Complaints Policy
Last updated: March 28, 2026
1. Our Approach to Complaints
A News Time takes all complaints seriously. We are committed to handling complaints fairly, promptly, and transparently. We view complaints as an important mechanism for accountability and an opportunity to maintain and improve our standards. This policy explains how to raise a complaint, what happens after you do, and how to escalate if you are not satisfied with the outcome.
2. What You Can Complain About
You can raise a complaint about any of the following:
- Factual inaccuracies in our reporting
- Misleading headlines, content, or presentation
- Unfair, biased, or unbalanced coverage
- Failure to provide a right of reply
- Privacy concerns related to published content
- Breach of our Code of Ethics or Editorial Policy
- Inappropriate use of images or identifying information
- Failure to clearly distinguish editorial content from advertising or sponsored content
- Discrimination or insensitivity in our content
- Technical issues with our website that prevent access to content
- Conduct of our staff in the course of their work
3. How to Submit a Complaint
Please submit your complaint in writing to help@anewstime.com. To help us investigate effectively, please include the following details:
- Your full name and contact details (email address at minimum)
- The URL and headline of the article or content you are complaining about
- The date you first became aware of the issue
- A clear and specific description of your concern — what is wrong and why
- Any evidence that supports your complaint (links, documents, screenshots)
- What outcome you are seeking (e.g., correction, apology, retraction, removal)
We ask that complaints are submitted within 30 days of the publication or incident in question. We may consider complaints outside this window in exceptional circumstances, but our ability to investigate may be limited.
4. Our Process
Stage 1: Acknowledgement
We will acknowledge receipt of your complaint within 2 working days. Your complaint will be assigned a reference number and a named point of contact who will handle your case.
Stage 2: Investigation
The complaint will be reviewed by a senior editor who was not involved in the original editorial decision. The investigation may include reviewing source material, consulting with the writer and editor, examining our editorial records, and seeking expert input where appropriate.
Stage 3: Response
We aim to provide a full written response within 10 working days of acknowledgement. If we need more time due to the complexity of the complaint, we will notify you within the initial 10-day window and provide a revised timeline. Our response will explain our findings and any action we propose to take.
Stage 4: Resolution
Where a complaint is upheld, we will take appropriate corrective action. This may include publishing a correction, issuing a clarification, updating or removing content, issuing an apology, or other measures proportionate to the nature of the breach.
5. Escalation
If you are not satisfied with the outcome of your complaint at Stage 3, you may escalate to the Editor-in-Chief by writing to help@anewstime.com with the subject line "Complaint Escalation" and your original reference number.
The Editor-in-Chief (or a designated deputy who was not involved in the original investigation) will review the complaint independently. A final response will be provided within 10 working days of the escalation request. This constitutes the final stage of our internal complaints process.
6. External Avenues
If you remain dissatisfied after exhausting our internal complaints process, you may contact the relevant regulatory or industry body. While A News Time is a digital-first publication, we are committed to upholding standards consistent with recognised press standards bodies. You may also wish to seek independent legal advice if your complaint relates to defamation, privacy, or other legal matters.
7. Record Keeping
We maintain records of all complaints received, including the nature of the complaint, the outcome of our investigation, and any action taken. These records are used to identify patterns, improve our practices, and report to our editorial leadership team on the volume and nature of complaints. Personal data in complaints records is handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy and GDPR Policy.
8. Vexatious or Abusive Complaints
We are committed to treating all complainants with respect and taking all genuine complaints seriously. However, we reserve the right to decline to investigate complaints that are abusive, threatening, clearly without merit, or repetitive (raising the same issue that has already been fully investigated). In such cases, we will explain our reasons for not pursuing the complaint further.