We correct errors in the open, as fast as we find them, and we say what changed.
A factual error costs us more than not publishing would have. So we would rather hear about one from you than have it sit there.
What we do
A factual error gets fixed in the piece, and a note at the foot of the piece says what was wrong, what it now says, and when it changed. We do not quietly edit a sentence and move on.
A significant error in a headline, a figure, a name or an attribution also gets flagged where people will see it, not only at the bottom of the article they have already read.
An update is different from a correction. When a story moves on, because charges were filed or dropped, or an official answered, we update the piece and timestamp it. That is not us admitting an error, and we label it as an update so the distinction stays clear.
A piece that cannot be fixed comes down, with a note in its place explaining why. This is rare and it is a last resort.
What we do not do
We do not remove an accurate piece because someone in it would prefer it gone. We do not take a name out of a story that was correctly reported, with one exception: if charges against someone were dropped or they were acquitted, we say so prominently in the piece, because leaving the accusation as the last word is itself inaccurate.
Tell us
Email tanish@theblackobserver.com, or use the contact page. Point at the sentence if you can. You do not have to be polite about it.