LocalBrief exists to deliver accurate, fair and neutral reporting to the people of the cities we cover. These editorial standards govern everything we publish.
Accuracy and verification
Accuracy is non-negotiable. We verify facts, figures, dates, names and quotes against primary sources before publishing. For stories touching public safety, housing, health or the flow of recovery funding, we require at least two independent sources. If a claim cannot be verified, we do not publish it, or we clearly state what remains unconfirmed.
Fairness and neutrality
We report without partisan bias. We do not endorse candidates or parties. We seek the relevant sides of a story and represent them fairly. We clearly separate news reporting from analysis and from opinion, and we label analysis and opinion as such.
Clear, plain language
We write in plain, neutral English and lead with the facts that matter most, so readers can grasp a story quickly and read on if they want the detail. We use metric and imperial sensibly for a US mountain-region audience and define jargon when we have to use it.
Recovery reporting
Hurricane Helene recovery is our standing beat. We hold ourselves to a high bar on it: official figures attributed to their source, no amplification of unverified disaster rumour, and care and dignity in how we report on people who have lost homes or loved ones.
Sources and people
We prefer primary sources and attribute clearly. We protect confidential sources where genuinely warranted and corroborate their information independently. We do not name private individuals in non-public-interest contexts, and we treat everyone we report on with respect.
Independence and conflicts
Our editorial decisions are driven by public interest alone, never by advertisers or outside interests. We do not pay for interviews and we do not accept gifts or favours that could compromise our independence.
Accountability
We are accountable to our readers. When we get something wrong, we correct it promptly and transparently, as set out in our Corrections Policy. We welcome challenge and feedback via our Contact page.