This is not a disclaimer. It is a commitment.
Bonteh Magazine's editorial policy exists to be held against us. It is the standard by which our journalism should be judged — by our readers, by our subjects, and by ourselves. Publishing it publicly is the point. A publication that keeps its editorial standards private does not have standards. It has a marketing position.
Below are the six principles that govern every editorial decision we make.
I. Independence
Our journalism serves our readers and our public mission. It does not serve the commercial interests of advertisers, funders, or our founding team.
In practice, this means no government advertising. No sponsored content that is not clearly and prominently labelled as such. No editorial decisions made to protect a commercial relationship. No stories killed because the subject is a client, a partner, or a friend of someone on the team.
Independence is not a policy we apply when it is convenient. It is the precondition for everything else in this document.
II. Accuracy
We publish only what we can verify. Every factual claim in our editorial content has a documented, checkable source.
We are more willing to be late than to be wrong. We are more willing to publish less than to publish inaccurately.
When we get something wrong—and we will—we correct it promptly, clearly, and without minimizing the error. Corrections appear in the same publication as the original mistake.
III. Accountability
We hold the powerful accountable. Governments, corporations, institutions, and individuals who exercise public power or spend public resources.
We apply that standard regardless of their nationality, political alignment, relationship to our parent company, or standing in communities we cover. No person is too important to be scrutinized. No institution is too sympathetic to be questioned.
IV. Fairness
We give every person and institution the right to respond to allegations or criticisms before we publish them. We represent all sides of a genuinely contested issue.
We distinguish clearly between editorial judgment and established fact. We do not use the power of publication to pursue personal vendettas or settle institutional scores.
V. Context
Africa's story is systematically stripped of context in global media. We refuse to replicate that failure.
Every piece we publish provides the historical, political, and cultural context that makes it comprehensible and meaningful. We do not write for an audience assumed to be unfamiliar with Africa. We write for an audience that lives it.
VI. Courage
We publish stories that need to be published even when they are uncomfortable, contested, or likely to generate pressure.
We do not self-censor because a story implicates a powerful government, a major advertiser, or a member of our own team. Journalism that only covers safe ground is not journalism. It is content.
Complaints
If you believe something we have published is inaccurate, unfair, or in breach of this policy, contact us at editor@bontehmagazine.com with the subject line "Editorial Complaint." We will respond within five working days.