Our Commitment to Factual Accuracy
Every claim that appears on Fullimedia has been checked against a named, traceable primary source before it is published. This is not an aspiration; it is the operational baseline from which all reporting at this publication begins. The four rules that govern Fullimedia journalism start with a single imperative: source every claim. This page describes precisely what that means in practice across every desk.
The Primary-Source Standard
A primary source is the original document, dataset, official statement, peer-reviewed study, regulatory filing, court record, or the named individual with direct knowledge of the event. Secondary sources — wire summaries, aggregation sites, other publications — are useful for orientation but do not constitute verification. A writer who reads a claim in a secondary source must locate the original before the claim enters a draft.
Where a primary source exists in digital form, the writer links to it directly in the article so readers can inspect it themselves. Where a source is a document held offline or behind an access restriction, the nature of the source is described in the article and the document is retained by the newsroom.
Quotes, Figures, and Dates
Direct quotations must be drawn from a recording, a transcript, a published statement, or a contemporaneous note from the reporter present. Quotes reconstructed from memory or paraphrased and presented as direct speech are not permitted. Numbers and statistics are traced to the originating study or agency, not to an intermediary’s characterisation of that study. Dates of events are confirmed against official records, contemporaneous reporting, or direct communication with a party to the event.
The Two-Source Principle
Any factual claim that carries significant consequence — an allegation of misconduct, a claim of financial impropriety, a statement that a specific person did or said something they dispute — must be confirmed by a second independent source before it runs. The two sources must be independent of each other and independent of any common interest in having the claim published. Where a second independent source cannot be found, the claim does not appear in the article.
Health Claims: Extra Scrutiny at the Wellness Desk
Dr. Andrea Velez, our Wellness Editor, is a practising physician based in Madrid. All health claims published under the Wellness beat are reviewed against peer-reviewed research published in reputable medical journals. Preliminary findings from single studies, pre-print research, and anecdotal clinical observations are clearly labelled as such and are not presented as established medical consensus. Claims that a product, supplement, or therapy treats or prevents a medical condition require direct corroboration with published clinical evidence. Dr. Velez does not accept funding from pharmaceutical or supplement companies, and this is disclosed in her staff bio and in the Ethics Policy.
Wellness content on Fullimedia does not constitute medical advice. Where appropriate, articles include a note directing readers to consult a qualified healthcare provider.
Financial Claims: Extra Scrutiny at the Business Desk
Sebastian Ross, our Business Editor, is based in London and holds personal investments in index funds only, a position disclosed fully in his bio. All financial claims — market figures, earnings projections, analyst ratings, macroeconomic statistics — are verified against the originating exchange data, regulatory filing, or official government release. Ross does not publish investment recommendations, and Fullimedia does not produce investment advice. Projections and analyst estimates are labelled as such with their source named. Headlines on business stories are written to reflect verified fact, not forecast.
Estimates vs. Facts
Where a precise figure is not publicly available, articles use language that reflects the nature of the information: estimated, approximately, according to industry projections, or similar. Estimates are sourced to a named organisation or methodology wherever one exists. Presenting an estimate as a confirmed fact is a policy violation that requires a formal correction.
AI Tools and Machine-Generated Output
Fullimedia writers may use AI tools for research orientation — scanning large volumes of text, identifying potential sources to investigate, summarising document sets for a first read. AI output is never treated as a source. It is never quoted, linked, or cited as factual evidence. Every claim that originates from an AI suggestion must be traced independently to a primary human-verifiable source before it enters an article. The use of AI assistance in drafting or research does not change the writer’s personal accountability for the accuracy of the final published piece.
When a Fact Cannot Be Confirmed
If a claim cannot be verified to the primary-source standard before a publication deadline, it does not run. Fullimedia does not publish unconfirmed claims and note that they are unconfirmed — the claim is simply removed from the piece. If removing an unverified claim materially changes the premise of the story, the story does not publish. We would rather be late than wrong.
After Publication
Fact-checking does not end at publication. Readers, sources, and subject-matter experts frequently identify errors or shifts in the underlying facts after a piece is live. Fullimedia treats post-publication accuracy as a continuing obligation. See our Corrections Policy for how we handle identified errors. See our Methodology for detail on how individual story types are produced, and our Editorial Guidelines for the broader standards that govern Fullimedia journalism.
Questions about how a specific claim was verified can be directed to [email protected].