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Step one: define what you publish
Begin by separating content types so each can carry its own rule. In our example, a small outlet called a local ledger publishes news reports, explainers, opinion columns and reader letters. The page should define each in a sentence, state who may write it and mark how it appears on screen or in print. News requires named or described sources; opinion must be labeled. This step prevents the most common reader confusion, where commentary is mistaken for reporting. Keep definitions short, avoid abstract virtue words, and use categories your layout can actually display consistently.
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Step two: set the verification routine
Next, describe how a claim moves from draft to publication. The ledger might require two independent sources for any allegation, original documents where available, and a second reader checking names, dates, figures and quotes before release. State what happens with anonymous sources: who knows their identity and why anonymity was granted. Explain how data is handled and when a story is held back. Write these as steps a reporter could follow on deadline, not aspirations. Readers do not need every internal detail, but they should understand the checks well enough to recognize when one was skipped.
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Step three: publish corrections and review dates
Finally, commit to how mistakes are handled. The ledger's page might promise that factual errors are corrected at the top of the article, dated, and described in plain language, with significant ones logged on a public corrections list. Give a contact route and a realistic response window. Add conflict-of-interest disclosure, sponsorship labeling and a date for the next review of the standards themselves. Assign one named editor as owner of the page. This closes the loop: rules, checks and repairs become visible, and the page stays a living document instead of a decorative statement.