Editorial Principles, Policies, and Standards

Accountability and Senior Editorial Responsibility

Publication Title:

Kentucky Colonel News (also referred to as “News for Kentucky Colonels” in descriptive contexts)

Publisher:

Kentucky Colonelcy, also known as, the Kentucky Colonel Cooperative Commons (K3C)
Entity ID: https://news.kycolonelcy.us/#publisher

Editor-in-Chief:

Col. David J. Wright
Editorial oversight, standards enforcement, page layout and article types, final publication approval of published content.

Managing Editor(s):

Col. Djordje Marinkovic; Col. Maria Veneke Ylikomi; Col. Godfrey Brock–Gadd
Assignments, scheduling, fact-checking, production workflow.

Research & Archives Desk:

Col. Nicholas Wright & Historical Compliance Team
Primary sources review, provenance notes, archival citation formatting.

Fact-Checking Desk:

Verification & Fact-Checking Team (shared responsibility among editors)
Independent verification, claim testing, corrections coordination.

Contact Information:

Email: contact@kycolonelcy.us
Phone: +1 (859) 379-8277 (voicemail)

Verified Digital Address:

Primary Domain: kycolonelcy.us
Canonical Newsroom: news.kycolonelcy.us
Google Verification: Jehe8diz6W73L6-YUk25vI0xXsytTvcp3Xb2_eRDRoE

How to Use this Page

This page is designed to be linkable by bookmarks and usable by structured publishing systems. Each policy section has a stable anchor (for example, #factCheckingPolicy). Where a disclosure has a consumer dimension (cookies, analytics, subscriptions), it points to the relevant consumer document: Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions.

Editorial Independence Requires Financial Clarity

Kentucky Colonel News is an independent newsroom operated as a common-law, unincorporated civil society cooperative publishing group. We do not accept editorial direction from outside entities. Financial support and operations information are disclosed to protect editorial independence and prevent undue influence.

• Funding Sources: Non-tax-deductible contributions from readers for subscriptions (where enabled) and voluntary reader support through donations.
• Advertising: Kentucky Colonel News does not accept advertising.
• Sponsored Content: If used, it is clearly labeled and never mixed with news reporting.
• Conflicts of Interest: Disclosed on author pages and within content when relevant.

Clear Labeling for Readers

We publish with a strict separation between: (a) historical record and public documentation, (b) analysis and interpretation, and (c) opinion. Each piece should be clearly labeled by format and intent.

Content Types we Publish

• Reportage: Factual reporting based on verifiable sources, records, and attributable evidence.
• Analysis: Interpretive work grounded in evidence; methodologies and assumptions are explained.
• Background/Explainers: Historical primers and definitional work supported by primary sources.
• Opinion: Clearly labeled commentary; does not represent newsroom findings.
• Reviews: Reviews of publications, representations, or claims impacting public understanding.

Editorial Independence

• Editorial decisions are made by newsroom leadership listed in the masthead.
• External organizations do not approve, veto, or direct editorial content.
• Government agencies have no authority over advocacy and editorial content.
• We label and separate news, analysis, opinion, and sponsored material (if any).

Evidence-First Standard

Our verification standard is “evidence-first.” Claims must be supported by primary sources or credible records that can be cited. When primary sources are unavailable, we disclose limitations and the confidence level for readers.

Verification Requirements

• Primary Sources Preferred: Executive records, correspondence, contemporary newspapers, archival materials, official publications, historical documentation, and traceable documents.
• Chain of Custody: For archival artifacts we record provenance notes and document origin whenever possible and practical for readers.
• Cross-Source Confirmation: Material claims should be corroborated by at least one additional independent source when feasible.
• Historical Sources: Content derived from the public domain and Creative Commons is clearly stated and may be reused without the permission of the publisher(s) under applicable conditions.
• Direct Quotations: Quotes are transcribed carefully; we preserve context and indicate omissions.
• Images/Scans: We keep original scans/photographs and link to supporting exhibits when publishable (including via Google Workspace embeds where appropriate).

