The editorial process at DailyCity.co.uk begins before a single word is published. Every article — whether a breaking transport update, a council budget explainer, a gallery review or a city guide — is reviewed by an editor before it goes live. That editor checks for accuracy, tone, legal risk, clarity and alignment with our editorial standards. For sensitive stories, the process includes an additional layer of review by the Standards & Fact-Checking Lead. Sensitive stories include council-related reporting, legal matters, crime and safety, health-related stories, financial claims, stories involving minors, privacy-sensitive reporting and public safety issues. Thomas Ellery, our Standards & Fact-Checking Lead, examines these pieces for source verification, potential reputational harm, compliance with data protection obligations and adherence to our Safeguarding Minors Policy. No sensitive story is published without his sign-off.
Clear distinction between content types
Readers must be able to tell, at a glance, what kind of content they are reading. DailyCity.co.uk publishes:
- News – fact-based reporting on events, decisions and developments, written by staff journalists or commissioned contributors.
- Opinion – clearly labelled as “Opinion” or “Comment”, expressing the views of the writer or an invited expert, and overseen by the editor to ensure it does not misrepresent facts.
- Reviews – critical assessment of arts, restaurants, theatre, products or events, written after direct attendance or testing by the reviewer, in line with our Reviews Policy.
- Sponsored content – material paid for by a commercial partner, labelled “Sponsored”, “Promoted” or “In association with”, and never subject to editorial influence from the sponsor. See our Sponsored Content Policy.
- Affiliate content – articles containing links to retailers or services from which we may earn a small commission. All such links are disclosed clearly at the point of use. Details in our Advertising & Affiliate Disclosure.
- Promotional material – any content produced for a commercial partner (such as city-guide partnerships or event promotions) is distinctly labelled and separated from independent editorial coverage.
Article-level transparency
Every article on DailyCity.co.uk carries a byline linking to the author’s profile on our Our Team page, the publication date and, where relevant, a last-updated date. Articles that have been edited substantively after publication include an editor or reviewer label at the foot of the piece. Source references are embedded in the text or provided as hyperlinks; where a source cannot be named for confidentiality or safety reasons, the article explains why. If a correction has been made, a note is appended directing readers to our Corrections Policy and explaining the change.
We also disclose the nature of the access that made the reporting possible. For example, an article will state clearly whether coverage is based on a public meeting attended by the writer, an interview, a site visit, a government or parliamentary document, a public record, a press conference, an official press release, a verified social post or a product/event reviewed directly by the writer. This disclosure helps readers assess the evidential weight of the piece.
Experience signals
We want readers to know what the writer has actually done. If an article about a new housing development is based on a site visit, the text will say so. If a review of a West End show is based on press night attendance, that is noted. If a transport report draws on a Transport for London board paper, the document is referenced. These experience signals are not just good practice — they build the trust that is at the heart of our relationship with readers.
Independence
DailyCity.co.uk is owned by City Ledger Media Ltd., a private limited company registered in England and Wales. Our commercial relationships — display advertising, affiliate links, sponsored content, newsletter sponsorships, content licensing, event/media partnerships and local advertising packages — never determine editorial conclusions. To understand our funding and governance, please see our full Ownership & Funding page. Our Advertising & Affiliate Disclosure explains how we handle commercial content.
AI and automation
Digital tools may support certain editorial tasks such as research, editing, formatting, translation, metadata, headlines, summaries, transcription and review. However, all published editorial content is reviewed by a human editor before publication. AI must never fabricate quotes, sources, interviews, bylines, author experience or expert profiles. For a full explanation, see our AI & Automation Policy.
Attribution and named writers
Every article is attributed to a named writer, unless it is a very short news brief that credits the news desk. Our Our Team page lists all editorial staff, their roles and contact details. Contributors and guest writers are also identified and linked to a biography. We do not publish anonymous editorial content, except in exceptional circumstances where the writer faces serious safety risks — and even then, the decision is escalated to the Editor-in-Chief and the Standards & Fact-Checking Lead.
Complaints route
If you believe an article has breached our editorial standards or contains an error, please refer to our Complaints Procedure. We aim to acknowledge complaints within two working days and to resolve them fairly and transparently. All complaints are logged and reviewed by the Standards & Fact-Checking Lead, with escalation to the Editor-in-Chief where necessary.
This Editorial Policy is reviewed annually and updated as needed. It applies to all content published on DailyCity.co.uk, including newsletters, video and social media posts produced by our editorial team. For questions about this policy, contact the Editor-in-Chief, Alexander Whitmore, at alexander.whitmore@dailycity.co.uk.