About The San Diego Union

About The San Diego Union-Tribune

The San Diego Union-Tribune is San Diego’s largest media company and the community’s longest-running business, dating back to the founding of the Union in 1868.

Today, the Union-Tribune portfolio includes its Pulitzer Prize-winning daily newspaper, The San Diego Union-Tribune; the region’s leading website, SanDiegoUnionTribune.com; weekly entertainment guide Night + Day; The San Diego Union-Tribune en Español digital site; and eight community newspapers: the La Jolla Light; Del Mar Times; Encinitas Advocate; Rancho Santa Fe Review; Ramona Sentinel; Pomerado News; PB Monthly and Point Loma OB Monthly.

The mission of The San Diego Union-Tribune is to provide excellence in local journalism to the communities it serves. The staff is committed to building a stronger, more inclusive San Diego, through our coverage. With in-depth reporting on the people, places and issues that matter here, reading the Union-Tribune enables San Diegans to truly know their community.

Company Leadership

Click here to see The San Diego Union-Tribune’s Company Leadership Team.

Newsroom Leadership

Click here to see The San Diego Union-Tribune’s Newsroom Leadership Team.

Advertising Leadership

Click here to see The San Diego Union-Tribune’s Advertising Leadership Team.

For help with your print or digital subscription

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To contact the newsroom

Email:local@sduniontribune.com

Newsroom staff contacts:Reporters and editors

Letters to the editor

Email:letters@sduniontribune.com

To contact advertising

Advertising

Email:advertise@sduniontribune.com

Classified Advertising

Email:classifieds@sduniontribune.com

Hours: 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday

Main office

Email:customer.service@sduniontribune.com

Mailing address:P.O. Box 120191, San Diego, CA 92112-0191 

Careers at the Union-Tribune

Click here to search for careers at The San Diego Union-Tribune.

Ownership structure

The San Diego Union-Tribune, LLC (SDUT) is committed to transparency in our ownership structure.

We cite potential conflicts of interest on the same page as the relevant work.

SDUT consists of one daily newspaper and 11 non-daily publications in the San Diego DMA.

SDUT publications are managed by the parent company, MediaNews Group, which is based in Denver, Colorado. MediaNews Group is a privately-owned company managed by a board of directors that is controlled by majority shareholder Alden Global Capital, a privately held investment firm based in New York City. As a private company, MediaNews Group makes business decisions that keep shareholders in mind, but editorial decisions are independent.

In addition to the Union-Tribune, the company’s largest properties include The Orange County Register, The Denver Post, The Mercury News, The Press-Enterprise, Los Angeles Daily News, Boston Herald and St. Paul Pioneer Press. Other MediaNews Group publications are listed at medianewsgroup.com/communities/.

The San Diego Union-Tribune, LLC Publications

Daily publication

Non-daily publications

Code of Editorial Principles

Preamble

Public service through journalism is central to our mission. Our work as journalists must always center on meeting the needs and interests of readers, viewers and listeners, and we must provide them with journalism that is trustworthy, relevant and valuable. If they have reason to doubt the credibility of our work, quality won’t matter—they will go elsewhere. That is especially important in the increasingly competitive multimedia world.

• know that our name signifies integrity and courage in gathering and presenting the news;
• be confident that the news we deliver—as text or photo, audio or video—is accurate and free of the influence of special interests, whether public or private, commercial or political, our own or that of our friends;
• believe we do not make news decisions in a self-interested manner, or needlessly damage or cause pain to those we cover;
• see in our coverage that we represent and value the many diverse people and viewpoints of the communities we serve;
• see that we respond to the needs and interests of our communities with journalism of high public purpose and broad individual appeal.

To earn and keep this public trust, we rely upon the professionalism and wisdom of the people in our newsrooms and their commitment to these ideals. Each of us, regardless of rank or job title, is responsible for safeguarding our legacy of public service and leaving it undiminished, if not enhanced. This applies to all our company’s journalists, whether they are working in print, broadcast or digital media.

Truth and integrity

Breaking the law

Journalists will not engage in illegal activities in pursuit of news, and editors or news directors will not encourage or tolerate illegal behavior.

Plagiarism, fabrication and deception

Plagiarism, the taking of another’s wording, ideas or distinctive language without attribution, is a cardinal sin of journalism. When original information, quotes, ideas and distinctive language from other sources are used in our reports in print, online or on the air, they should be clearly attributed to those sources. In the online platform, if information from another website is used, the text must be attributed and should include a link to the original source whenever possible. The fabrication of stories, in whole or part, and presenting them as factual is forbidden. Neither plagiarism nor fabrication will be tolerated; any such practice will be subject to immediate disciplinary action.