Corrections Trigger

• Any verified error of fact triggers a correction workflow described in Corrections & Accuracy.
• Disputes based on non-verifiable or marketing-only sources are evaluated but not treated as factual overrides.

Corrections are Part of Credibility

Accuracy is a newsroom requirement. When an error is identified, we correct promptly and transparently. We distinguish between Correction, Clarification, and Update. Grammatical oversights may be corrected without a public note when the meaning is unchanged.

How we Correct

• Correction: Fixes a material factual error. A correction note is added at the top of the article.
• Clarification: Improves clarity or context without changing the core facts.
• Update: Adds new information after publication, clearly labeled with timestamp.
• Revision History: We preserve what changed and when for material changes.

How to Request a Correction

Send evidence or editorial suggestions to contact@kycolonelcy.us with: (1) the URL, (2) the precise statement in dispute, (3) why a correction should be made, and (4) supporting documentation and suggested replacement wording. See our Contact Page.

Evidence-Based Engagement

We invite evidence-based feedback, especially from Kentucky Colonels and primary-source holders. Public feedback improves the historical record when supported by documentation.

What we Accept

• Primary-source documents, scans, archival citations, and reproducible evidence.
• Well-sourced correction requests.
• Reasoned critique of methodology and interpretation.

What we Don’t Accept as Substitutes for Evidence

• Unverifiable claims without documentation.
• Marketing-only statements presented as historical proof.
• Harassment or intimidation of staff, contributors, or sources.

Anonymity is a Last Resort

Anonymous sourcing is a last resort. We grant anonymity only when a source faces credible risk and the information is essential. We do not use unnamed sources to establish historical “firsts” or foundational chronology—those require public records or citable archives.

Requirements for Anonymity

• Editor approval (see masthead).
• We verify the source’s identity internally.
• We seek independent corroboration wherever possible.
• We explain why anonymity was granted without exposing the source.

Core Newsroom Ethics

We follow newsroom ethics: accuracy, independence, transparency, and accountability. We disclose conflicts of interest, affiliations, and material relationships when relevant.

Conflicts of Interest

• Staff and contributors disclose relevant affiliations that could influence coverage.
• We label opinion, sponsored material (if any), and advocacy clearly and distinctly.
• All subjects in law are considered public figures with a right to publicity. We reserve the right to subject any person that is commissioned to criticism and scrutiny, and likewise reserve the right not to publish material found to dilute, counter traditions, and customs by our staff.

Respectful Representation

• We avoid defamation and unsupported allegations.
• We prioritize documentary evidence and fair characterization.

Breadth of the Kentucky Colonel Class

We aim to reflect the breadth and diversity of Kentucky Colonels and cooperative stakeholders affected by public narratives about the title. We seek diverse sources and perspectives and avoid gatekeeping that implies the honorific class belongs to any single private interest.

• Inclusive Sourcing: We actively seek diverse voices and primary-source contributors.
• Non-Discrimination: We do not exclude on race, ethnicity, gender, religion, nationality, disability, or socioeconomic status.
• Accessibility: We strive for clear language and readable presentation of archival materials.

No Ads; Labeling Rules if Sponsorship ever Appears

Kentucky Colonel News does not accept advertising. We publish to document and explain—not to sell audience attention.

• No Display Advertising: We do not run third-party ad networks on this publication.
• No Native Ads Disguised as Journalism: We do not publish paid content that mimics reporting.
• If Sponsorship ever Appears: It will be clearly labeled as sponsored and separated from reporting, with disclosures visible to readers.

Where the Consumer Disclosures Live

Cookies, analytics disclosures (traffic measurement), Subscribe with Google, and EU/UK/EEA reader rights are described in our consumer-facing documents: Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions. This standards page links to those policies so readers can find them quickly and so cookie notices can point to a stable, readable destination.