Editorial Standards
Last Updated: January 2025
INTRODUCTION
The Junee Bulletin is an independent, locally owned and operated digital news platform based in Junee, New South Wales, Australia. The website www.juneebulletin.com.au (the Site) is owned, operated and published by Jaydan J. Duck (ABN 35 281 874 474) (the Publisher).
For the purpose of this policy, “we” “us” and “our” means The Junee Bulletin and Jaydan J. Duck.
Journalists search, disclose, record, question, entertain, comment and remember. They inform citizens, scrutinise power, but also exercise it, and should be responsible and accountable.
Respect for truth and the public’s right to information are fundamental principles of journalism. Brave reporting can ruffle feathers, but it can also bring people together, reflect the community back to itself, give a voice to the voiceless and a platform to diverse perspectives.
The Publisher supports independent self-regulation of the publishing industry, and is committed to reporting and interpreting news with honesty, fairness, independence, and respect for the rights of others.
This policy outlines the Editorial Standards (Standards) observed by The Junee Bulletin and its editorial employees during the course of their journalism activities.
The Standards are guided by the Australian Journalists’ Association Code of Ethics and the Australian Press Council’s Standards of Practice, and apply to all of the Publisher’s publications and associated social media accounts.
Editorial employees means full-time, part-time, fixed-term and casual employees and also contractors, contributors, consultants, freelance photographers, interns and volunteers.
To ensure The Junee Bulletin upholds ethical journalism practices, maintains credibility and public trust, and serves the public interest responsibly, the Publisher applies the following standards:
1.0 Independence, Integrity & Transparency
1.1 The Publisher, as Editor-in-Chief, has final editorial control.
1.2 The Publisher must:
- Ensure editorial decisions are free from commercial, political, or personal influence.
- Disclose conflicts of interest affecting editorial integrity.
- Obtain material fairly and responsibly.
- Avoid deceptive means for gathering information unless justified in the public interest.
- Not exploit individuals’ vulnerability or media inexperience.
- Refrain from using their position for personal gain.
- Identify as press representatives unless covert reporting is essential and in the public interest.
- Handle feedback and complaints in good faith.
2.0 Accuracy & Clarity
2.1 News content must be honest, accurate, well-sourced, and contextually presented.
2.2 Essential facts should be verified and disclosed.
2.3 Misrepresentation, distortion, and selective omission are prohibited.
2.4 Journalists must rely on credible sources, prioritizing eyewitness accounts and official sources.
2.5 Direct quotes should be edited only to remove offensive language, clarify meaning, or avoid defamation.
2.6 Significant inaccuracies require prompt correction.
2.7 Opinion pieces must be clearly distinguished from factual reporting.
2.8 Opinion and conjecture should enhance understanding, not mislead readers.
2.9 Efforts should be made to present all sides of a dispute and contact affected parties.
2.10 Plagiarism is not tolerated; attribution is required.
2.11 Visual content must be true and not manipulated to mislead.
2.12 Headlines and captions must accurately reflect article content.
3.0 Fairness & Balance
3.1 Reporting must be fair, balanced, and inclusive of multiple perspectives where relevant.
3.2 Subjects of criticism should have a right to reply.
3.3 If immediate response is unavailable, an opportunity for response must be provided later.
3.4 If a source refuses to comment, this should be transparently noted.
4.0 Impartiality
4.1 News should be presented without undue bias, allowing audiences to form independent conclusions.
4.2 Equal time for all viewpoints is not required, but fairness and proportionality must be upheld.
5.0 Avoidance of Harm & Offence
5.1 Sensitive topics (violence, tragedy, trauma) require careful handling, considering the impact on victims and affected individuals.
5.2 Content warnings should be provided where necessary.
5.3 Stereotypes, discrimination, and undue emphasis on personal characteristics should be avoided.
5.4 Risk mitigation is required when publishing content that may incite harmful behaviour.
5.5 Graphic images should only be published if justified by public interest.
6.0 Privacy
6.1 Privacy is respected unless overridden by clear public interest.
6.2 Personal information must be handled responsibly and used only for the purpose intended.
6.3 Personal information can include facts about a person’s health, personal relationships, financial affairs, sexual activities, and sexual preferences or practices. It can also include information about a person’s racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, membership of a political association, religious beliefs or affiliations, philosophical beliefs, membership of a professional or trade association, membership of a trade union, criminal record and other sensitive personal matters.