Reporters who contact newsd be candid about who they are and what they are doing. There may be a rare exception, but that must be approved by the senior editor. Misrepresenting one’s identity to get information is unacceptable

Use and attribution of text from other websites, news articles

Our organization’s journalists should not rewrite an entire story from another publication, even with frequent attributions throughout the post. Copyright law permits a fair use of portions of others’ work.  What is fair use and how much can be used depend on the context. Generally, a recommended practice online is that a journalist can republish, word for word, no more than a sentence or two of work that is at least four sentences long.  Regardless of the amount, journalists should not republish a part of the work if that portion is central to the original, thus making the original irrelevant. Almost always include a link to the original source when possible. To use a wire story in its entirety, the article must be prefaced with a label such as “From Associated Press.” In this and all other areas, a supervisor should be consulted about concerns or questions.

Conflicts of interest

Opportunities for conflict of interest are many, varied and often complex. We invite public scrutiny of our activities, so special vigilance is required throughout our editorial and news departments to guard against not only actual conflict, but also the appearance of conflict.

In this and all other areas, a supervisor should be consulted if there are doubts about the appropriateness of an affiliation, a practice or a course of action.

To forestall questions about our independence and impartiality:

• Editorial departments should make full and timely disclosure, in published or broadcast reports, of potential conflicts of interest. When there is doubt about whether to disclose, remember that it is best to err on the side of openness and transparency. We should cover our publication and any other business unit in the company as we would any other company.
• Freelancers are independent; nevertheless, we should discuss with those journalists any issues that might result in conflicts of interest or the appearance of conflicts, such as third-party payment for expenses or outside employment. Editors and producers can then make decisions about disclosure and transparency or whether to use outside content.
• It is appropriate for editorial and advertising departments to work together to build audiences and therefore the company’s financial strength, but never in a way that would give advertisers an opportunity to influence our news coverage. Editorial and news departments also may work with marketing, promotion, creative, circulation or other departments to improve readership and financial success, but they should never do anything that might jeopardize the integrity of the news report.
• Editorial employees should not accept any gift of material value, such as junkets, meals or other items, from news sources or news subjects. Any exceptions to this require the approval of the senior editor.
• Editorial employees may not use their job titles or company connections for personal advantage, for example, to obtain tickets to a show, settle a disputed bill, gain preferential treatment in court or get a child into a special school.
• Editorial employees should not have membership in, any financial relationship with, or other ties to a business or institution if they have regular and continuing influence over any aspect of coverage of that organization. They should avoid situations in which their activities in connection with any group or cause could be perceived as influencing what our publication publishes or broadcasts.
• Political organizations present particular challenges. Donor lists are public information, so there is no such thing as a “private” donation to a political party or cause. For that reason and because it would be impractical to police exceptions, no editorial employee, whether involved in political coverage or not, may donate to or be affiliated in any way with such groups. Like other citizens, journalists are free to exercise their right to vote.
• Editorial departments also should be careful to report the news immediately and fairly when a colleague has a newsworthy encounter with the legal authorities. There ought never to be the suggestion of a cover-up to keep the spotlight off ourselves when we would have focused it on others in similar circumstances.
• Journalists may write books, do freelance work, write personal blogs and make paid appearances according to these guidelines, but any such activities must be approved in advance because of the potential for conflicts, competition or legal problems for our organization. Journalists should not freelance for agencies, institutions or organizations that we cover, and that includes communications or sponsored content for advertisers.
• The issue of rights for content produced for the company is evolving. Use of company content for such things as websites, books or exhibits may need to be licensed and must be discussed with the senior editor before approval can be given.

Manipulation of photography

Advances in digital technology have made possible the manipulation or outright fabrication of photographic images. Therefore, the credibility of photojournalism requires that we rigorously adhere to strict standards in the presentation of these images.

News photos and video images should be faithful portrayals of events as seen through the eye of the photographer and the camera’s lens. News photos and video should not be manipulated mechanically or digitally in any way that materially alters these images as authentic records of events.

In some features areas, such as entertainment, fashion or food, it is commonplace and acceptable to stage photos or manipulate images for illustrative effect. These images are fundamentally different from photographs of news events. Nevertheless, readers or viewers should always be alerted that such manipulation has occurred. Typically, a small caption or credit that says “photo illustration” is sufficient.

Magazines often enhance or touch up feature photographs involving models or other staged shots. This is acceptable, but in no case is it permissible to make such alterations to photographs or video when hard news is involved.

Sourcing

Editorial departments should always be as candid as possible with readers and viewers about thennamed

Use of anonymous sources

When a reporter proposes to use an unnamedatisfied that the information the Reporters and their supervisors should strive first to obtain information fromect to approval by the senior editor

Reporters should not give guarantees of absolute anonymity. During the reporting process, any promise to withhold a source’s identity must first be discussed and cleared in advance with a supervisor before such assurance is given. A source should be told that even if the identity is withheld from publication, his or her identity will be disclosed to the senior editor before a story is aired or published. The company recognizes that making and honoring such promises of confidentiality sometimes are necessary to do quality journalism, and we will vigorously defend our journalists acting within these guidelines. We must acknowledge that courts, as seen in recent events, may legally compel disclosure of sources. Everyone deserves to know from the start what they are undertaking and what is at stake.

