Manifesto

Our Commitment to Editorial Integrity

Version: 1.0

Effective: January 2026

Owner: Caribbean 360 Media Ltd

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Why This Exists

Caribbean360 exists to serve Caribbean communities—those living in the region and the 40+ million diaspora worldwide—with news intelligence they can trust. In an era of information overload, algorithmic manipulation, and eroding trust in media, we believe the Caribbean deserves better.

We are not an aggregator. We are not a content farm. We are an intelligence platform with editorial standards.

Every piece of content bearing the Caribbean360 name has been verified, sourced, and reviewed according to the principles in this document. We combine the efficiency of modern technology with the judgment of human editors to deliver coverage that is accurate, balanced, and relevant to our readers.

This is not marketing. This is how we operate.

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The Caribbean360 Verification Framework

Our Standard: Trust Through Transparency

We believe readers have the right to know:

- Where information comes from (source attribution)

- How confident we are in it (verification status)

- What we don't know (acknowledged limitations)

- Who reviewed it (editorial accountability)

This transparency is built into every article through our TruthScore™ system—a multi-dimensional credibility assessment that readers can see and evaluate for themselves.

The Three Pillars

1. Multi-Source Verification

Principle: No single source owns the truth.

We actively seek corroborating coverage from multiple outlets before publishing. Our Source Discovery Engine automatically identifies other credible sources covering the same story, and we display this information to readers.

We publish single-source stories when timeliness demands it, but we label them clearly and continue seeking verification.

2. Source Quality Hierarchy

Principle: Not all sources are equal.

We maintain a tiered classification system for sources, and this affects both our editorial decisions and the TruthScore calculation:

Rule: Tier 4 sources are never used as sole attribution for factual claims. They may inform coverage or provide perspective, but facts must be verified against Tier 1-3 sources.

3. Human Editorial Oversight

Principle: AI assists. Humans decide.

Caribbean360 uses artificial intelligence to scale our coverage across the Caribbean region. AI helps us:

- Monitor 92+ news sources across 15+ territories

- Generate initial article drafts in our structured format

- Identify claims that need verification

- Detect potential conflicts between sources

- Suggest improvements to article credibility

AI does not publish content. Every article is reviewed by a human editor before publication. This review includes:

- Verification of key facts

- Assessment of source quality

- Evaluation of balance and fairness

- Confirmation of Caribbean relevance

- Final approval to publish

The editor's name or role is logged in our verification audit trail.

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The TruthScore™ System

What It Measures

TruthScore is our proprietary credibility assessment that evaluates every article across six dimensions:

How It's Calculated

1. AI-Powered Analysis: Our system extracts claims from the article and attempts to verify each against external sources

2. Source Assessment: Each cited source is evaluated against our tier system

3. Originality Check: Content is compared against existing coverage to assess derivative vs. original work

4. Human Calibration: Editors can override AI assessments with documented justification

What Readers See

Every article displays:

- Overall TruthScore (0-100)

- Content Type Label (Original, Triangulated, Wire, Single Source)

- Verification Status (Verified, Corroborated, Developing)

- Source Links (Other outlets covering this story)

Publishing Thresholds

Override Policy: Editors may publish below-threshold content in exceptional circumstances (breaking news, public interest) with documented justification. All overrides are logged in the verification audit trail.

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Content Standards

What We Publish

Caribbean360 covers news and analysis relevant to:

- Caribbean residents across all territories

- The Caribbean diaspora in the UK, US, Canada, and beyond

- Regional and international stakeholders (investors, policymakers, researchers)

Our coverage prioritizes:

- Relevance: Direct impact on Caribbean communities

- Timeliness: Current developments readers need to know

- Context: Historical and regional background that aids understanding

- Utility: Information readers can act on

What We Don't Publish

- Unverified rumors without clear labeling and ongoing verification

- Content that could cause harm without clear public interest justification

- Promotional content disguised as news (advertising is clearly labeled)

- Content from sources with undisclosed conflicts of interest

- AI-generated content without human editorial review

Corrections Policy

We correct errors promptly and transparently:

1. Minor corrections (typos, minor factual updates): Corrected in place with timestamp

2. Significant corrections (material facts): Correction notice at top of article

3. Major errors (fundamental accuracy issues): Full correction notice, investigation of cause, potential retraction

All corrections are logged and preserved. We do not silently edit published content.

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The AI-Human Partnership

Our Philosophy

Artificial intelligence is a tool, not an editor. We use the world's most advanced AI capabilities to extend our reach across the Caribbean region—something no small newsroom could achieve manually—while maintaining the editorial judgment that distinguishes journalism from aggregation.

We don't apologise for using modern tools. We use AI the same way previous generations of journalists used wire services, databases, and search engines: to work faster and more comprehensively, not to replace judgment.

