Last updated: June 8, 2026
These standards describe how Pinal Post does its work. They exist to make our practices transparent to readers and to hold ourselves accountable. If we fall short of these standards in any story, we want to hear about it. Email [email protected].
Editorial Independence
Pinal Post is independently owned and operated. No political party, candidate, advocacy organization, advertiser, sponsor, or outside party directs our coverage or has approval over what we publish. Editorial decisions about what to cover, what to publish, and how are made by our editorial staff, separately from business operations.
Advertisers and sponsors do not receive favorable coverage in exchange for their support, and they are never informed of pending stories that affect their interests before those stories publish.
Accuracy and Verification
Our first obligation is to get the facts right. Before publishing, we verify factual claims against primary sources wherever possible: meeting minutes, agendas, recordings, court documents, public records, and direct interviews. We do not republish information from social media, secondhand reports, or other outlets without independent verification.
When information cannot be confirmed before deadline, we either delay the story or clearly state what we do not yet know. We do not present uncertainty as fact.
Sourcing
We identify the sources of our reporting wherever possible. Most quotes and information in Pinal Post stories come from named, on-the-record sources: elected officials, public employees, residents speaking at public meetings, and parties involved in the events we cover.
Anonymous sources are used rarely and only when all of the following apply: the information is of significant public interest, it cannot be obtained on the record, and the source faces a credible risk of retaliation or harm if identified. When we use an anonymous source, we explain to readers, in the story itself, why anonymity was granted and what we did to verify the information.
We do not grant anonymity to allow sources to attack others without accountability or to share opinions they could express on the record.
Pre-Publication Review
We do not give sources approval rights over their quotes or the framing of stories. Sources do not see drafts before publication.
In limited cases, when a story involves complex technical, scientific, or legal material, we may read back specific factual statements or paraphrased descriptions to verify accuracy. This is a check on our own understanding, not an approval process. The final decision on what to publish rests with us.
Conflicts of Interest
Staff and contributors disclose conflicts of interest that could reasonably affect their reporting. This includes financial interests, personal relationships with sources or subjects, prior employment, civic affiliations, and property or business interests in matters being covered.
When a conflict exists, the reporter either recuses from the story or discloses the conflict to readers in the article itself, depending on the nature of the conflict and the story.
Staff do not accept gifts, paid travel, or other things of value from sources, subjects of coverage, or organizations seeking favorable coverage.
Opinion and Commentary
Pinal Post publishes opinion and commentary alongside news reporting. Opinion content is clearly labeled and structurally separated from news:
- Opinion pieces are marked with an “Opinion” or “Commentary” label in the headline and on the page.
- Opinion content lives under a distinct section of the site.
- Opinion bylines link to bios identifying the writer’s perspective and standing on the subject.
Opinion writers express their own views, which do not represent the views of Pinal Post. Pinal Post’s news reporting is held to standards of factual accuracy and balance regardless of any opinions expressed in our commentary section.
Use of Artificial Intelligence
We use artificial intelligence as a tool to support our work. Specifically, AI may be used to:
- Assist with research and background information
- Transcribe audio from public meetings and interviews
- Draft initial summaries or copy that human editors then revise and verify
- Assist with copy editing and proofreading
All AI-assisted content is reviewed and fact-checked by a human editor before publication. AI is not used to:
- Generate quotes, sources, or factual claims that have not been independently verified
- Produce finished articles without substantive human reporting and oversight
- Create or alter photographs or images in ways that misrepresent reality (see Photography below)
Human editors are responsible for everything we publish, regardless of which tools were used in producing it.
Photography and Images
Photographs published in news stories represent real scenes and have not been digitally altered in ways that change their factual content. Standard adjustments to brightness, contrast, color balance, and cropping for presentation are acceptable; adding, removing, or moving elements within an image is not.
Stock photography and illustrative images, when used, are not represented as documentary photographs of the events being reported. AI-generated images, if used, are labeled as such.
Photos taken at public meetings, in public spaces, and of people in their public roles do not require additional consent. When photographing private individuals in non-public contexts, we seek consent.
Corrections
When we get something wrong, we correct it promptly. Corrections are noted at the bottom of the article, with the date of the correction and a description of what was changed. Significant corrections (those that materially change the meaning of a story) are also flagged at the top of the article.
To request a correction, email [email protected] with the article URL and a description of the error.
We do not silently edit published stories to alter their factual content. Minor typo fixes and stylistic edits do not require a correction note.
Plagiarism and Attribution
All work published by Pinal Post is original. When we draw on information first reported by other outlets, we credit and link to those outlets. We do not present others’ reporting as our own.
When we use direct quotes from documents, statements, or other public sources, we attribute them.
Funding and Advertising
Pinal Post is supported by reader contributions and advertising. We disclose advertising and sponsored content clearly; sponsored content is labeled and visually distinct from editorial content.
We do not accept funding from political parties, candidates, or advocacy organizations.
Comments and Reader Engagement
Reader comments do not represent the views of Pinal Post. We moderate comments to remove personal attacks, harassment, threats, spam, and content that violates the law. We do not edit comments for grammar, spelling, or to soften criticism of our reporting.
Feedback and Concerns
If you believe we have fallen short of these standards, please tell us. Email [email protected] with the article in question and a description of the concern. We respond to good-faith feedback.
For corrections, see the Corrections section above.
These standards are reviewed and updated periodically. Material changes are noted at the top of this page.