We have two standards. We're for the people of New Mexico. And we stay on the right side of the law, which means what we publish is true and we can show it.
Who we're for
The Ledger is an advocate for the people of New Mexico. That decides what we look into and what we say it means. It never changes what we state as fact.
Our rules
- Everything we state as fact is true, and we link it to its source.
- We go to the public record first, and we write in our own words.
- An accusation in a court filing or official record is attributed to it. We repeat anyone else's accusation only if we can back it up.
- We say what someone did, not why they did it.
- We quote only what someone said in public, in a document or to us.
- We show our math and label estimates.
- If we can't confirm it, we leave it out or say so.
- Headlines are true on their own.
- When a serious accusation rests on our own reading of the records, we usually ask for a response first. When we ask, the story has the answer or says there was none.
- We don't name private people unless they agree to it.
- Every picture says who made it. Stock photos and paid content are labeled.
How we use AI
We use AI tools to gather data, summarize meetings, build charts and help draft. The rules above apply to all of it. A badge under each byline says who drove the story: the editor, our AI desk with the editor's review, or the AI desk on its own (like our data snapshots).
Labels and tips
Every article is labeled analysis (what the records show) or opinion (the editor's view, backed by research). Both follow the same rules. We publish only what we can confirm from a tip. We never reveal who sent one unless they say we may, and names never go into an AI tool. If you ask us to keep who you are private, we keep nothing that identifies you.
Other newsrooms: how to cite the Ledger.
Corrections
We still get things wrong. When we do, we fix the story and add a dated note saying what changed. To report an error, send a tip, email editor@dukecityledger.com or message us on Instagram.