Editorial Guidelines of Foot-Africa.com
EDITORIAL GUIDELINES OF FOOT-AFRICA.COM
1. PREAMBLE
This document establishes the fundamental principles for the operations of the Website's editorial team, which includes journalists and content creators contributing to the Website (referred to as the "Editorial Team").
All terminology used in these Guidelines corresponds to the definitions outlined in the Terms of Use.
2. CORE PRINCIPLES
The Editorial Team adheres to the following principles:
- Ensuring the Website remains accessible to all Users;
- Maintaining impartiality and neutrality in content;
- Upholding accountability for the accuracy and quality of published information.
3. GOALS
The key goals of the Editorial Team include:
- Advancing the field of sports journalism within the Republic of Tunisia;
- Boosting public engagement and enthusiasm for sports;
- Providing diverse viewpoints on significant sports events.
4. CODE OF JOURNALIST ETHICS
4.1 Managing Conflicts of Interest
Journalists and authors must notify the editor-in-chief in advance in circumstances such as:
- The content involves details about the journalist’s or author’s family members or close acquaintances;
- The journalist or author is writing about subjects, events, or individuals with whom they have a direct or indirect connection;
- The journalist or author has personal stakes that may conflict with their professional responsibilities.
4.2 Professional Integrity
Journalists are strictly prohibited from exploiting their position to derive personal benefits or provide undue advantages to others. If it is discovered that content has been published for personal or third-party gain, the Editorial Team reserves the right to remove it.
4.3 Conduct on Social Media
Journalists understand that their behavior and statements, even outside of work, may reflect on the Website. Therefore, they are expected to act in accordance with general ethical norms and journalistic standards. The following rules must be followed:
- Refrain from using offensive, discriminatory, or inappropriate language;
- Seek prior approval from the editor-in-chief before sharing any internal information of public interest;
- Avoid publicly expressing the Editorial Team’s stance without explicit authorization.
5. CONTENT CATEGORIES
News
Purpose: Deliver concise updates or essential information on major sports developments.
Standards: News articles should consist of a headline, an image, the main body of text, and a citation of the original source. All content must be factual and free of editorial bias.
Articles
Purpose: Provide in-depth analysis of sports topics authored by subject matter experts.
Standards: The author’s opinions must be supported by evidence such as statistics, participant interviews, expert commentary, and factual data. Articles should not be published anonymously, although pseudonyms are permitted.
Interviews
Purpose: Feature discussions with individuals relevant to the Website's audience.
Standards: Interviewees are selected by the Editorial Team. The Editorial Team reserves the right to modify or omit portions of interviews that conflict with the Privacy Policy.
Videos
Purpose: Share audiovisual content, including live sports broadcasts and related events.
Standards: Videos must comply with the Privacy Policy to ensure appropriate usage and dissemination.
All content is produced and published in English, French, and Arabic.
Guidelines for Crafting Headlines
- Headlines must present accurate and truthful information without overstatement or understatement.
- Abbreviations are permitted only if they do not alter the intended meaning.
- If the Editorial Team disagrees with the stance of the original source, this disagreement should be reflected in the headline.
- Headlines should entice the Users to click on the article for more details.
- For lesser-known individuals mentioned in the headline, including their job title or organization is recommended.
- Headlines should not exceed 100 characters in length.
- Uncommon abbreviations or terms should be avoided unless they are widely recognized (e.g., names of international organizations or official team abbreviations).
Headlines must not:
- Contain emotional descriptors unless directly quoted from a newsmaker;
- Demean or insult third parties;
- Include offensive or vulgar language unless it is part of a direct quote relevant to the news story.
6. EXTERNAL PARTIES AND EDITORIAL INTERACTION
The Website’s materials may be authored by journalists, athletes, bloggers, fans, or other experts in specific sports. Contributions from unknown authors will not be published unless specifically commissioned by the Editorial Team.
The Editorial Team only publishes content when the topics and contributors have been pre-approved. If there are deviations from the agreed terms or the content violates the Terms of Use, the Editorial Team reserves the right to withhold publication.
Edits to submitted texts are made sparingly and only when absolutely necessary. The Editorial Team respects the author’s voice and ensures that quotes remain accurate. Any edits will be discussed with the author in advance.
The Editorial Team has the final say on headlines. While suggestions from authors are considered, the Team may revise headlines to match the publication's format and style. Author payments are arranged on a case-by-case basis.
7. USER ENGAGEMENT
Comments posted under articles and news items undergo post-moderation. Due to the large volume of comments published daily, the Editorial Team cannot review all of them. We apologize to any User affected by inappropriate comments that may appear on the Website.
The Editorial Team is unable to respond individually to every User. However, we appreciate the Users who report technical issues or factual inaccuracies and will address these concerns as quickly as possible.
8. SOURCES AND NEWSMAKERS
The Editorial Team makes every effort to source accurate and valuable information while adhering to the laws of the Republic of Tunisia, ethical norms, and journalistic principles.
Claims with sensational elements must be verified by multiple independent sources unless they are official statements.
The Editorial Team avoids publishing content designed to harm reputations under the guise of investigative reporting. The primary objective is to provide the Users with a holistic view of events and diverse perspectives on the same topics.
When working with primary sources or newsmakers, the Editorial Team follows these practices:
- Collecting information directly from the source;
- Conducting thorough fact-checks;
- Verifying the authenticity of documents and data;
- Attending events in person or obtaining video/audio evidence of statements made by participants.
9. COLLABORATION
Any partnership will be terminated if a partner fails to adhere to the Terms of Use or Privacy Policy. Partnerships are allowed only when they align with the interests and needs of the Users.
The Editorial Team is willing to act as a partner or primary partner for initiatives and projects that promote a responsible, critical-thinking environment and enhance the overall awareness of the Users.
Journalists working with the Editorial Team are strictly forbidden from accepting gifts from the Users or newsmakers. Any gifts received under such circumstances will be redirected to charity.
10. MARKETING CONTENT
Journalists and contributors are not permitted to include advertisements for products or services in their work without prior consent from the Editorial Team. Any material that could reasonably be interpreted by the Users as promotional, regardless of whether it is explicitly labeled as such, will be treated as advertising.
The Editorial Team encourages open feedback, suggestions, and comments from all journalists during editorial discussions.