Ethics & standards
Conflicts, anonymous sources, reader trust and the firewall between newsroom judgment and commercial pressure.
District Door's reputation rests on reader trust. These standards apply to every desk, contractor and partner working under the District Door byline.
Independence
- Advertisers, sponsors and subscription marketers never review stories before publication.
- Reporters decline gifts, paid travel and equity in subjects they cover.
- Personal financial holdings in covered companies must be disclosed to editors and, when material, to readers.
Sources & fairness
- Anonymous sources are used sparingly and only when the information is vital and cannot be obtained on the record.
- Subjects of critical coverage receive a meaningful opportunity to respond before publication when time allows.
- We distinguish analysis and opinion from straight news reporting through labeling and placement.
Conflicts & transparency
Staff update a standing conflict declaration quarterly. Editors reassign coverage when a personal, financial or family interest could reasonably appear to influence reporting.
Report an ethics concern confidentially: ethics@districtdoor.com.