Fact Check Policy

Purpose

This policy explains how MSMN News checks facts before and after publication. MSMN News is a digital publication operated by Martins Studio Media Network. We publish analysis and explainers on Ireland and European media, the screen industry, and the regulation that shapes them, and our readers rely on us to get names, dates, figures and legal descriptions right.

What we check

1. Names, job titles, organisations, dates, places and figures are checked before an article goes live.

2. Descriptions of laws, regulations and regulator decisions are checked against the primary text where it is available, such as the legislation itself, a regulator's published decision or an official statement.

3. Statistics are traced to the body that published them, and we state the year or period they cover.

4. Quotations are used only where we can confirm the wording and who said it. We do not invent quotes, and we do not attribute words to a person or organisation that we cannot verify.

How verification works

1. A human editor, published under the byline MSMN News Editor, is responsible for deciding whether an article is ready.

2. Where a claim matters to the argument, we look for a primary source first and reputable secondary reporting second. Where a source is important to a point, we name it in the text so readers can see where the claim comes from.

3. If two reliable sources disagree, we say so rather than choosing the more convenient figure.

4. If a claim cannot be reasonably verified, we qualify it, hold it back or leave it out.

Developing stories

Rules, funding decisions and market figures change. Where facts are incomplete or still moving, we say so in the article. If we change an article in a way that affects its meaning, the updated date shown on the page reflects a genuine change.

Advice and AI-assisted tools

We do not present medical, legal, financial or investment advice as fact. Where AI-assisted tools are used in production, they do not replace verification, and a human editor remains responsible for the result. See our AI Disclosure for details.

If we get something wrong

Tell us through the Contact page. We review the claim against the article and the available sources, and handle confirmed errors under our Corrections Policy.