Our Approach to AI Transparency

We disclose at the platform level, not the article level.

This standards document explains how AI assists our editorial process. We do not label individual articles as "AI-assisted" because:

1. Every article involves AI assistance — from source monitoring to verification checks

2. Every article involves human judgment — from story selection to final approval

3. The label would be meaningless — it tells readers nothing about quality or reliability

4. What matters is the output — verified, sourced, editorially reviewed content

This is no different from traditional newsrooms not labeling articles "spell-checked by software" or "researched using databases." The tools enable the journalism; they don't define it.

What we do disclose:

- This public standards document explaining our process

- A verification audit trail available for any article if questioned

- The name or role of the human editor who approved publication

- Our commitment to human oversight at every stage

How AI Assists Our Work

What AI Cannot Do

- Publish anything — Human approval required, always

- Override editorial judgment — AI suggests, humans decide

- Make legal determinations — Defamation risk, sensitivity calls are human

- Write our editorial voice — The C360 View section reflects human perspective

- Verify against reality — AI checks sources against sources, not truth against claims

The Bottom Line

We use the best tools available—AI, databases, verification systems, multi-source search—in service of quality journalism. The tools make us more capable. The standards make us accountable. The human editors make the calls.

Judge us by the journalism, not the tools.

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Source Protection & Ethics

Anonymous Sources

We use anonymous sources only when:

1. The information is of significant public interest

2. The source faces genuine risk from identification

3. We have verified the source's credibility and access to the information

4. We have attempted to obtain the information through on-record sources

Anonymous sources are never used as sole attribution for defamatory claims.

Conflicts of Interest

Caribbean360 staff and contributors must disclose:

- Financial interests in subjects of coverage

- Personal relationships with sources

- Political affiliations relevant to coverage

- Any other potential conflicts

Disclosed conflicts do not automatically disqualify coverage but require additional editorial review.

Advertiser Independence

Advertising and sponsored content are clearly labeled. Advertisers have no influence over editorial coverage. Advertising relationships are never a factor in news decisions.

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Verification Audit Trail

What We Record

For every published article, Caribbean360 maintains a verification record including:

- Source Discovery Results: What sources were found, their tiers, when retrieved

- TruthScore Breakdown: All dimension scores, claims verified, flags raised

- Editorial Actions: Recommendations reviewed, decisions made

- Human Review: Editor who approved, review timestamp

- Publication State: Final scores, verification status, any warnings displayed

### Why We Keep It

This audit trail serves multiple purposes:

1. Editorial Accountability: We can demonstrate our verification process for any article

2. Legal Protection: Evidence of reasonable journalistic care if ever questioned

3. Continuous Improvement: Patterns help us strengthen our systems

4. Reader Trust: We can explain how any specific article was verified, on request

### Retention

Verification records are retained for the life of the article plus seven years, in accordance with legal preservation requirements across Caribbean jurisdictions.

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Governance & Accountability

Editorial Leadership

The Managing Editor is responsible for:

- Enforcing these standards across all content

- Training staff on verification procedures

- Reviewing override decisions

- Investigating complaints and errors

- Recommending updates to this document

Standards Review

This document is reviewed annually and updated as needed to reflect:

- Changes in technology and AI capabilities

- Lessons from errors or near-misses

- Evolution of industry best practices

- Feedback from readers, staff, and advisors

Complaints & Concerns

Readers, sources, and subjects of coverage may raise concerns about our adherence to these standards by contacting [standards@caribbean360.com]. All complaints receive a response within 5 business days.

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Our Promise

To our readers: We will tell you what we know, how we know it, and what we're still trying to verify. We will correct our mistakes openly. We will never sacrifice accuracy for speed or engagement.

To our sources: We will protect your confidentiality when promised, attribute your contributions fairly, and represent your words accurately.

To the Caribbean community: We will cover your region with the depth, respect, and rigor it deserves. We exist to serve you—not algorithms, not advertisers, not agendas.

This is Caribbean360. This is what we stand for. This is how we earn your trust.

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Appendix: Definitions

Aggregator: A platform that collects and republishes content from other sources without original editorial contribution. Caribbean360 is not an aggregator.

Corroboration: Confirmation of a fact or claim by an independent source (not derived from the same original source).

Editorial Judgment: Human decision-making that weighs newsworthiness, public interest, potential harm, fairness, and accuracy.

Intelligence Platform: A service that processes, verifies, contextualizes, and presents information to help users understand complex topics. This is what Caribbean360 aspires to be.

Original Reporting: Coverage based on Caribbean360's own investigation, interviews, or analysis, rather than derived from other outlets.

TruthScore™: Caribbean360's proprietary multi-dimensional credibility assessment system.

Verification: The process of confirming the accuracy of information through evidence, corroboration, and source assessment.

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Last updated: January 2026