Tervuren+ is committed to high standards of journalism. Our editorial policies guide how we gather, verify and publish news. These standards ensure transparency, fairness and accuracy in our reporting.

📌 Our Promise to Readers

These editorial standards are not just internal guidelines—they are promises to you, our reader. They ensure that when you read a story on Tervuren+, you can trust that:

  • It has been verified using primary sources wherever possible
  • Opinions are clearly labeled as such
  • Mistakes will be corrected transparently
  • No advertiser or donor influenced the reporting

If we ever fall short of these standards, we will acknowledge it openly and improve. Accountability is part of trustworthy journalism.

🎯 Core Principles and Guidelines

Commitment to truth

We aim for full, correct and unbiased reporting so readers receive relevant and essential information about Tervuren.

Transparency and integrity

We are open about our editorial processes, funding sources and any potential conflicts of interest. Where relevant we will disclose funding, partnerships or sponsorships associated with content.

💰 Funding & Financial Transparency

Tervuren+ is a volunteer-run, self-funded non-profit journalistic initiative aimed at countering “news deserts”. Currently, the website is a new venture, established in January 2024, and is solely funded and operated by its founder, with no paid staff or external investors.

Our current funding sources include:

  • Self-funding – The founder personally covers all operational costs, including hosting, domain registration, and software.
  • Future funding sources (planned) – As the site grows, we aim to introduce non-intrusive advertising, reader donations, and potentially grants. All future funding will be disclosed transparently.

No funding source, advertiser, donor, or external party has editorial control over our content. All editorial decisions are made independently by journalists. We do not accept payment for coverage, and sponsored content is clearly labeled as such.

⚖️ Ethics Policy

Tervuren+ adheres to the following ethical standards:

  • No payment for sources – We never pay sources for information or interviews
  • No plagiarism – All content is original; we properly attribute third-party material
  • No conflicts of interest – Staff must disclose any potential conflicts before reporting
  • No gifts or favors – Journalists do not accept gifts, free travel, or favors that could influence coverage
  • Correction of errors – We correct mistakes promptly and transparently

Local and community-focused

We concentrate on stories that matter to Tervuren residents, such as municipal decisions, neighbourhood initiatives, cultural activities and local businesses.

🌍 Diversity & Inclusion

Tervuren+ serves a multilingual, multicultural community. We are committed to:

  • Representation – Covering stories that reflect Tervuren’s diverse population, with respect of our Flemish character in this Dutch-speaking region of Flanders with full openness to Tervuren’s 115 nationalities.
  • Equitable access – Publishing key news in multiple languages to serve our entire community
  • Inclusive sourcing – Seeking perspectives from diverse voices, including minority groups, newcomers, and marginalized community members
  • Accessibility – Ensuring our website is accessible to people with disabilities

We welcome story ideas from all members of the Tervuren community, regardless of background, language, or origin.

Fair and respectful reporting

Our reporting is non-sensational, respectful and balanced—suitable for readers of all ages.

Independent and objective

Tervuren+ operates free from external influence; editorial choices are not dictated by political, commercial or other interests.

Journalism in the public service

We support the Tervuren community by promoting civic engagement and informed decision-making.

Craftsmanship and quality

We adhere to professional standards in sourcing, verification and attribution.

Protection of minors

We follow ethical principles and all relevant European, Flemish and federal rules for the protection of minors in the media. When publishing images of minors we apply consent and due-diligence procedures.

📋 Our Fact-Checking Process

  • Every story is reviewed by the editor before publication.
  • We prioritize primary sources (official documents, direct interviews, public data).
  • Claims from anonymous sources are verified by a second independent source before publication.
  • Factually disputed claims are noted in the article with a correction or update notice.
  • We clearly distinguish between news reporting and opinion/analysis.

🤖 AI-Generated Content Policy

Tervuren+ does not use AI to generate news articles, headlines, or images. All journalistic content is written and edited by human journalists. AI is used for administrative tasks that assist but do not replace human judgment:

  • Data analysis and pattern detection
  • Translation assistance (human-reviewed)
  • Spell-checking and grammar correction
  • Formatting assistance

No AI-generated text or images are published without explicit human review and approval. Any future use of AI for editorial purposes will be clearly disclosed to readers.

🔍 Sourcing Policy

  • We attribute information to named sources whenever possible.
  • Anonymous sources are used only when the information is vital and the source faces genuine risk. Two editors must approve anonymous sourcing.
  • We do not publish unverified rumors or speculation.
  • External links are provided where relevant to allow readers to verify claims themselves.

⚖️ Conflict of Interest Policy

All contributors must disclose any potential conflicts of interest. We do not allow reporters to cover stories where they have a financial, political, or personal interest. Editorial decisions are made independently of any outside influence.

🛡️ Corrections & Accountability

We take accuracy seriously. If we make a mistake, we correct it transparently. For our full corrections policy and right of reply procedure, please visit our Corrections & Right of Reply page.

📊 2026 corrections to date: View our public corrections log

🔒 Privacy & Data Protection

Tervuren+ complies with GDPR and Belgian privacy regulations. We do not sell user data. Any personal information collected (e.g., via contact forms) is used only for the purpose provided. For more details, see our Privacy Policy.

📬 Contact about editorial matters

For editorial enquiries, corrections or complaints, contact: editor@tervuren.eu or call +32 483 02 88 02. We aim to acknowledge complaints within 7 working days.

📅 Last updated: June 15, 2026 | Next review: December 2026