Atlas News Romania Editorial Code
Version 1.0 – June 2026
Atlas News Romania is the independent digital publication available at atlasnews.ro, focused on geopolitics, diplomacy, foreign policy, strategic economy and international analysis.
This Editorial Code sets out the core editorial standards followed by Atlas News Romania in its reporting, analysis, interviews, opinion pieces, video content and public communication.
Atlas News Romania is a boutique media publication. Its editorial model is built on accuracy, source discipline, independence, transparency, proportionality, editorial responsibility and a clear separation between fact, analysis and opinion.
Mission and editorial responsibility
Atlas News Romania covers international affairs, diplomacy, geopolitics, strategic economy, security, European affairs, the Black Sea region, the Middle East and Romania’s position in the international system.
The publication’s editorial responsibility is to provide readers with clear, documented and proportionate analysis, without sensationalism, artificial outrage or unsupported claims.
Atlas News Romania aims to serve readers, institutions, diplomatic actors, analysts, policymakers and the wider public by publishing content that is accurate, relevant and clearly framed.
Accuracy and verification
Atlas News Romania takes care not to publish information that is knowingly inaccurate, misleading or unsupported by available evidence.
Articles, analyses and interviews should be based on reliable information, official documents, primary sources, credible media reports, expert commentary or clearly identified public statements.
Where a claim is uncertain, disputed or based on partial information, this should be made clear to the reader. Facts, dates, figures, names, official titles and quotations must be checked before publication whenever possible.
Headlines must be supported by the content of the article. Strong editorial framing is acceptable, but it must not distort the substance of the story.
Sourcing and attribution
Atlas News Romania gives appropriate attribution to sources used in its editorial work.
Whenever possible, articles should link to primary sources, official documents, public statements, institutional pages or credible media reporting. When information is based on another publication’s reporting, that source should be clearly identified.
Anonymous sources should be used with caution and only where there is a clear editorial justification. If anonymous sourcing is used, the description of the source should be as precise as possible without compromising confidentiality.
Atlas News Romania distinguishes between direct quotation, paraphrase, background context and editorial interpretation. Quotations placed between quotation marks must reproduce the original wording accurately.
Corrections, complaints and right of reply
Atlas News Romania is committed to correcting significant factual errors promptly and transparently.
When a material error is identified after publication, the article may be corrected or updated. Where the correction is significant, the update should be made visible to readers through an editorial note or an update marker.
A correction or update note may use a clear format such as: “Update, June 18, 2026: This article has been corrected to clarify…” or “Correction, June 18, 2026: An earlier version of this article misstated…”
Readers, institutions or individuals who believe that Atlas News Romania has published a significant factual error may contact the editorial team at [email protected].
Complaints or correction requests should identify the article concerned, the disputed information and the evidence supporting the request.
When Atlas News Romania publishes serious allegations, criticism or claims that may significantly affect the reputation of a person, institution, company, diplomatic mission or public authority, the editorial team should, where reasonably possible, seek a point of view before publication.
The request for comment should be addressed clearly and should provide a reasonable opportunity to respond, taking into account the urgency and public interest of the story.
If no response is received before publication, the article may state that a point of view was requested and no reply had been received by the time of publication. If a relevant response is received after publication, the article may be updated where appropriate.
The right of reply does not prevent publication in matters of clear public interest, but it is an important safeguard for fairness, accuracy and editorial balance.
Opinion, analysis and fact
Atlas News Romania publishes news, analysis, interviews, opinion and editorial commentary. These formats must be clearly distinguishable for the reader.
Factual reporting should not be presented as speculation. Opinion and analysis may include interpretation, judgment and strategic assessment, but they should be grounded in facts, evidence and clearly identified assumptions.
Editorial analysis may advance a thesis, but it must not knowingly ignore relevant facts that contradict or complicate that thesis. Where appropriate, serious counterarguments should be acknowledged.
Editorial independence and conflicts of interest
Atlas News Romania maintains editorial independence from political, commercial, institutional or personal pressure.
Commercial partnerships, sponsorships, media partnerships or event collaborations must not determine editorial conclusions.
The status of Atlas News Romania as a media partner of an event, conference, institution or public initiative does not guarantee favourable coverage, editorial endorsement or the absence of critical analysis. Editorial decisions remain independent.
Sponsored, partnership or advertorial content should be clearly identified where relevant.
