The Fullerton Observer Community Newspaper, founded by Ralph and Natalie Kennedy, Roy and Irene Kobayashi, and many other friends in 1978, is staffed by local volunteers who create, publish, and distribute the paper throughout our community.  This venture is a not-for-profit one with all revenues plowed back into maintaining and improving our independent, non-partisan, non-sectarian community newspaper. Click here to read A Brief History of the Fullerton Observer by Jesse LaTour.

Our purpose is to inform Fullerton residents about the institutions and other societal forces that most impact their lives, so that they may be empowered to participate in constructive ways to keep and make these private and public entities serve all residents in lawful, open, just, and socially responsible ways.

Through our local calendar and other coverage, we seek to promote a sense of community and an appreciation for the values of diversity with which our country is so uniquely blessed. We are an all-volunteer and community-written newspaper. We stay in print with the help of our subscribers. 21 issues mailed directly to you for $39 per year

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SUBMISSIONS: To submit a Fullerton-related story or calendar event:

Email: contact@fullertonobserver.com  or  ads@fullertonobserver.com

Address: PO Box 7051, Fullerton, CA 92834      Phone: (714) 525-6402

Sorry – not all submissions can be printed, but we try to get a bit about everything happening in Fullerton in the paper.

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Fullerton Observer — Ethics and Corrections Policy

Updated on July 24, 2026: Applies to: print edition, fullertonobserver.com, email newsletters, and Observer social media accounts

Preamble

The Fullerton Observer has been created, published, and distributed by local volunteers since 1978. Because our credibility rests almost entirely on the trust of the neighbors we cover and the neighbors who write for us, that trust is the paper’s most valuable asset — and the easiest to lose.

This policy exists to make our standards explicit, so that contributors know what is expected of them and readers know what to expect from us. It applies to everyone who produces content for the Observer: editors, staff, volunteer reporters, columnists, photographers, illustrators, translators, guest contributors, interns, and other community members.

Part I — Code of Ethics

1. Core principles

1. Seek truth and report it accurately. Accuracy comes before speed. There is no story so urgent that it is worth publishing wrong.
2. Act independently. Our loyalty is to Fullerton residents — not to advertisers, donors, subscribers, city officials, or the personal causes of our own volunteers.
3. Be fair. Give people who are criticized a real opportunity to respond, and represent their response honestly.
4. Be transparent. Tell readers where information came from and disclose anything that might reasonably affect how they weigh it.
5. Be accountable. Correct errors quickly, plainly, and in public.
6. Minimize harm. Treat sources and subjects as human beings, not as means to a story.

2. Accuracy and verification

• Every factual assertion must be traceable to a source: a document, a public record, a meeting the reporter attended, a recording, or a named person.
• Reporters keep notes, recordings, agendas, staff reports, and correspondence for at least five years after publication. Editors may ask to see them.
• Confirm the spelling of every name, the correct title of every official, and every number, date, dollar figure, and vote count before filing.
• Do not report a claim simply because someone said it. If a claim is significant and contested, verify it, attribute it clearly, and note what could not be confirmed.
• If we cannot confirm something in time, we either hold the story or state plainly what remains unverified. “Sources say” is not a substitute for reporting.
• Never present secondhand reporting from another outlet as our own. Credit the originating outlet by name and, online, link to it.

3. Sourcing

• On the record is the default. Before an interview begins, make clear that the person is speaking to the Fullerton Observer for publication.
• Anonymity is a last resort. It may be granted only when (a) the information is of real public importance, (b) it cannot reasonably be obtained another way, and (c) the source faces a credible risk of retaliation, legal jeopardy, or harm. An editor must approve every grant of anonymity and must know the source’s identity.
• When we use an unnamed source, tell readers as much as we can about why the person is in a position to know and why we withheld the name.
• A promise of confidentiality is binding on the Observer, not just on the reporter who made it.
• Do not let sources review entire drafts. A reporter may read back specific quotes or technical passages to confirm accuracy; this is not the same as approval.
• Never pay for information or interviews.

4. Quotations

Quotation marks mean the words were actually said. Minor cleanup of verbal filler is acceptable; changing wording, splicing separate statements together, or reordering a sentence to alter its meaning is not. If a speaker’s meaning is unclear, paraphrase and attribute rather than quote. Note when a quote has been translated, and by whom.

5. Conflicts of interest

This section matters more at the Observer than at most papers. Our contributors are also our neighbors — commissioners, parents in the district, members of local boards, business owners, and activists. Community involvement is a strength, but it must never be hidden.

• Disclose first. Contributors must tell an editor about any personal, financial, family, professional, political, or organizational relationship to a story’s subject before work begins.
• Disclose in the story. Where a connection exists, but coverage is still appropriate, disclose it in an italicized editor’s note at the top or bottom of the piece.
• Employees and officials of the City of Fullerton, the school districts, or other agencies we cover may contribute, but not news coverage of their own agency, and their affiliation must be stated in their byline note.
• When in doubt, disclose. A disclosure that turns out to be unnecessary costs nothing; an undisclosed conflict discovered by a reader costs the paper its credibility.

