Editorial Guidelines
The journalistic standards, fact-checking process, and ethics that govern every Buzz Baller story.
"Our only loyalty is to the reader. Not to sources, not to sponsors, not to access — to the truth of the story."
— The Buzz Baller masthead
Accuracy & Fact-Checking
Every claim of fact in a Buzz Baller story is verified before publication. Quotes are checked against recordings or transcripts, statistics are traced to primary sources, and disputed facts are reviewed by a second editor. If we can't verify it, we don't print it.
Sourcing & Attribution
We name our sources whenever possible. On-the-record is the default; anonymous sourcing is used only when the information is of clear public value, the source faces genuine risk of retaliation or legal jeopardy, and the story cannot be told any other way. Every anonymous source is known to at least one senior editor.
Editorial Independence
Our journalism is independent of our commercial operations. Advertisers and sponsors have no influence over editorial coverage, story selection, or ratings — and our sales team never sees a story before it publishes. Sponsored content, when it runs, is clearly labeled as advertising.
Corrections Policy
Mistakes get fixed loudly, not quietly. Substantive corrections are appended to the story with a note explaining what changed and when. If a story is fundamentally flawed, we retract it openly. Send correction requests any time through the Contact page.
Conflicts of Interest & Ethics
Our writers and editors accept no gifts, junkets, or favors from the people and companies they cover. Staff members disclose any personal or financial relationship that could reasonably appear to affect their coverage, and recuse themselves from stories where a conflict exists.
Use of AI & Technology
We may use research tools to organize documents or transcribe interviews, but every published story is reported, written, and edited by humans. We do not publish machine-written journalism, and we never present synthetic content as reported fact.
Community Standards
Comment sections are moderated. We remove abuse, harassment, spam, and misinformation, and we don't tolerate hate speech. Disagreement is welcome; cruelty is not. Repeated violations result in a ban.
Accountability
Questions about our standards, a specific story, or a correction? Contact the editorial desk through our Contact page or send a confidential note via Submit a Tip. We answer every serious inquiry.
Spotted something we got wrong? Send the editors a note.