Our Responsibility to Get It Right and Make It Right
At ATL Direct, we are committed to delivering accurate, timely, and trustworthy information about the City of Atlanta. We recognize that even with rigorous editorial review, errors can occasionally occur. When they do, we take them seriously and correct them transparently.
This Corrections Policy outlines how we handle factual errors, updates, clarifications, and retractions.
1. Identifying Errors
We welcome feedback from readers, City staff, and community members regarding any potential factual inaccuracies or misleading information in published articles.
You can report an error by emailing: Click here.
Submissions should include:
- A link to the article
- A description of the suspected error
- Supporting evidence (if applicable)
2. Our Process
Once an error is reported or identified, the ATL Direct editorial team follows this process:
Step 1: Review and Verification
We promptly review the article in question and assess whether a correction, clarification, or retraction is warranted. This process may include:
- Consulting the original source
- Confirming with the relevant City department
- Verifying with subject matter experts
Step 2: Determining the Appropriate Action
Depending on the nature of the issue, we may take one of the following actions:
| Action | Definition |
| Correction | A factual error is updated (e.g., names, dates, data). |
| Clarification | The content is accurate but potentially unclear or misleading. |
| Retraction | A significant error undermines the core of the story or public trust. |
3. How We Communicate Updates
We aim to make corrections and clarifications transparent and easy to understand:
- For Minor Corrections: A note will appear at the bottom of the article indicating what was changed and when.
- For Major Corrections or Clarifications: A note will appear at the top of the article to alert readers.
- For Retractions: The article will be removed and replaced with a message explaining the reason for the retraction.
Example: Correction (August 27, 2025): This article originally misstated the number of housing units completed under the Rapid Housing Initiative. The correct number is 140, not 120.
4. Editorial Independence and Integrity
Corrections are managed by the ATL Direct editorial team in collaboration with City departments, but final responsibility for accuracy rests with the editorial staff. Corrections are never hidden, and we do not unpublish articles to cover up errors.
5. Commitment to Resident
Our editorial team is guided by the principles of:
- Accuracy
- Transparency
- Timely communication
- Accountability
We believe that acknowledging and correcting mistakes is a critical part of public service journalism and an essential part of building trust with the Atlanta community.
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