Publisher Insight
How to Handle Corrections and Updates on a News Website
A clear correction process helps readers understand what changed and gives editors a reliable record of the decision.
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What should count as a correction?
Write down the difference between fixing a minor typographical error, updating a developing story, adding context, and correcting a material factual mistake. Your policy should help staff decide when a public note is necessary and who has authority to approve it.
Use plain language that identifies the inaccurate information and the corrected fact without obscuring the change. Do not imply that a material correction is only a routine update.
How should corrections move through the CMS?
Give staff a clear way to flag an article, record the proposed change, attach relevant evidence, and route it to an editor. Capture who approved the correction and when it was published. Make sure a corrected headline, image, or caption is reviewed wherever it appears on the site.
Separate public correction text from internal notes. Readers need a concise explanation; editors may also need a fuller record of how the issue was found, verified, and resolved. Restrict internal notes to authorized roles.
When should an article show an updated time?
Show an updated date when the article receives a meaningful change that readers would want to know about. A cosmetic edit should not make old reporting appear newly reported. Keep publication time and update history accurate in visible page content and structured data.
For developing coverage, identify what changed in each substantial update and preserve a clear chronology where it improves reader understanding. A newsroom should not erase the original context when a later fact changes the story.
How can the policy build reader trust?
Publish the policy on an accessible page, link it from suitable article or About sections, and train staff on how to use it. Readers should be able to contact the newsroom about a possible error and receive a clear route for review.
The Society of Professional Journalists describes correction and updating as ongoing responsibilities in its voluntary ethics code. Adapt the principles to your publication’s coverage, jurisdiction, and editorial standards, and review the policy after significant incidents.
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