6.4 Consent is required for publishing private material unless justified by public interest.
6.5 If consent is obtained prior to the publication of private information or material that would breach privacy, then the person waives his or her claim to privacy protection. Consent can be express, such as when obtained in writing, or it can be implied; for example, where a person is a willing participant in an interview. However, consent may be withdrawn before first publication.
6.7 If a person has actively drawn attention to material that would usually be considered private, this may be taken as consent. There will be no waiver if consent is obtained by deception.
6.5 Personal information need not be secret or confidential in order to be private.
6.6 Absence of objection does not constitute consent.
7.0 Public Interest
7.1 Public interest differs from public curiosity.
7.2 Issues of public interest include:
- Ensuring the public’s right to reliable information and to not be misled;
- Protecting and enhancing public health and safety;
- Due administration of justice, government and national security;
- Exposing, detecting or preventing crime, the threat of crime, dishonesty, serious misconduct, corruption, serious anti-social behaviour, incompetence, impropriety or unethical behaviour;
- Disclosing a miscarriage of justice, or a person or organisation’s failure or likely failure to comply with any obligations;
7.3 Public interest is assessed at the time of publication and will depend on all the circumstances, including whether a matter is capable of affecting the community at large so that citizens might be legitimately interested in or concerned about what is going on.
7.4 Privacy-invading content must be proportionate and directly relevant to public understanding.
8.0 Public Figures
8.1 A public figure is any person who has been considered significantly newsworthy in any other context, such as politicians, celebrities, prominent sports and business people and those in a position of trust, including senior public office, the judiciary, law enforcement, teaching, supervision of children, financial advice or similar.
8.2 Public figures are subject to greater scrutiny on matters that may affect the conduct of their public activities and duties, and be in the public interest.
8.3 Public figures retain personal privacy rights, however, privacy invasion may be justified if it raises public interest concerns about fitness for office or public duties.
8.4 Sensationalism and purely embarrassing content do not qualify as public interest.
9.0 Public Spaces
9.2 Being in a public space does not guarantee privacy, but ethical considerations apply.
10.0 Social Media
10.1 Public social media posts are accessible to journalists.
10.2 Context and source credibility must be considered before publication.
10.3 Information sourced from social media should be verified for accuracy.
11.0 Anonymity & Confidential Sources
11.1 Sources may request anonymity, particularly in cases of public interest exposure.
11.2 Confidential sources are protected unless legally compelled otherwise.
11.3 Anonymity should not be granted for convenience but based on genuine public interest.
11.4 Anonymity should not be granted without first considering the source’s motive and any alternative attributable sources.
11.5 A promise of confidentiality to a source must be honoured. However, editorial employees should be aware of the possible consequences. For example, a judge may order the source to be identified. Defiance of this order could lead to conviction for contempt of court, with the consequence of being imprisoned or being sanctioned with a heavy fine.
12.0 Court Reporting
12.1 Open court proceedings may be reported unless legally restricted.
12.2 Reports must be fair and balanced, and should not unnecessarily identify relatives of the accused.
13.0 Children & Vulnerable People
13.1 Extra caution is taken in reporting on children and vulnerable individuals.
13.2 Parental or guardian consent is required for publishing private details about minors.
13.3 Extra care must be taken before naming or visually identifying a child in matters where the child or his or her immediate family is involved in criminal matters or court proceedings.
13.4 Children should not be prompted in interviews, or offered inducements to cooperate.
13.5 Children must not be approached inside schools without the permission of a school authority.
13.6 A person’s vulnerability may be intrinsic (for example, where a person has a mental illness or difficulty communicating in English) or it may be situational (for example, where a person is bereaved or has been involved in a distressing event).
13.7 Sensitivity and courtesy should guide interactions with bereaved, grieving and distressed individuals.
13.8 Members of the public caught up in newsworthy events should not be exploited.
13.9 A victim or bereaved person has the right to refuse or terminate an interview or photographic session at any time.
13.10 Cultural sensitivity should be applied when reporting on deceased persons.
13.11 Reasonable steps must be taken to ensure that deceased individuals are not identified directly or, where practicable, indirectly before their immediate families are notified by the authorities.