Contributors and editors should avoid conflicts of interest that could compromise, or appear to compromise, editorial independence. Where a relevant personal, professional, political or commercial relationship exists in connection with a subject covered by Atlas News Romania, it should be disclosed internally and, where appropriate, to readers.
Atlas News Romania does not publish editorial content in exchange for undisclosed benefits, gifts or private advantages.
Financial and strategic economy coverage
Atlas News Romania may cover economic policy, strategic economy, energy, investment, trade, industry, technology and markets from a journalistic and analytical perspective.
Such content is not financial advice and should not be treated as a recommendation to buy, sell or hold any financial instrument, security, asset or investment product.
Where financial or market-related analysis is published, facts, projections and assumptions should be clearly distinguished.
Use of artificial intelligence
Atlas News Romania may use artificial intelligence tools to support editorial workflows, including research assistance, translation support, summarisation, drafting support, headline testing, SEO assistance or production efficiency.
Artificial intelligence is not treated as an editorial source. Facts, names, figures, dates, quotations and claims generated or assisted by AI tools must be verified through reliable sources before publication.
Reader-facing editorial content remains subject to human editorial judgment, review and final approval. Atlas News Romania is responsible for the content it publishes, including content produced with AI assistance.
AI-generated or AI-assisted images, illustrations or visual materials should not be presented as documentary photographs unless they are clearly based on a real image and the transformation is editorially appropriate. Synthetic or illustrative visuals should be used responsibly and not in a way that misleads readers.
Plagiarism and originality
Atlas News Romania does not knowingly publish plagiarised material.
When another publication, author, institution or public source provides substantial information, analysis or wording used in an Atlas News Romania article, appropriate attribution should be provided.
Public facts, official statements and widely available information may be reported independently, but the structure, language and original reporting of other outlets should not be copied without proper acknowledgement.
Privacy, dignity, minors and sensitive subjects
Atlas News Romania respects the privacy, dignity and legitimate rights of individuals.
Coverage involving private individuals, minors, victims, grief, health, personal tragedy, conflict, war, violence, terrorism, criminal allegations or sensitive personal circumstances should be handled with restraint, care and proportionality.
Children and minors should not be identified unnecessarily, especially in contexts involving crime, conflict, trauma, abuse, family matters or personal vulnerability.
Victims of violence, sexual assault, trafficking, coercion or serious personal harm should be protected from unnecessary identification or exposure unless there is a compelling public interest and a lawful basis for publication.
Details about a person’s private life, identity, health, family, religion, ethnicity or other sensitive attributes should be included only when genuinely relevant to the public interest and to the subject being reported.
Social media and public conduct
Atlas News Romania’s social media channels are part of the publication’s public editorial presence.
Posts, captions, comments and public communication connected to Atlas News Romania should preserve the publication’s standards of accuracy, proportionality and editorial responsibility.
Strong opinion is acceptable. Personal attacks, unsupported accusations, harassment, manipulation or misleading framing are not.
Editors and contributors associated with Atlas News Romania should be aware that their public conduct may affect the publication’s reputation, especially when speaking about topics they cover editorially.
Legal and regulatory framework
Atlas News Romania operates under the applicable laws and regulations of Romania and the European Union, including relevant provisions concerning freedom of expression, defamation, copyright, data protection, privacy and journalistic activity.
In matters involving personal data, Atlas News Romania seeks to respect the principles of the General Data Protection Regulation, Regulation (EU) 2016/679, including lawfulness, fairness, transparency, proportionality and data minimisation.
The publication seeks to respect the principles of copyright attribution, editorial responsibility, lawful processing of personal data and proportionality in matters of public interest.
This Editorial Code is an internal and public statement of editorial standards. It does not replace applicable law, professional judgment or case-by-case legal assessment where necessary.
Language versions
Atlas News Romania publishes in Romanian and English.
This English version of the Editorial Code is intended for international readers, institutions, partners, diplomatic actors and search systems. A Romanian version may be published as an equivalent editorial document for the domestic audience.
The two versions should be aligned in substance, while preserving linguistic and legal clarity for each audience.
Editorial updates
This Editorial Code may be updated periodically as Atlas News Romania develops its editorial operations, partnerships, formats and newsroom practices.
The purpose of this code is not to create unnecessary editorial rigidity, but to make clear the standards by which Atlas News Romania seeks to operate: accuracy, independence, transparency, source discipline and responsibility toward its readers.
The Romanian version of this Editorial Code is available here: Codul editorial Atlas News Romania.