Why you Should trust Scribe News

Mission statement

The Scribe News mission statement was adopted in 2018, and is proudly displayed at the entrance to our newsroom, and embossed on the walls of our main editorial discussion space.

We aim to be the best and most trusted place for news. Made by people who dare to challenge. Made for people who want clarity in an uncertain world. We take you to the heart of the stories that shape our world.

These are our core values:

:: We are bold
:: We are rebellious
:: We have a competitive spirit that drives us to be first and best
:: We earn trust by behaving with integrity
:: We are innovators
:: We celebrate success together
:: We put people at the centre of everything

We report on a broad range of stories in Uganda and around the world, putting people at the centre of our storytelling.

We take politics and business news seriously, with separate Kampala and Mukono central business districts.

Our correspondents are stationed in all major regional towns of Uganda to provide local knowledge and understanding of national stories.

Ethics policy

We believe that our reputation as a news organisation is our most valuable asset, so it is vital that our journalism is always of the highest quality.

Whether watching on our catch up services, listening to podcasts, or reading our apps and web services, anyone consuming The Scribe News should have confidence that their news is from a credible and reliable source.

Journalism in Uganda has never been under greater scrutiny, and that’s why every journalist working for The Scribe News must understand the legal and regulatory framework in which we operate and our own in-house guidelines and practices.

We know that social media plays an increasingly important role in our daily working lives and it is important that we apply the same standards to all of our content on whichever platform we share it.

We also expect our journalists to adhere to the Press and Journalism Act of Uganda and also the Journalists code of conduct.

Corrections policy

We expect our journalists to be accurate at all times, but they are only human, and sometimes mistakes are made. That is why we have an established process for dealing with factual errors quickly and appropriately.

Anyone using The Scribe News can get in touch to complain about a content mail our editorial team at editor@scribe.co.ug

Alternatively you can call us on +256 778980847

We actively monitor the Scribe News inbox at all times. If someone does contact us to query or challenge a fact we have broadcast or published, we will take detailed notes of where and when it happened.

Rather than engaging in a discussion we will make a note of their name, number and the time of the call, and refer it to the Output Editor and/or the Managing Editor. If it relates to a legal issue we ensure our dedicated legal adviser is aware.

They will then investigate what action is required to rectify the error on whichever platform it is published.

Verification and fact checking standards

Our journalists find, verify and develop news stories – and we expect them to be accurate. To achieve this they should always seek to corroborate claims and cross-check facts.

Scribe News’ principle is that all facts should be reliably sourced. We also report from reputable news wires that adhere to similar principles of verification.

Unnamed sources

Scribe News considers requests for anonymity very carefully. We always encourage sources to speak on the record and when possible, on camera.

But we may withhold the name of a source if there is a risk that they could be put in either legal or physical danger upon publication. When that is the case we should always seek to explain to our users why they are unnamed, and set out why they are a credible source.

We also speak to unnamed sources to gain background or context to stories.

Editors must give consideration to the form of anonymity; which could include withholding the individual’s name, disguising their voice or blurring imagery and videos.

Care should also be taken to avoid the publication of several pieces of information which could lead to jigsaw identification of the individual.