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Headline Editorial Policies
Headline Studios operates with a purpose - We aim to build empathy and create a deeper understanding of the world we live in through researched podcast and social media content that resonates. It’s important to us that we are fair, honest and respectful in our work. To do this, we follow a number of standards.
Our Editorial Framework is guided by our core values:
Authenticity - real stories
Quality - excellent standards
Respect - people we’re working with and audience
Value - bring value to the world
Headline Studios Editorial Guidelines
Accuracy and reasonable balance
Headline Studios strives to offer up content that is accurate and balanced. We strive to search for diversity of opinions where we can. There are some areas where balance is not reasonable due to scientific research or human rights. For example we will not give airtime to issues around climate change denial, sexist rhetoric or hate speech against same-sex marriage, the LGBTQIA+ community, or cultural minorities.
Paying sources
We will not pay sources or interviewees for their story. Doing this can have implications for the integrity of the story, and the safety of the source’s mental health as they feel they need to share more than they may otherwise. In exceptional circumstances we will pay interviewees and sources for their time, travel or other expenses. This will be at the discretion of the Executive Producer and Creative Director. It will be made clear to the interviewee in these circumstances that they have not been paid to deliver a story.
Honest dealings with public and sources
Whenever researching a podcast or story, our reporters and producers will always be clear and honest about who they are and their purpose in contacting the source or interviewee. We will always inform our interviewees and sources when we start and end recording. Harm of audience, employees, interviewees or sources. Working on sensitive topics come with a number of risks. We will strive to protect the mental health of our interviewees, employees, sources and audiences as we can.
When covering issues regarding mental health, suicide and self harm, domestic and family violence, alcohol and other drugs and eating disorders, Headline Studios refers to Mindframe’s Guidelines on Reporting. If content has potential to trigger or harm audiences we will give fair warning at the beginning of that content. If topics that are being covered could pose a risk to the interviewers, researchers or producers such as moral injury we will hold open discussions with the team to create reasonable strategies to manage that risk. That may mean changing roles or offering mental health support.
If interviewees or sources are discussing an issue that could become sensitive to them, we will offer to stop recording. We will also check in on all our interviewees post interviews. On deeply personal and sensitive topics, we will offer the interviewee or source to set boundaries pre-recording so that we can ensure the interviewer does not overstep that boundary.
Conflicts of interest
We ask our producers and freelance researchers to let us know about any conflicts of interest that could impact their ability to tell a story fairly. If we decide it’s reasonable and safe for that person to continue to work on the project, we will let the audience know about their relationship to the story.
Interviewing children
If we interview a child under 16, consent will always be obtained from the child’s parent or guardian. Verification and fact check. We always work to verify the original sources of stories, and fact check any recommendations or health advice offered in interviews or script.
Branded content vs bias
Headline Studios often creates sponsored content specifically for brands, or funded by brands. This content is always clearly marked to the audience through ads or branded signals. We do not hide our relationships with funders and then show a bias to their product or service.
Right of reply
If we record an interview or script that offers up criticism or allegations or wrongdoing by a person, that person will always be offered a right of reply. We will always approach that person via more than one avenue and give them a reasonable timeframe in which to reply to any allegations. They will be provided with the details of the allegations or claims made in the interview or story so they have a chance to challenge those statements. If we make an approach and the person does not reply, or chooses not to comment, we’ll make that clear in the final edit of the story.
Errors
If Headline Studios becomes aware of an error in a story we will work to correct that error as soon as possible. We will do this either by a re-edit of the content or a note at the top of the show notes or information at the discretion of the Executive Producer for that show.
Anonymous sources
Headline Studios will in very rare circumstances quote anonymous sources. This will only be when we need to protect the identity of someone who is vulnerable. We will not publish quotes or statements from sources we haven’t spoken with ourselves.
Australian Press Council
Further to the above guidelines, we follow the Statement of Principles outlined by the Australian Press Council:
Publications are free to publish as they wish by reporting facts and expressing opinions, provided they take reasonable steps to comply with the following Principles and the Council’s other Standards of Practice:
Accuracy and clarity
1. Ensure that factual material in news reports and elsewhere is accurate and not misleading, and is distinguishable from other material such as opinion.
2. Provide a correction or other adequate remedial action if published material is significantly inaccurate or misleading.
Fairness and balance
3. Ensure that factual material is presented with reasonable fairness and balance, and that writers’ expressions of opinion are not based on significantly inaccurate factual material or omission of key facts.
4. Ensure that where material refers adversely to a person, a fair opportunity is given for subsequent publication of a reply if that is reasonably necessary to address a possible breach of General Principle 3.
Privacy and avoidance of harm
5. Avoid intruding on a person’s reasonable expectations of privacy, unless doing so is sufficiently in the public interest.
6. Avoid causing or contributing materially to substantial offence, distress or prejudice, or a substantial risk to health or safety, unless doing so is sufficiently in the public interest.
Integrity and transparency
7. Avoid publishing material which has been gathered by deceptive or unfair means, unless doing so is sufficiently in the public interest.
8. Ensure that conflicts of interests are avoided or adequately disclosed, and that they do not influence published material.