Conflicts of interest

A conflict is a personal, financial, or institutional interest that a reasonable reader would want to know before trusting a piece or a corporate claim.

Duty to disclose

Editors, reporters, and people who approve group pages tell their responsible editor about a material interest before publication. If the interest bears on what the reader is being asked to believe, it is disclosed on the page or in a standing note the page links to.

Ownership interests follow the same rule. An owner’s business, investment, or family interest in a subject the publication covers is disclosed when it is material. The independence charter explains the limit on owner instruction. This page explains the disclosure.

What is not listed

No specific interest is listed here. No interest has been confirmed for publication. The empty list is not a representation that no interest exists.

Commercial conflicts

An advertising or sponsor relationship with the subject of coverage is disclosed on the relevant piece. Selling the relationship and editing the piece are different jobs.

Gifts and travel

Gifts, paid travel, and hospitality from the subject of coverage are refused. Token items of negligible value need not be disclosed. Anything a reader would think of as payment is refused or, if it could not be avoided, disclosed.

Recusal

Where the interest is strong enough that disclosure is not enough, the person does not edit that story. Another editor takes it. If the publication is too small for that split, the interest is disclosed prominently and the piece says who remained responsible.