Ethics Policy

Journalism is a profession built on trust. Readers trust that the stories we publish are honest, that the sources we cite are real, and that the reporters who write them act with integrity. This Ethics Policy sets out the standards we expect from everyone who writes, edits, or produces journalism for The New Light Paper.

This policy works alongside our Editorial Policy and Corrections Policy. Where this policy refers to “we” or “our reporters”, it applies to all staff writers, contributors, freelancers, and editors working for the publication.

Our Core Ethical Principles

Our journalism is guided by four ethical commitments:
Honesty – We report what is true, attribute what we cannot independently verify, and acknowledge what we do not know.
Independence – We make editorial decisions without interference from advertisers, sponsors, political actors, or personal interests.
Accountability – We correct our mistakes openly, listen to legitimate criticism, and explain our editorial decisions when asked.
Respect – We treat the people in our stories – sources, subjects, and readers – with fairness and dignity, especially when they are vulnerable.

Accuracy and Verification

Our reporters are expected to:
Verify factual claims through primary sources before publication
Quote people accurately and in context
Identify the source of information clearly to readers, except where confidentiality is justified
Distinguish clearly between fact, analysis, opinion, and rumour
Avoid publishing claims they cannot defend if challenged
When we do not know something, we say so. We do not invent details to make a story feel more complete.

Sources and Confidentiality

We rely primarily on named, on-the-record sources. When a source requests anonymity, we grant it only when:
The information is of clear public interest
The source would face reasonable harm if identified
The information has been verified through additional means
The decision has been approved by the Editor-in-Chief
We do not publish anonymous attacks on private individuals. We do not use anonymity to shield sources who are simply unwilling to take responsibility for their statements.
Once a confidential source has been promised anonymity, we protect their identity. This commitment continues even under legal pressure, except in extraordinary circumstances assessed case-by-case by senior editors.

Independence and Conflicts of Interest

Our reporters and editors must avoid situations where personal, financial, or political interests could compromise their reporting. This includes:

Gifts and inducements

We do not accept cash, gifts, free travel, free goods, or services from sources or subjects of our reporting in exchange for coverage or to influence what we publish.
Modest hospitality (such as a cup of coffee during an interview) is acceptable. Significant gifts must be declined or declared to the Editor-in-Chief.

Outside activities

Reporters covering politics may not hold party membership, run for public office, or campaign for candidates without disclosing this to the Editor-in-Chief.
Reporters covering business may not own shares in companies they regularly cover.
Outside paid work that creates a conflict of interest must be disclosed and may require reassignment.

Personal relationships

Reporters must disclose personal, family, or romantic relationships with sources or subjects of their reporting. Where a conflict exists, the story is reassigned.
The Editor-in-Chief manages disclosures and decides how to handle potential conflicts on a case-by-case basis.

Fabrication and Plagiarism

The New Light Paper has zero tolerance for fabrication or plagiarism.
We do not invent quotes, sources, events, or details.
We do not publish staged photographs as if they were spontaneous.
We do not copy text from other publications without proper attribution.
We credit other journalists when we build on their original reporting.
A reporter found to have fabricated content or plagiarised the work of others will face disciplinary action, including possible termination.
Deception and Undercover Reporting
We do not deceive sources to obtain information except in rare cases where:
The information sought is of significant public interest
The story cannot be reported any other way
The deception has been approved in advance by the Editor-in-Chief
Posing as someone other than a journalist, recording without consent, or accessing private information through deception are last-resort techniques, used only with editorial approval and with consideration of the potential harm.

Privacy

We respect the privacy of individuals, especially private citizens who have not chosen public life. We balance the public’s right to know against the individual’s right to privacy.
We exercise particular care when reporting on:

Minors – We do not name or photograph children involved in crime, abuse, or other sensitive stories without consent from a parent or guardian and a clear public interest justification.
Victims of crime – We do not publish the identity of victims of sexual offences. We treat victims of violent crime with sensitivity.
Mental health and suicide – We follow careful guidance to avoid sensationalism and to minimise the risk of harm.
Grief and tragedy – We approach bereaved families with respect and do not intrude unnecessarily.
Medical information – Personal health information is not published without consent, except where clear public interest applies.

Reporting on Vulnerable Groups

When reporting on poverty, illness, disability, migration, or other situations involving vulnerable people, we:

Seek informed consent before publishing identifying details
Do not sensationalise hardship for traffic
Give subjects the chance to tell their own story rather than speaking only about them
Avoid stereotypes and generalisations
Coverage of Conflict, Violence, and Trauma
When covering violence, disaster, or trauma:
We verify casualty figures and other details before publishing
We do not publish graphic images that could traumatise readers or disrespect victims, unless there is a clear public interest
We give trauma-affected interviewees the right to stop at any time
We do not put sources, fixers, or our own staff at unnecessary risk

Hate Speech and Discrimination

We do not publish content that promotes hatred, discrimination, or violence on the basis of ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or other protected characteristics. We do not give a platform to those who do so.
We report on extremism and discrimination as legitimate news stories, but we do not amplify hate speech uncritically or treat it as a normal point of view.

Coverage of Elections and Politics

During election periods and political campaigns:
We give fair coverage to candidates and parties, while exercising editorial judgement about news value
We label opinion clearly as opinion
We do not endorse candidates as a publication
We do not accept payment from candidates or parties in exchange for favourable coverage
We disclose any political ties that could affect our coverage
This complements the political independence principles described in our Ownership and Funding Transparency page.

Images, Audio, and Video

We do not digitally alter news photographs in ways that change their meaning. Standard adjustments (cropping, exposure, colour correction) are acceptable; removing or adding elements that change the substance of an image is not.
Audio and video recordings are edited for clarity and length, but not in ways that misrepresent what was said or done.
We credit image and video sources properly. We do not republish copyrighted material without permission.

Use of Artificial Intelligence

We may use AI tools to support our work – for research, transcription, translation, copy-editing, and workflow assistance. However:
All final reporting decisions, factual claims, and published copy are reviewed and approved by human editors.
We do not publish AI-generated content as original journalism.
We do not use AI to fabricate quotes, images, or sources.
We disclose when AI has been used substantively in producing a piece (for example, an AI-generated illustration).

Accountability and Discipline

Breaches of this Ethics Policy are taken seriously. Depending on the severity, consequences may include:
A formal warning
Reassignment from a beat
Retraction of the affected story and a public correction
Termination of employment or contributor agreement
The Editor-in-Chief handles ethics complaints involving reporters. Complaints involving the Editor-in-Chief are escalated to the Founder and Managing Director.

Reporting Ethical Concerns

If you are a reader, source, or member of staff and you believe a reporter for The New Light Paper has breached this Ethics Policy, please contact:
Email: editor@thenewlightpaper.co.ug

All complaints are reviewed and acted upon where warranted. We will respond within a reasonable time and, where appropriate, take corrective action.

Updates to This Policy

We will update this Ethics Policy from time to time as the field of journalism evolves and as our newsroom grows. The “Last updated” date below shows the current version.
Last updated: 29 May 2026
Publisher: New Light Communications U Limited
Parent Company: Koom Holdings U Limited