Quoting an unnamedeptions to this guideline should be rare and made only with the approval of the senior editor

If it is decided to publish or broadcast reports using unnamedningful way

Single-

Careful judgment should be exercised in publishing news stories that rely on a single source of information, particularly where the source is unnamed. We should avoid one-source stories whenever possible; publishing a story based on a single unnamed source should happen only in the most extraordinary circumstances. Reasons for relying on a single source, including the possible motives of the source, should be considered before publication. Editors and reporters may proceed if they believe the source is reliable, the information is credible or there is either no need or no means for further confirmation.

Checking accuracy

We want our reporting to be as accurate as possible, but we must be careful. We do not circulate printed or electronic copies of stories outside the newsroom before publication. You may read back quotations to auracy. Be clear with thee reporter and her or his editors

Decency, fairness, privacy

The professional behavior of reporters, photographers and other journalists should never become an issue. We must not lose sight of the responsibility we have to report the news as thoroughly and accurately as possible. But it also is important to weigh the public’s need to know against the risk of causing unnecessary discomfort to an individual, especially a private person thrust into the limelight through no fault of his or her own.

• Our newspapers, online content and websites should be sensitive in the depiction of uncovered dead bodies, particularly faces of these individuals. Caution always is required before publicizing vivid images of dying and death. To do so requires approval of the senior editor.
• Reporting on children poses special challenges. Children often are eager to talk and be photographed, but they may have no idea of the potential consequences of having their names, pictures and words in the newspaper, on television or on the Internet. Before photographing, interviewing or filming a child, reporters and supervisors should weigh the subject’s age and the nature of the story in considering whether to first ask permission of the parents or supervising adults. Whether we need permission or not, we always must be mindful that children are not responsible for their words or actions in the same way adults are.

To guard against intrusions upon decency, fairness and privacy:

• A “no comment” response from an individual in the news should be phrased neutrally.
• Efforts to reach news sources should allow them reasonable time to respond, even if it means delaying a report to include their comment. “Ambushing” news sources generally should be avoided.
• Quotes may be shortened through the use of ellipses and other generally understood and accepted editing devices. But editing should not change the essence of what the person said. If a quote includes a slur or a profanity, it should be used only when the news value of the story depends on it. The Associated Press stylebook provides more guidelines on handling quotations.
• Surreptitious recording or use of hidden cameras in preparing reports should be cleared first with supervisors and legal advice sought before proceeding. It is illegal in some states.
• With rare exceptions, we do not publish or broadcast the names of sexual assault victims without the victim’s consent.
• Generally, adult criminal suspects may be identified when charges have been filed or when editors are confident that a source is credible for identifying a suspect. Juveniles generally may be identified only if they have been charged as adults but editors may determine otherwise based upon the newsworthiness of the case.
• We ought to resist publishing or broadcasting uncorroborated reports about a person just because other news organizations have done so. The same applies to identifying sexual assault victims whose names have appeared elsewhere.
• In general, a person’s race belongs in a story only if reporters and editors can articulate its relevance. The same applies to religion, ethnic origin and sexual orientation.

Individuals running for public office open themselves to particularly close media scrutiny. Reporters and their supervisors ought to consult regularly and often about which pieces of information about the candidate are of sufficient importance to the public to warrant publication.

Online journalism and social media

Integrity is a core value. Our ethical principles do not change, even as we work across multiple platforms and in differing media. Put another way, the standards that guide our behavior as journalists, including those listed elsewhere in the editorial ethics code and in local guidelines, apply online as they do offline.

Social networks, blogs, instant messaging and online forums provide valuable links to the world around us; enable us to strengthen our relationships with users and. As journalists take part in this vibrant conversation, that may mean sharing personal information, revealing personality and otherwise connecting with the audience in a more direct manner

With that in mind, please be aware of these general guidelines:

• Assume that your professional life and your personal life will merge online regardless of your care in separating them.

  Avoid writing or posting anything that would compromise the integrity of the company or your particular news organization, or that would affect your ability to do your job or otherwise diminish users’ or sources’ trust in you and the organization. Just as political bumper stickers and lawn signs are to be avoided in the offline world, so, too, are partisan expressions online.