14.0 Harassment
14.1 Journalists must not harass, intimidate, or persistently pursue individuals for information or photographs.
14.2 Journalists must not film or photograph people on private property without their consent unless justified by public interest.
14.3 Private property should not be entered without consent unless justified by public interest.
15.0 Suicide Reporting
15.1 Suicide coverage is limited to cases of significant public interest, or when it is necessary to explain public disruption or alarm caused by the emergency response to an incident of suicide, or where other elements of the story are sufficiently newsworthy to justify coverage, such as if it occurred in a highly visible place causing broader impact and trauma.
15.2 Reports should avoid sensationalism, glamorization, or excessive or graphic detail.
15.3 Helpline information must be included in coverage.
16.0 Hospitals & Other Facilities
16.1 Non-public areas of hospitals, welfare institutions, funeral parlours, churches etc require prior approval for journalistic access.
17.0 Discrimination
17.1 Journalists must not discriminate against a person on the basis of their race, nationality, colour, religion, marital status, gender, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, age, physical or mental illness or disability, family or carers’ responsibilities or pregnancy.
18.0 Illegal Drugs, Weapons & Threats
18.1 Details of drug manufacture, distribution, and weapon use should not be reported unless justified by public interest or requested by authorities.
18.2 Journalists should not report threats to use bombs or other weapons or threats of extortion unless public interest justifies it, or when the authorities request you to do so, or when it is necessary to explain public disruption caused by the authorities’ reaction to such a threat.
19.0 Misrepresentation & Covert Activities
19.1 Journalists should not use false identities or deception to obtain information, photographs or video, unless pre-approved and justified in the public interest.
19.2 Covert reporting requires editorial approval and must serve a significant public interest.
19.3 Approval should only be given where the material cannot knowingly be obtained by other means.
20.0 Payment for Information
20.1 Payments for interviews or information require prior editorial approval.
21.0 Personal Gain & Gifts
21.1 Journalists must not accept money, gifts, or inducements beyond standard business hospitality.
21.2 Bribes must be rejected and reported to editorial leadership.
22.0 Conflict of Interest
22.1 A conflict of interest arises when personal interests or divided loyalties interfere with the ability to make sound, objective business decisions on behalf of the company.
22.2 Employees must avoid personal conflicts of interest that compromise journalistic integrity.
22.3 Employees must report any potential personal conflicts of interest to the Editor or Managing Editor as soon as possible. Failure to do so may result in dismissal.
22.2 Any employee wishing to perform paid or unpaid work for a rival media outlet must receive written approval in advance from the Editor. Failure to seek prior approval may result in dismissal.
23.0 Confidential Information
23.1 Employees must not disclose confidential or commercially sensitive information about The Junee Bulletin, even if you no longer work for us, including (but not limited to):
- Trade secrets
- Pricing information, such as internal cost and pricing rates
- Marketing or strategy plans
- Supply agreements or arrangements
- Commercial and business plans
- Contractual arrangements with third parties
- Tender policies and arrangements
- Financial information
- Sales and training materials
- Technical data
- Schematics, proposals, intentions or designs
- Policies and procedures documents
- Data which is personal information for the purposes of privacy law; and
- All other information obtained from The Junee Bulletin or obtained in the course of working or providing services The Junee Bulletin that is by its nature confidential.
23.2 You must not use any such information as detailed in 23.1 for personal gain.
24.0 Other Obligations
24.1 Do not bring the reputation of News Corp, your colleagues or masthead into disrepute.
24.2 Respect the confidences and sensitivities of your colleagues at all times.
24.3 Familiarise yourself with all of News Corp’s employee conduct policies.
24.4 All employees are required to be neat and dressed appropriately for their particular job role.
24.5 Employees must protect company assets from theft, carelessness, waste and misuse and respect the property rights of others.
25.0 Complaints
25.1 We look at editorial complaints against the terms of our editorial standards.
25.2 To lodge a complaint, select the editorial standard you think we have breached and state the nature of your complaint, the article headline, URL, and the date it was published.
25.3 Complaints involving alleged breaches of this policy will be investigated by the Managing Editor.
25.4 Proven breaches will be dealt with in accordance with the Publisher’s disciplinary procedures.
