Corrections and Clarifications Policy

Whittier 360 News Network is committed to accuracy, fairness, transparency, and accountability.

Local reporting often involves developing information, public records, meeting statements, campaign claims, public comments, and disputed accounts. When credible information shows that something published by Whittier 360 is incorrect, incomplete, unclear, or missing important context, Whittier 360 will review the matter and update the record when appropriate.

Requesting a Correction or Clarification

Readers, public officials, candidates, agencies, businesses, organizations, and community members may request a correction or clarification.

A correction request should identify:

• the article, post, caption, or material at issue

• the specific statement believed to be incorrect or incomplete

• the reason a correction or clarification is requested

• any documents, records, links, statements, or evidence supporting the request

• contact information for follow-up, if needed

Whittier 360 may ask for additional documentation or context before making a decision.

What Whittier 360 Reviews

Whittier 360 will review credible correction requests involving:

• factual errors

• incorrect names, dates, titles, locations, numbers, or vote counts

• missing or incomplete context that affects reader understanding

• unclear wording that could mislead readers

• inaccurate attribution

• outdated information in a developing story

• omitted responses from people or organizations discussed in an article

• source material that contradicts or clarifies the published information

Whittier 360 may decline requests that seek to remove accurate information, suppress fair criticism, alter clearly labeled opinion, or replace documented facts with unsupported claims.

Corrections, Clarifications, and Updates

Whittier 360 may handle reviewed issues in several ways depending on the nature of the problem.

A correction may be used when published information was factually wrong.

A clarification may be used when information was technically accurate but could have been clearer, more complete, or better contextualized.

An update may be used when new information becomes available after publication, especially in developing stories.

An editor’s note may be added when a change is significant enough that readers should be informed of the change.

A follow-up article may be published when the new information is substantial, disputed, or important enough to require separate treatment.

Responses After Publication

Whittier 360 believes readers are best served when they can see the claim, the evidence, and the response from the person or organization being discussed.

If a person, candidate, agency, business, organization, or public official provides a meaningful response after publication, Whittier 360 may update the article, add a clarification, include the response in context, or publish a follow-up when appropriate.

Whittier 360 does not guarantee that every response will be published in full, but responses will be considered in good faith when they are relevant, factual, and connected to the subject of the article.

Opinion, Analysis, and Commentary

Whittier 360 may publish reporting, analysis, commentary, and opinion.

Factual errors in opinion, analysis, or commentary may be corrected. However, disagreement with an interpretation, viewpoint, or conclusion does not automatically require a correction.

When analysis depends on facts, records, timelines, or public statements, those underlying facts should be corrected if shown to be wrong.

AI-Assisted Work

Whittier 360 may use artificial intelligence as a communications, research-assistance, and production tool. AI is not treated as a source, reporter, witness, editor, or decision-maker.

If AI-assisted work contributes to an error, omission, unclear wording, or missing context, Whittier 360 will review credible correction requests and update the record when appropriate.

Human editorial responsibility remains with Whittier 360 News Network.

Transparency About Changes

Whittier 360 may make minor edits for spelling, grammar, formatting, broken links, readability, or style without a formal correction note.

When a correction or clarification changes the substance of an article, Whittier 360 should make reasonable efforts to note the change.

The goal is not to hide mistakes. The goal is to maintain an accurate and useful public record.

Our Standard

Whittier 360 News Network will not always be perfect, but it will make reasonable efforts to be accurate, fair, transparent, and accountable.

When the record needs to be corrected, clarified, or updated, Whittier 360 will review credible information and act in good faith.