are reviewed by the Editor-in-Chief within five working days. See also our corrections policy for factual errors and our feedback policy for other concerns.
