The standards we publish,
because we keep them.
These standards apply to every title in the Asia Press Centre Group portfolio and to every person producing content for them. They are published so that readers, partners and the public can hold us to them.
Editorial independence
Editorial decisions across the Group's titles are made on editorial grounds alone. No commercial relationship — advertising, sponsorship, content partnership, event participation or awards entry — purchases favourable coverage, softens critical coverage, or suppresses a story. Editors are answerable for their judgement, and their judgement is not for sale.
Separation of editorial and commercial
The Group maintains a structural separation between its newsrooms and its commercial operations. Journalists do not sell; commercial staff do not edit news. Commissioned partner content is produced through the Group's studio function, which sits outside the newsrooms. Where a commercial consideration and an editorial judgement could touch, the editorial judgement is made first and independently.
Labelling of commercial content
Readers must always be able to tell, at a glance, what they are reading. All commissioned, sponsored or partner-funded content published across the Group's titles is labelled clearly as such, on every format in which it appears. Distributed announcements are identified as announcements. We do not publish disguised advertising, and we decline work whose premise requires it.
Accuracy and verification
We verify before we publish. Claims of fact are checked against sources; figures are traced to their origin; quotations are rendered faithfully. Where verification is incomplete, we either withhold publication or state the uncertainty plainly. Speed never excuses error.
Sources and attribution
We attribute information to its source wherever possible. Anonymity is granted only where there is genuine cause and the information warrants it, and the grant is a commitment we keep. We do not present others' work as our own, and licensed or syndicated material carries its origin.
Corrections
When we get something wrong, we say so. Material errors are corrected promptly and visibly on the piece concerned, with a note recording what was changed. We do not quietly rewrite the record. Readers who believe we have erred can contact the Group through the details on this site, and will receive a considered response.
Use of artificial intelligence
The Group's titles may use AI tools in research, production and format conversion. Two rules are absolute. First, responsibility: every published piece has a human editor accountable for its accuracy and judgement — no content is published on a model's authority. Second, honesty: we do not use AI to fabricate sources, quotations, images of real events, or the appearance of first-hand reporting that did not occur. In an era of abundant synthetic content, our value rests on the opposite commitment.
Conflicts of interest
Those who write and edit for the Group's titles must not hold undisclosed interests in the subjects they cover. Gifts, hospitality and access are handled on the presumption that the reader's trust outweighs any relationship's convenience. Where a potential conflict exists and coverage proceeds, it is disclosed.
Accountability
These standards are maintained at Group level and reviewed as the portfolio grows. Questions, complaints and challenges regarding any title's adherence to them may be addressed to the Group at its published contact address, and are treated as governance matters, not customer service.