6. Political activity

• Contributors may vote, hold opinions, and participate in civic life as private citizens.
• Contributors who cover local government, elections, campaigns, or ballot measures should not simultaneously work for, donate to, endorse, or hold office in a campaign they cover.
• Yard signs, personal social media posts, and public endorsements by identifiable Observer contributors carry the paper’s reputation with them. Use judgment, and expect editors to reassign beats where a contributor’s public advocacy would make fair coverage hard for readers to believe in.
• Any Observer contributor who becomes a declared candidate for local office suspends their contributions to news coverage during the campaign and discloses their candidacy to the editor immediately.

7. Gifts, meals, and free admission

• Do not accept gifts, discounts, favors, or preferential treatment offered because of your connection to the Observer. Politely decline, or return items. Items that can’t be returned may be donated in the name of the Observer or gifting party.
• Working meals and press access: accept free admission only where it’s necessary to cover an event (a performance being reviewed, a fundraiser being reported). Disclose it in the story where relevant.
• Do not accept travel, lodging, or expenses from the subject of coverage. The Observer pays its own way; if it can’t, we don’t take the trip.
• Volunteers may not use Observer credentials, letterhead, or press identification for personal, commercial, or advocacy purposes and must obtain permission from the Observer CEO.

8. Advertising, sponsorship, and donations

• Advertisers get no coverage advantage — and no coverage penalty. Editorial decisions are made without reference to who advertises, subscribes, or donates.
• Advertising is sold and handled separately from editorial decision-making. Advertising staff does not assign, edit, or spike stories; editorial staff does not promise coverage to sell an ad. Contact advertising at email ads@fullertonobserver.com
• Any paid, sponsored, or donor-funded content is clearly and conspicuously labeled “Paid Advertisement,” “Sponsored Content,” or “Paid Political Advertisement” in type readers cannot miss, and is designed so it is not mistaken for news.
• Press releases and submitted announcements are rewritten, verified, and labeled as submitted material. We do not run promotional copy as reporting.
• Grants, sponsorships, and major donors above are disclosed publicly on our website, and donors receive no review or approval rights over content. If we cover a funder, we disclose the relationship in the story.

9. Opinion, letters, and endorsements

• News and opinion are visually and labeled distinct in print and online. Opinion pieces carry a standing label and the author’s name.
• Letters to the editor are welcome. We require a real name and contact (phone, email, and address: not for publication, database, or spam; for verification only). We edit for length, clarity, and legal risk, not for viewpoint. We do not publish anonymous letters, form letters, personal attacks on private individuals, or claims we know to be false.
• We aim to publish letters representing the range of views in the community, including views critical of the Observer.
• Endorsement policy: The Fullerton Observer on occasion endorses candidates or ballot measures only after consulting with the volunteers and coming to a majority consensus. All candidates are offered the same interview and interview questions except when specific questions are required for their district. All candidates are welcomed. Views are those of the candidate.
• Candidate op-eds and election-season submissions follow published deadlines and equal-opportunity rules.

10. Plagiarism and fabrication

Plagiarism and fabrication are the two offenses for which there is no second chance. Both result in immediate removal of the contributor and a published editor’s note explaining what happened. This includes copying from press releases, other outlets, government documents, or AI-generated text without attribution, and inventing quotes, sources, scenes, or details.

11. Use of Internet and artificial intelligence **This is new as of July 24, 2026**

• Internet and AI tools may be used for background research, transcription, translation drafts, headline brainstorming, and copy editing, but must be sourced, cited, and disclosed. A human contributor is responsible for every fact and every sentence that appears under a byline.
• AI must not be used to generate quotes, sources, or details, and AI output must be independently verified — these tools invent plausible-sounding falsehoods.
• Sources from Google, Wikipedia, and other internet search engines must be verified down to the original source.
• Do not enter unpublished reporting, confidential source information, or personal contact details into third-party AI tools.
• Where AI has produced or substantially shaped published content (for example, a machine-assisted translation or a generated illustration), it must be disclosed.

12. Photography, video, and images

• Photos and video document what actually happened. Cropping, exposure, and color correction are acceptable; adding, removing, moving, or combining elements is not. If it is not photographed or videoed by the reporter, it must have written permission from the originator.
• Photo illustrations, composites, and AI-generated images must be labeled as such.
• Caption every photo accurately, including date, location, and the correct identification of people shown.
• Credit the photographer or the source of every image, and use images only with written permission.
• Photograph freely in public places; take extra care with private grief, medical settings, and children under 18.
• Photographs of children under 18 must have parental approval verbally or in writing. Always disclose that you are taking photographs for publication in the Fullerton Observer newspaper, website, and social media. Respect anyone who does not want their photograph taken. Do not question them.

