The Philosophy: Why We Care
Let’s get one thing straight from the jump: integrity isn’t some dusty trophy we keep on a shelf. It is the very engine of The Italian Journal. We live in an era where “news” is often just a recycled press release or a frantic scramble for clicks. We aren’t interested in that. Our mission is to be a global digital house that actually tells you something you didn’t already know, through a lens that values the slow, the deep, and the culturally nuanced. This document isn’t just legal cover. It’s our promise to you. It’s how we decide what makes the cut and what gets tossed in the bin.
The Independence Clause (The “Church and State” Rule)
In the old world of print journalism, there was a “wall” between those who sold ads and those who wrote the stories. At The Italian Journal, this wall is made of reinforced concrete. We remain 100% in charge of every single syllable that we print.
- No Pay-to-Play: If you’re a luxury brand, tech giant or government body and want to give us “access” in exchange for a great review, the answer will always be no.
- The Commercial Firewall: Our newsroom works in a vacuum — totally isolated from our sales division. Our advertisers don’t look at stories before they are published, and they don’t get to vet our articles.
- Story Selection: Story selection is determined by intellectual merit and cultural relevance. Our guiding principle is: if it’s interesting, we write about it. If it’s merely a paid-for puff piece pretending to be insight, that isn’t for here.
The Grunt Work: Accuracy & The “Fact-Check” Gauntlet
We have a saying in the office: “If your mother says she loves you, check it out.” We hate being wrong. It’s embarrassing, sure, but more importantly, it erodes the relationship we have with you. Our verification process is, frankly, a bit of a slog—but it’s necessary.
- Primary Sources Only: We don’t care what a secondary blog said about a statistic. We track down the original report. We call the source. We record the interview.
- Data Scrutiny: Numbers can lie. We double-check every claim, statistic and quote against numerous proven records before a draft even reaches the editor’s desk.
- The Transparency Protocol: If we get something wrong—and because we’re human, not algorithms, the possibility always exists—we don’t hide from our mistakes. We don’t do “stealth edits”. We place the correction prominently at the top of the article, explain what happened and move forward. Trust is not based on perfection, but integrity.
Sourcing: Credit Where It’s Due
We believe in the “chain of custody” for information. If we’re using someone else’s research, data, or groundbreaking reporting as a springboard, we shout it from the rooftops.
- Direct Attribution: No vague “sources say” unless someone’s life or career is literally on the line.
- Deep Links: We link out to our peers, our sources, and the official documents we use. We want you to be able to follow the breadcrumbs and see exactly how we arrived at our conclusions.
Ethical Standards: Beyond the Basics
We cover the world. That means we have a massive responsibility to not be “the ugly tourist”. We treat every culture, community, and individual we profile with a level of rigour and respect that is often missing in digital media.
- Representation: We don’t do tokenism. We look for diverse perspectives because they make the stories better, not because we’re ticking a box.
- Privacy & Dignity: We aren’t a tabloid. We don’t “doorstep” people, and we don’t publish information that serves no public interest other than gossip.
- Sensationalism: We avoid “rage-bait”. We would rather have 1,000 readers who are deeply engaged than 1,000,000 who are just angry at a headline.
The “Sponsorship” Conversation
The Italian Journal is a business. We collaborate with brands to create content. But we have a “No Sneaking” policy.
- The Labelling Rule: If a brand paid for it, that will be labelled in plain, unmistakable English. You’ll find “Sponsored Content” or “In Partnership With” right at the top.
- The Quality Filter: We only collaborate with brands that reflect our aesthetic and ethos. If a partner wants us to publish something that we feel is beneath our readers’ intelligence, we won’t do it.” The cheque is immaterial; reputation matters.
Conflicts of Interest: Total Disclosure
Our contributors are experts in their fields. Sometimes that means they have skin in the game.
- The “Coming Clean” Policy: Every writer and editor must disclose any financial, personal, or professional ties to the subjects they cover.
- Disclosure Notes: If a writer is reviewing a car from a company they once worked for, you’ll see a “Conflict Disclosure” at the bottom of the article. We let you decide if that affects their perspective.
The Feedback Loop
We aren’t an ivory tower. We are a conversation.
- Corrections: If you see something that looks wonky, email our editorial team. We read every single one.
- The Review Process: Valid concerns are escalated to our senior editors immediately. We don’t ignore criticism; we use it to get sharper.
Our Editorial Scope: What We’re About
While we’re always evolving, our core focuses remain the same. We live at the intersection of:
- Global Creative Industries: From the underground to the avant-garde.
- The New Business Narrative: Innovation that actually solves a problem.
- Luxury with a Soul: Fashion and design that values the maker as much as the product.
- Society & Future-Tense Thinking: Sustainability and the trends that will actually define 2030.
Policy Evolution
This isn’t a static document. As the media landscape shifts—and as AI and new technologies change how stories are told—we revisit these rules. We update this page periodically to ensure we’re still holding ourselves to the highest possible standard. Italian Journal. Where depth meets integrity. Every time.