• Even if you use privacy tools (determining who can view your page or profile, for instance), assume that everything you write, receive or exchange on a social media site is public. Even your search history can become public.
• Be aware of perceptions. “Friending” or “following” people is fine. But if you “friend” a source or join a group on one side of a debate, you should do so with those on the other side as well. Understand that users or sources may view your participation in a group as your acceptance of its views; be clear that you’re looking for story ideas or collecting information.
• Be honest about who you are, identifying yourself as a news organization employee online if you would do so in a similar situation offline. This applies to your X and Facebook accounts, for example, as well as personal blogs and comments you post on other blogs or stories. Be cautious, for example, about online sites such as Yelp that enlist personal reviews or ratings. Do not assume an anonymous identity to respond to comments.
• If you wish to publish an interesting e-mail or other message you have received from a reader, you must be clear in your post that the e-mail or message is from another person and that the words are not your own. Please do not edit or revise the message because that could have an effect on application of Section 230 of the federal Communications Decency Act.
• Be very careful on social media in what you share, such as a retweet or reposting. This can raise issues of whether you can be liable if that content has legal issues, especially if you have added your own comment as you shared the original.
• If you have a personal blog or want to start one, clear the subject matter with your supervisor before proceeding.  You must not mix work and personal material on a personal blog. The company expects you to exercise good judgment, including avoiding any posts about subjects that you cover for your newsroom. You should not attempt to build a commercial enterprise that competes with subjects your newsroom covers.
• In reporting, be aware of inadvertent disclosures. “Friending” a professional contact may publicly identify that person as one of your sources. Authentication is essential: Interview sources by phone or in person or otherwise verify sourcing after collecting information online. If you use email to conduct an interview, you need to verify the person’s identity in the email string.
• Most readers understand that linking does not necessarily constitute endorsement. Still, you should avoid pointing to anything that is an affront to common decency. You may generally link to the websites of institutions and causes, but as with other forms of publishing, you should strive for balance when there are differing points of view.
• It is difficult to ask others to respect our copyrights if we don’t extend the same courtesy to them.  Accordingly, we should use photographs from other websites only when (1) the image is in the public domain and is no longer subject to copyright protection, (2) the copyright holder has given permission; or (3) if such use is “fair” under established fair use principles. If you think you should be able to use copyrighted text, images, video or audio files based on “fair use” principles, please consult your editor first. Do not embed links to X or Instagram photos unless we have a license or permission from the original poster, and the original poster has rights to the photo.
• Using social media networks means that you (and the content you exchange) are subject to the networks’ terms of service. This can have legal implications, including the possibility that your interactions could be subject to a third-party subpoena. Any information might be turned over to law enforcement without your consent or even your knowledge.

Objectivity, opinion and accountability

The pursuit of objectivity is useful because it drives us to consider and learn from experiences and perspectives of others. Fair and impartial reporting is a goal toward which we should strive as journalists. Journalists should make every attempt to keep their stories free of any bias that would misrepresent the subject and thereby do a disservice to the subject, the readers or viewers. (For instance, some feature stories can be evocative and written from a point of view, sometimes the subject’s.)

When journalists appear on or report for other media or use social media, they generally should avoid offering opinions on the beats they cover unless this is otherwise permitted in their regular jobs. A reporter being interviewed about a story should confine comments to the specifics of the published article.

If we determine that we have made errors, we owe it to our readers and viewers to correct them. The nature and magnitude of what requires correction or clarification may vary from case to case and medium to medium. But we must set the record straight. We do not gloss over errors through the guise of a follow-up story. Even if future references are correct, the original reference must be fixed and acknowledged with a correction.

Finally, our general practice has been that we do not remove or revise published content, but we do review requests. Any such requests should be directed to your immediate supervisor, who will, in turn, follow newsroom guidelines.

The Editorial Code supplements the company’s policies that apply to all employees. This code recognizes that editorial policies of individual newspapers and publications may be more specific on certain issues and explains that such care is necessary to ensure that our reputation and credibility are protected and remain above reproach. Failure to follow policies can lead to disciplinary action up to and including termination.

Ethics and corrections

Corrections Policy

Corrections and clarifications

The San Diego Union-Tribune strives to have accurate information. Significant factual errors will be corrected and noted in the online article as well as in the newspaper, if applicable.

To report an error, please email readersrep@sandiegouniontribune.com, and submit what needs to be corrected, where the error was found (which page/section of the newspaper and/or the URL to the story) and any other additional information.

Corrections for the print edition of our newspapers generally appear in the A-section.

Legal demands for corrections must be in writing and sent to the publisher at P.O. Box 12091, San Diego, CA, 92112-0191.

“Unpublishing” stories

The San Diego Union-Tribune, LLC generally does not “unpublish” content or remove details such as names from our websites and archives. On a case-by-case basis, a committee of editors will review individual requests to remove, redact or de-index published content, considering whether circumstances have changed since publication. Email readersrep@sandiegounion-tribune.com with the URL and reason for the request.

For more about our Corrections Policy, visit this page.

Source: www.sandiegouniontribune.com