Editorial Code of Conduct

Editorial Code of Conduct

Crush Magazine prides itself on journalistic excellence and positivity to deliver a trusted local lifestyle magazine for the Bundaberg Region, spanning from Childers in the south, west to Gin Gin and north to the Town of 1770. This Code of Conduct provides the operating and ethical frame work for our editing partners (LC Statham and NJ Sorbello), journalists, photographers, graphic designers and web developers (salaried and freelance).

Crush Magazine values credibility, balance, accuracy and integrity. We aim to provide heartfelt, uplifting and aspirational reportage of local issues and events for our readers.

Vulnerable interview subjects, including people under the age of 18 years, must have guardian consent to be interviewed/photographed. When reporting or conducting interviews on sensitive or controversial subjects, our team must treat the matter and interview subject with respect, sensitivity and care at all times. Wherever appropriate and possible, we achieve balance by providing competing views within articles and allow our readers to make their own conclusions about the issue at hand. In the case of accusations, claims or criticism by an interview subject or source, a right of reply must always be extended to the subject of such comments.

All editorial contributors are required to consult the editing partner/s about any concerns, conflicts of interest or controversial circumstances as they arise during the course of reporting.

Crush Magazine stories and articles must always be original work produced by our team. Where excerpts from other media outlets, networks or writers are required for stories, full attribution must be applied. Journalists must never record a conversation without the subject’s knowledge and consent.

Quotes from interview subjects are signified by quotation marks within stories. We will never falsify a quote, invent a source or embellish details in our editorial reporting. Small lapses in grammar, pronunciation or speech can be smoothed by the journalist provided the original intent, meaning and context of the quote remains intact. Similarly, our photography may be cropped and edited to make fit for use, but will not be altered or enhanced to distort the truth of the subject captured in the image.

Journalists are required to treat claims by interview subjects with care and caution. Verification from another interview subject, previously published material or relevant sources are required before publishing. Anonymous sources are to be treated with care and caution and attempts must be made to extract a valid reason as to why anonymity is requested. The use of unattributed and anonymous quotes is to be kept to a minimum, though it is acknowledged will sometimes be required to deliver the story. All requests from a source for anonymity must be reported to and cleared by the editing partner/s.

Crush Magazine does not allow written drafts or final copies of editorial content to be sent to interview subjects before publishing.

Crush Magazine welcomes feedback on articles and urges readers and interview subjects to raise any concerns about potential factual errors in our stories and content. Our policy is to correct such errors as soon as possible, after we are made aware of the error. The decision to publish a correction or retraction is at the discretion of the editing partner/s. If you identify a potential error, please email [email protected]