Ethics Policy

NewVib holds its journalists and contributors to a strict code of ethical conduct. This policy governs how we gather, verify, and publish information — and how we handle the trust our readers place in us.

1. Independence and Conflicts of Interest

NewVib journalists must disclose any personal, financial, or professional relationships that could create a real or perceived conflict of interest with a story they are covering. Journalists may not cover individuals or organisations in which they hold a financial stake.

Journalists must not accept gifts, hospitality, free travel, or other inducements from individuals or organisations they cover or are likely to cover. Minor hospitality (such as a working lunch) may be acceptable where it is clearly incidental to the journalist's work.

Outside employment, paid speaking engagements, and advisory roles must be disclosed to and approved by editorial leadership before being undertaken.

2. Accuracy and Verification

Every factual claim published on NewVib must be verified against at least one primary source — official records, direct interviews, or verified wire services (AFP, Reuters, AP). We do not publish speculation as fact. When a claim cannot be independently verified, we say so clearly in the article.

Headlines must accurately represent the content of the article. Sensationalised or misleading headlines that contradict the body of an article are not permitted under any circumstances.

3. Source Protection and Anonymity

NewVib is committed to protecting the identity of confidential sources. Journalists must not reveal the identity of a source who has been promised anonymity, except where legally compelled. Requests for anonymity must be agreed before an interview, not applied retroactively.

We use anonymous sources only when the information is of significant public interest, cannot be obtained by any other means, and the source's identity has been verified to editorial leadership's satisfaction. Anonymous sources are always identified by their role or relevance to the story.

4. Privacy and Dignity

NewVib respects the privacy of individuals who are not public figures. Private individuals have a right to privacy that must be weighed against the public interest. We do not publish private information about individuals unless it is directly relevant to a matter of genuine public concern.

We take particular care in coverage involving children, victims of crime, individuals experiencing mental health crises, and any person who has not voluntarily entered public life. Gratuitous, prurient, or distressing detail that serves no editorial purpose is not published.

5. Use of Artificial Intelligence

NewVib uses AI tools to assist with research, data organisation, internal linking, and entity verification. All content published on NewVib is written or substantively edited by human journalists. We do not publish raw, unedited AI-generated text as news content.

When AI tools are used in the production of a story — for example, to analyse a large dataset — this will be disclosed within the article. AI-generated images or illustrations, if used, will be labelled as such.

6. Social Media and Personal Conduct

NewVib journalists represent the organisation in their public communications. Journalists are expected to conduct themselves professionally on social media. They must not post content that could reasonably be perceived as partisan, discriminatory, or damaging to NewVib's credibility or independence.

Personal opinions on politically contentious topics should be shared with discretion. Journalists covering specific beats should be especially careful not to publicly express views that could compromise their perceived impartiality on those topics.

7. Reporting Ethical Concerns

Any reader, source, or member of staff who believes NewVib has violated this Ethics Policy is encouraged to contact us directly. We take all such reports seriously and will respond within 5 business days.