Effective Date: March 2026 | Last Updated: March 2026 | Version 1.0
Why Feedback Matters to Us
The Gazette News is built on a relationship with its readers. That relationship runs in both directions. We report, investigate, and publish — and our readers read, evaluate, question, and respond. Their responses are not a distraction from our journalism. They are part of how good journalism stays honest.
Readers catch errors we missed. They provide context we did not have. They flag framing that was unfair. They tell us about stories we should be investigating. They push back on conclusions we reached too quickly. All of that makes our journalism better — if we listen to it properly.
This Actionable Feedback Policy sets out how The Gazette News receives feedback, how we evaluate it, how we act on it, and how we report back to the people who took the time to engage with us.
1. What We Mean by Actionable Feedback
Not all feedback is the same. The Gazette News distinguishes between:
Actionable feedback — feedback that makes a specific, evidenced claim that our journalism fell short in a way we can investigate and, if warranted, correct or improve. This includes:
- Reports of factual errors in published articles
- Concerns about fairness, balance, or the accuracy of framing
- Claims that a relevant perspective or voice was omitted from a story
- Reports that a subject of a story was not given a proper opportunity to respond
- Concerns about the conduct of a journalist in the course of reporting
- Community tips about coverage gaps — stories that matter to a community that we have not yet covered
- Substantive disagreements with editorial judgments that are supported by evidence
Non-actionable feedback — feedback that we read and consider but that does not require a specific editorial response. This includes:
- General expressions of agreement or disagreement with a published opinion piece
- Personal preferences for a different editorial focus or tone
- Requests to cover stories that fall outside our editorial scope
- Abusive, threatening, or harassing messages
All actionable feedback receives a substantive response. Non-actionable feedback is read and considered in our ongoing editorial review processes.
2. How to Submit Feedback
For factual errors and corrections: Email: corrections@thegazette.ng Subject line: Correction Request — [Article Headline]
For editorial complaints and fairness concerns: Email: editor@thegazette.ng Subject line: Editorial Feedback — [Article Headline or Topic]
For coverage gap suggestions and story tips: Email: tips@thegazette.ng Subject line: Story Suggestion — [Topic]
For right-of-reply requests: Email: editor@thegazette.ng Subject line: Right of Reply — [Article Headline]
For general reader feedback: Email: info@thegazette.ng
Via social media: Tag or message @GazetteNG on Twitter/X or Facebook. Please note that social media messages are monitored but are not the preferred channel for formal feedback — email ensures a documented and tracked response.
3. What Happens After You Submit
Every piece of actionable feedback submitted to The Gazette News goes through the following process:
Step 1 — Acknowledgement We acknowledge receipt of all actionable feedback within 24 hours of receiving it. The acknowledgement confirms that your feedback has been received, identifies the editor reviewing it, and provides a timeline for our substantive response.
Step 2 — Editorial Review Your feedback is reviewed by the editor responsible for the relevant section or story. The review involves returning to the original sources used in the article, assessing the claim or concern you have raised against the available evidence, and — where necessary — conducting additional verification or reporting.
Step 3 — Editorial Decision The reviewing editor reaches one of the following determinations:
- The feedback is upheld — the article contains an error, a fairness failure, or a significant omission that warrants correction or supplementation. We issue a correction, update the article, or publish additional coverage as appropriate.
- The feedback is partially upheld — the article is largely accurate but a specific element requires clarification or supplementation. We take appropriate corrective action and explain what we are doing and why.
- The feedback is not upheld — the article is accurate and fair as published. We explain our reasoning clearly to the person who submitted the feedback, with reference to the evidence we relied on.
Step 4 — Response to the Submitter We communicate our editorial decision to you directly, in writing, within the response timeframes set out in Section 4. We explain what action we have taken or why we have decided not to act.
Step 5 — Escalation If you disagree with the editorial decision, you may escalate your concern to the Editor-in-Chief at editor@thegazette.ng. The Editor-in-Chief reviews escalated complaints independently and communicates a final decision within 10 working days.
4. Response Timeframes
| Feedback Type | Acknowledgement | Substantive Response |
|---|---|---|
| Factual error reports | Within 24 hours | Within 48 hours |
| Fairness and balance complaints | Within 48 hours | Within 10 working days |
| Right-of-reply requests | Within 48 hours | Within 5 working days |
| Coverage gap suggestions | Within 3 working days | Within 5 working days |
| Escalated complaints to Editor-in-Chief | Within 48 hours | Within 10 working days |
| General reader feedback | Within 3–5 working days | Within 5 working days |
5. How We Use Feedback to Improve
Beyond individual responses, The Gazette News uses reader feedback systematically to improve our editorial standards and coverage priorities.
Monthly editorial review The Editor-in-Chief reviews all actionable feedback received in the previous month — including its volume, subject matter, patterns of concern, and the editorial decisions made in response. Recurring patterns of concern trigger a formal review of the relevant editorial processes.
Coverage gap mapping Story suggestions and coverage gap feedback from readers are compiled into a monthly coverage review. Gaps identified by multiple readers across a particular beat, community, or subject area are treated as editorial priorities.
Standards improvement Where feedback reveals a systematic failure — a beat that is consistently under-verified, a framing pattern that is consistently unfair to a particular group, a sourcing practice that is consistently narrow — we treat this as an editorial standards issue and address it through team training, process revision, or editorial policy update.
Annual feedback report The Gazette News publishes a summary of reader feedback themes and editorial responses in our annual editorial review, available to readers who request it via editor@thegazette.ng.
6. What We Ask of You
The Gazette News commits to taking feedback seriously, responding substantively, and acting where the evidence warrants it. In return we ask that:
- Feedback is submitted in good faith, with the genuine intent of improving our journalism
- Feedback about specific articles references the article URL and the specific passage or claim in question
- Feedback is respectful in tone — we will not respond to messages that are abusive, threatening, or designed to intimidate rather than inform
- Feedback about factual errors is supported by evidence where possible — official documents, primary sources, or verifiable public records
Contact
Corrections: corrections@thegazette.ng Editorial Feedback: editor@thegazette.ng Story Tips and Coverage Gaps: tips@thegazette.ng General: info@thegazette.ng
All active, monitored, and staffed by The Gazette News editorial team.
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