Editorial Standards & Code of Conduct

Purpose. These standards establish the minimum editorial and professional conduct expected from anyone creating, submitting, editing, commissioning, distributing or representing editorial content for Eleven One Media. They apply across news, politics, sport, culture, entertainment, business, social affairs, features, documentary work and other editorial fields.

1. Core Editorial Principles

Accuracy before speed: We seek to be first only when we can also be right. Facts, identities, dates, locations, scores, quotations, affiliations and captions must be checked with reasonable care before publication or submission.

Independence: Editorial decisions must not be improperly influenced by advertisers, sponsors, political actors, clubs, federations, event organisers, governments, commercial partners, friends or personal interests.

Fairness and context: Content must not create a materially false impression through omission, framing, captioning, sequencing or selective editing.

Accountability: Mistakes must be corrected promptly and transparently. Contributors must cooperate with correction, takedown, legal and verification requests.

Human dignity: Editorial work must respect human dignity, privacy and safety, especially in coverage involving children, victims, grief, medical situations, conflict, violence or vulnerable persons.

2. Verification, Captions and Metadata

Source verification: Contributors must make reasonable efforts to verify information and distinguish observed fact, reliable source information, allegation, opinion and unconfirmed information.

Captions: Every editorial image or video should, where applicable, identify the who, what, where and when. Captions must not speculate, exaggerate or describe an event the contributor did not witness or verify.

Names and titles: Names, official titles, clubs, teams, institutions, political offices and locations must be spelled correctly. Uncertainty must be disclosed to the editorial desk rather than guessed.

Metadata integrity: Dates, locations, creator credit, event information and rights metadata must not be falsified, stripped or intentionally altered in a misleading manner.

Embargoes and restrictions: Any embargo, pool rule, venue restriction, licensing restriction or organiser condition communicated to the contributor must be respected and reported to Eleven One Media before distribution.

3. Image, Video and Audio Integrity

Permitted technical edits: Normal tonal, exposure, white-balance, sharpening, cropping, denoising and similar technical adjustments may be used only when they do not materially alter the factual meaning of the scene.

Prohibited manipulation: Adding, removing, replacing, moving or fabricating people, objects, signs, smoke, crowds, skies, actions or other meaningful elements in editorial content is prohibited unless clearly presented as an illustration and specifically approved.

AI-generated editorial content: AI-generated images, video or audio must not be presented as documentary evidence of a real event. Deepfakes or synthetic reconstructions that could be mistaken for authentic editorial capture are prohibited unless expressly commissioned as labelled illustration.

AI-assisted editing: AI-assisted tools may be used for non-semantic technical tasks only where the factual content remains unchanged. Material AI modification must be disclosed to the editorial desk.

Staging: News and documentary scenes must not be staged or directed in a way that is later presented as spontaneous reality. Portraits or arranged editorial shoots must be described honestly where context requires it.

4. Corrections, Retractions and Challenges

Prompt correction: A contributor who discovers a material error must inform Eleven One Media immediately and provide the correct information and supporting evidence.

Right of reply: Where appropriate and legally required, subjects affected by materially inaccurate or harmful reporting should be given a fair opportunity to respond.

Do not silently rewrite history: Material corrections should be documented internally; published corrections or replacement captions should be handled by the editorial desk.

Legal or safety complaint: Any legal threat, takedown demand, copyright complaint, privacy complaint, police request or government communication must be forwarded to Eleven One Media and not handled personally in the company name unless authorised.

5. Conflicts of Interest and Independence

Disclosure: Contributors must disclose financial, political, family, employment, sponsorship or other relationships that could reasonably call their independence into question.

Gifts and benefits: Do not accept money, gifts, travel, hospitality, equipment, commissions or other benefits in exchange for favourable coverage or suppression of legitimate coverage.

Political activity: Contributors covering political actors or institutions must not use Eleven One Media assignments to campaign, fundraise or act as an undisclosed political representative.

Betting and sporting integrity: Contributors covering sporting competitions must not misuse non-public information for betting or commercial advantage and must comply with applicable event integrity rules.

Sponsored or supplied material: PR, handout, pool, sponsor-supplied or third-party material must be identified internally and, where editorially relevant, credited or labelled appropriately.

