Editorial Policy & Corrections

This page explains how The Blackford Ledger reports the news: where our information comes from, how our meeting summaries are produced, and what to do when we get something wrong.

Sourcing

Our government coverage is built on primary sources: official meeting recordings, published agendas, minutes, budgets, and other public records from Blackford County's government bodies. When an article is based on a meeting recording or transcript, the article says so and names the meeting and its date.

How meeting summaries are produced

Local boards in Blackford County meet more often than any small newsroom can staff in person. To make sure every public decision is still reported, we use software — including AI transcription and drafting tools — to turn official meeting recordings into first-draft summaries. An editor reviews each summary before publication, checks names, amounts, and outcomes against the record where possible, and decides what is worth publishing.

We label this work honestly. Articles produced from meeting recordings carry a source note, and when audio quality limits our confidence in a detail, the article says that too.

Corrections

We correct errors quickly and visibly. Use the "Request an edit" link at the bottom of any page, the contact form, or email help@theblackfordledger.com. Substantive corrections are made in the article itself.

Independence

The Ledger is independently operated and is not owned by, funded by, or affiliated with any government body, political party, or candidate. Advertising is clearly labeled and advertisers have no influence over news coverage. Read more on our About page.

Opinion

News reporting and opinion are kept separate. Pieces expressing a point of view are labeled Opinion and are held to the same standards of factual accuracy.