Our Standards

Accuracy and sourcing

• We report what we can verify. We rely on primary sources (official records, agendas, staff reports, court filings, data and on-the-record interviews) and link to them when we can.
• We separate fact from opinion. A proposal is not a decision, and we say which is which.
• We do not publish rumors. If something cannot be confirmed, we leave it out or clearly say what is and is not known.
• We do not invent quotes, and we do not change the meaning of what someone said.

Fairness

People and organizations who are the subject of significant criticism in our reporting get a reasonable chance to respond before we publish. We describe people by what they did, not by labels.

Independence and conflicts of interest

We do not accept payment, gifts or favors in exchange for coverage. Advertising, sponsorships and merchandise are kept separate from news decisions, and sponsored content is clearly labeled as sponsored. If a story involves an advertiser, sponsor or anyone with a personal or financial relationship to The Balboa Local or the person who reported it, we say so in the story. Our reporters do not cover people or businesses they have a financial stake in.

Freedom of the press

We believe a free press is essential to local self-government. The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and Article I, Section 2 of the California Constitution protect our right to gather and publish news. We attend public meetings, request public records under the California Public Records Act, and ask hard questions of people with public responsibilities, whoever they are.

We protect confidential sources. We grant confidentiality only when a source faces real risk and the information is important and cannot be obtained another way, and an editor must know and approve it. Once we promise confidentiality we keep that promise. California’s shield law (Article I, Section 2(b) of the California Constitution and Evidence Code Section 1070) protects journalists from being held in contempt for refusing to disclose a source or unpublished information. If we receive a subpoena or other legal demand for a source’s identity or our unpublished material, we will consult a lawyer and resist it to the full extent the law allows.

How we use artificial intelligence

We use AI tools to help a small newsroom cover more of Newport Beach. People stay responsible for everything we publish. Specifically:

• Research and drafting. AI tools help us search official sources (such as City agendas, staff reports and public notices) and draft stories and our regular editions (City Council Watch and Around Newport in 3 Minutes). Before a new story goes live, it is checked against its sources, and bigger stories, such as those about City Hall and elections, get an additional fact-check. Stories that pass these checks may publish automatically. An editor oversees everything we publish and can correct or remove any story at any time.
• Keeping stories current. Important stories are checked for new developments every 3 days for their first 30 days. When there is news, we add a dated update to the story. How we keep stories current.
• Audio narration. The “Hear The Balboa Local” audio is read by an AI-generated voice from the published text.
• Editing help. We may use AI tools to suggest edits, check spelling and style, transcribe recordings, and help prepare corrections and updates.
• Images. Some story images are illustrations created with AI tools. We do not use AI to invent quotes, sources or events.

Photos and video

We credit photos and video. We do not alter news photos in ways that change what they show.

Corrections

When we get something wrong, we fix it and say so. See our Corrections policy.

Questions

Write to hello@balboalocal.com.