At 4bcaonline, we believe news organizations should operate with radical honesty rather than hide behind legal jargon. This is our plain-language promise to you:
Accuracy & Corrections
We make mistakes like everyone else, but we handle them differently. Every verified error triggers three actions: (1) an immediate correction notice placed where the error appeared, (2) a public entry in our permanent correction database, and (3) a review of how our process failed. Our journalists’ performance evaluations include their correction records.
Opinion vs. News
We physically separate fact from opinion. News reporting appears in our “Fact” section with blue borders, while commentary lives in our “Perspective” section with gold borders. Mixed formats like analysis carry dual labeling. Any staff member’s political donations over $200 appear on their profile page.
Funding Transparency
Our homepage displays a real-time funding breakdown showing the percentage from ads, subscriptions, grants, and other sources. Any story involving a company that advertises with us carries a disclosure notice, regardless of connection to the content.
Content Expiration
Stories older than six months automatically display warning banners. Our archive team continually updates older pieces with new context or connects them to developing stories through our “Thread” feature that shows how events unfolded over time.
Your Rights
Readers may: (1) challenge any fact in our stories through our public dispute system, (2) request documents behind our reporting through our source portal, and (3) participate in monthly editorial meetings where we decide which stories to pursue.
The Fine Print We Can’t Avoid
While we take extraordinary measures to ensure accuracy, we cannot guarantee perfection. By using our site, you agree that 4bcaonline is not liable for decisions made based on our content. We do not knowingly publish false information, and when we discover errors, we correct them with equal prominence to the original content.