Code of Ethics

At ACE News, all members of our editorial and reporting teams are committed to maintaining the highest ethical standards, in line with journalistic best practices. We follow a strict Code of Ethics to ensure that our reporting is fair, accurate, and upholds the public interest. This Code serves as the foundation for our editorial decision-making and outlines the responsibilities of all those involved in the creation of content for ACE News, whether in print or online.

1. Accuracy

• ACE News is committed to ensuring the accuracy of the information we publish. We take great care to avoid publishing misleading, inaccurate, or distorted information, including images.
• Any significant inaccuracies will be promptly corrected with appropriate prominence, and where necessary, we will issue public apologies.
• While ACE News retains the right to be editorially independent, we will always distinguish clearly between fact, conjecture, and opinion in our reporting.

2. Right of Reply

• ACE News will provide a fair opportunity for individuals or organizations to reply to significant inaccuracies in our reporting.
   

3. Respect for Privacy

• We respect every individual’s right to privacy, including private correspondence and personal data. Intrusions into personal privacy without consent will only be justified when in the public interest.
• We do not photograph or report on individuals in private places without their consent, unless there is a compelling public interest in doing so.
• Editors are responsible for ensuring that these guidelines are rigorously observed, including when using material from third-party sources.

4. Harassment

• Journalists at ACE News will not engage in any form of intimidation, harassment, or persistent pursuit. They are required to desist from further approaches once asked to do so by an individual.

5. Sensitive Reporting

• We approach cases involving personal grief or shock with sensitivity and discretion.
• Reporting on suicides will be handled with care to avoid unnecessary details regarding the method used, in order to protect vulnerable individuals.
   

6. Children

• ACE News will take special care when reporting on stories involving children. We will not interview or photograph children under the age of 16 without the permission of a responsible adult.
• In cases involving sex offenses, we will take every precaution to avoid identifying child victims or witnesses.
   

7. Hospitals and Health Reporting

• Journalists must obtain permission from a responsible authority before entering non-public areas of hospitals or healthcare facilities for the purpose of reporting.
• The privacy of individuals receiving medical treatment must be respected, and any reporting on health matters will prioritize accuracy and sensitivity.
   

8. Crime Reporting

• Relatives and friends of individuals accused or convicted of crimes will not be identified unless genuinely relevant to the story.
• We take care to protect the privacy and rights of children who may be victims or witnesses in cases involving crime.
   

9. Clandestine Devices and Subterfuge

• ACE News will not obtain or publish material acquired through hidden cameras, clandestine listening devices, or unauthorized interception of communications, unless justified by a clear public interest.
• Engaging in misrepresentation or subterfuge is only acceptable when there is no other way to obtain material of significant public interest.
   

10. Protection of Confidential Sources

• ACE News upholds the journalistic principle of protecting confidential sources. Journalists are morally obligated to protect their sources’ identities when anonymity is requested.
   

11. Financial Journalism

• ACE News staff must not use privileged financial information for personal gain. Similarly, they must disclose any potential conflicts of interest when reporting on financial matters.
   

12. Discrimination

• ACE News will avoid any prejudicial or pejorative references to an individual’s race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or physical or mental disabilities.
• Details about a person’s background will only be included when genuinely relevant to the story.
   

13. Victims of Sexual Assault

• ACE News will not publish the identity of victims of sexual assault unless there is adequate justification and legal permission to do so.
   

14. Payments to Witnesses and Criminals

• We do not make payments to witnesses involved in ongoing legal proceedings, nor do we make payments to convicted or confessed criminals for stories that seek to exploit or glorify their criminal acts.
   

15. The Public Interest

There are exceptions to some clauses in this Code if the story can be shown to be in the public interest. The public interest includes, but is not limited to:

• Detecting or exposing crime or serious impropriety.
• Protecting public health and safety.
• Preventing the public from being misled by an individual or organization.
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ACE News is committed to upholding the principles of ethical journalism, with a focus on serving the public good, protecting individuals' rights, and ensuring accountability and transparency in our reporting.