13. Privacy and minimizing harm

• Weigh the public’s need to know against the harm publication may cause, especially to private individuals who are not public figures.
• Minors: do not identify children under 18 in sensitive contexts (crime, abuse, family court, immigration status, health) without parental consent and editor approval. Routine coverage — a school play, a sports team, an award — needs care but not the same restriction.
• Crime and arrests: an arrest is not a conviction. Where we name someone arrested or charged, we commit to following the case and reporting the outcome. Sometimes this means years.
• Immigration status, sexual orientation, gender identity, medical conditions, and criminal history are reported only when clearly relevant to the story and never as a weapon.
• Avoid identifying victims of sexual assault without their informed consent.
• Follow recognized safe-reporting guidance on suicide and murder: avoid method and location detail, avoid sensational framing, and include local support resources. These types of stories affect families, friends, and communities. They need the utmost care and sensitivity.
• Be careful with home addresses, workplaces, license plates, and other details that could expose people to harassment.

14. Coverage of our whole community

Fullerton is diverse in language, income, immigration status, race, faith, and age. We work to reflect that: seeking sources beyond the usual list, covering neighborhoods that get little attention, publishing in other languages where we can, and describing people’s identities only when relevant and in the terms they use for themselves.

15. Social media

Observer accounts follow the same standards as the paper. Posts that contain errors are corrected using the process in Part II — corrected in place where the platform allows and, where it does not, deleted and replaced with a post noting the correction. Contributors’ personal accounts are their own, but readers do not always draw that line; conduct there that undermines the paper’s credibility is a matter for the editor. Comments are considered the property of the commenter. When they are cruel, rude, harass, and make defamatory accusations against other commenters, they will be blocked.

16. Enforcement

Concerns about a violation go to the CEO at contact@fullertonobserver.com, 714-525-6402, or PO Box 7051, Fullerton, CA 92834. Responses may include additional editing supervision, reassignment from a beat, removal of content, a published editor’s note, or removal from the contributor roster. Serious matters are reviewed by the editor. Contributors who raise concerns in good faith will not be penalized for doing so.

Part II — Corrections Policy

17. Our commitment

We are human and will get things wrong. When we do, we will fix it promptly, plainly, and where readers can see it. We do not quietly delete major information mistakes, and we do not make readers work to find out what changed. We will correct names, titles, spelling errors, etc. immediately, and where completely wrong about attribution, we will disclose the correction at the top of the page.

18. How to report an error

Anyone may report a suspected error — no subscription, no relationship to the story required.

• Email: contact@fullertonobserver.com
• Phone: 714.525.6402
• Mail: PO Box 7051, Fullerton, CA 92834
• Online form: https://fullertonobserver.com/tell-us/

Please include: the headline and publication date, whether it was print or online, the specific statement you believe is wrong, what you believe the correct information is, any supporting documentation, and how to reach you. Requests are accepted at any time regardless of how old the article is.

19. What we do, and when

Typos, broken links, and formatting errors that do not change meaning are fixed without a published note.

20. Process and timeline

1. Acknowledge the request as soon as possible.
2. Review. The editor — not the author alone — reviews the reporting: notes, recordings, documents, and the original sources. The author is asked to respond; the person who raised the issue may be contacted for details.
3. Decide within seven days of acknowledgment, or sooner where the error is serious, or the harm is ongoing. Complex disputes may take longer; we will tell the requester if they will.
4. Publish the correction online immediately upon the decision and in the next print issue.
5. Notify the person who raised the issue of the outcome, including when we conclude no correction is warranted and why.

If a disagreement persists, the requester may submit a letter or email to the editor stating their position.

21. Online corrections

• We do not silently edit published articles. Every substantive change to a published piece carries a dated note at the bottom (or top, for significant matters) describing what was changed.
• The correction states what was wrong and what is correct, without repeating the error more than necessary to make the fix clear:
  

  Correction, July 24, 2026: An earlier version of this article misstated the vote count on the Hermosa Drive project. The council approved it 4–1, not 3–2.

• Headlines, photo captions, and social posts derived from a corrected story are corrected too.
• Corrected print articles are matched online, and vice versa.

22. Print corrections

Corrections run in a standing “Corrections & Clarifications” box in a consistent location — on the front page— in the next issue after the decision.

23. Unpublishing

We do remove published articles on request with good cause.

24. Legal complaints

Threats of legal action do not change our standard: if we were wrong, we correct it; if we were right, we stand by the reporting. Contributors who receive a legal threat should not respond directly and should forward it immediately to contact@fullertonobserver.com.

Adoption and review

Adopted by the Fullerton Observer in December 2021. Reviewed at least every two years, or sooner as practice and technology change. Contributors acknowledge this policy in writing before their first published piece and are given a copy on joining.

Reader questions about this policy: contact@fullertonobserver.com