6. Privacy, Safety and Sensitive Coverage

Private spaces: Do not enter private property, restricted areas, hospitals, schools, dressing rooms, residences or controlled locations without lawful permission or a clear editorial basis.

Children: Extra care is required when identifying or depicting minors. Avoid unnecessary exposure of a child’s identity, precise location, medical status or other sensitive information where publication could create harm.

Victims and grief: Coverage of death, injury, disaster or grief must avoid humiliation, sensationalism and unnecessary intrusion. Graphic material requires heightened editorial review.

Sexual violence and vulnerable persons: Identities of victims or vulnerable persons must be protected where law, safety or ethical considerations require it.

Security-sensitive information: Do not publish or transmit information that could unlawfully compromise protected operations, restricted facilities, personal safety or active security responses without editorial review.

7. Conduct in the Field

Identification: Contributors must identify themselves truthfully. An Eleven One Media profile or contributor relationship does not authorise a person to claim employee, officer or official representative status.

Accreditation: No person may obtain or seek accreditation, visas, access, credentials or official privileges in the name of Eleven One Media without prior written authorisation under the Accreditation & Representation Policy.

Lawful instructions: Contributors must comply with lawful venue, security, safety and accreditation instructions, while promptly reporting restrictions that materially affect independent coverage.

Professional behaviour: Harassment, threats, discrimination, violence, intimidation, bribery, fraudulent documents, impersonation and deliberate interference with another journalist’s work are prohibited.

Safety first: No assignment requires a contributor to take unreasonable personal risk. Contributors must use appropriate judgment, protective equipment and local guidance in dangerous environments.

8. Copyright, Credits and Third-Party Material

Originality: Contributors may submit only material they created or are authorised to submit. Plagiarism, stolen imagery, unauthorised screenshots and misrepresented third-party material are prohibited.

Credits: Photographer, journalist, agency and third-party credits must be preserved as required by the applicable licence and assignment terms.

Third-party works: Artwork, music, broadcasts, trademarks, performances and other protected material appearing in editorial content may carry separate rights. Contributors must flag known restrictions.

No unauthorised commercialisation: Editorial access or accreditation must not be used to create commercial advertising, endorsements or merchandise unless separately authorised and lawful.

9. Social Media and Public Statements

Personal accounts: Personal social-media activity must not falsely imply an official Eleven One Media position or authorisation.

Confidential information: Do not publish internal assignments, credentials, passwords, unreleased material, client details, private communications or security information.

Breaking news: Do not pre-empt Eleven One Media by publishing exclusive assignment material when the assignment terms or editorial desk require first delivery or embargo.

Brand use: Use of the Eleven One Media name, logo, letterhead, signatures or official documents is governed by the Accreditation & Representation Policy and brand rules.

10. Qatar and International Legal Compliance

Qatar operations: Editorial activity in Qatar must comply with applicable Qatari laws, licensing requirements, media regulations, court restrictions, intellectual-property rules and lawful government or organiser requirements.

International assignments: When operating outside Qatar, contributors must also comply with mandatory local laws and accreditation conditions in the country or jurisdiction where the work takes place.

United States operations: For United States activity, including New York operations, contributors must comply with applicable federal, state and local laws, including rules relating to privacy, intellectual property, access, defamation and newsgathering.

Higher standard: Where law, organiser rules and Eleven One Media policy differ, contributors must comply with all applicable requirements and seek guidance where there is uncertainty.

11. Enforcement and Editorial Review

Review powers: Eleven One Media may review, reject, hold, relabel, correct, restrict, remove or decline to distribute content that does not meet these standards.

Serious breaches: Fabrication, falsified captions, undisclosed AI manipulation, plagiarism, fraudulent accreditation, bribery, harassment, dangerous misconduct or deliberate misrepresentation of the agency may result in immediate suspension or termination.

Investigation: Contributors must cooperate with reasonable internal investigations and preserve relevant original files, metadata, communications and assignment records when requested.

No automatic entitlement: Publication history or contributor status does not create an automatic right to future assignments, accreditation, travel support, payment or representation.

12. Acknowledgement

By contributing to or accepting an assignment from Eleven One Media, the contributor is expected to understand and follow these standards together with the Terms & Conditions, Contributor Policy, Accreditation & Representation Policy, Licence Information, Privacy Policy and any assignment-specific instructions.