Effective Date: September 16, 2026
Last Updated: September 16, 2026
Iconic Original Media (“IOM,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) is committed to producing responsible, accurate, independent, and engaging journalism across our publications, websites, newsletters, social platforms, video, audio, events, and other media.
These Editorial Standards apply to IOM editors, staff writers, freelance contributors, photographers, videographers, producers, contractors, guest contributors, and others involved in creating or reviewing our editorial content.
They are intended to guide our work across all Iconic Original Media publications and verticals.
Contents
- Our Editorial Mission
- Accuracy and Verification
- Attribution and Sources
- Fairness and Context
- Editorial Independence
- Sponsored and Branded Content
- Affiliate Links, Products, and Recommendations
- Conflicts of Interest
- Gifts, Travel, Hospitality, and Access
- Interviews and Quotations
- Headlines, Captions, Images, and Social Posts
- Artificial Intelligence and Automated Tools
- Originality, Plagiarism, and Copyright
- Editorial Submissions and Pitches
- Contributors and Freelancers
- Rising Icons and Emerging Talent
- Reviews and Criticism
- Diversity, Dignity, and Representation
- Privacy, Trauma, and Sensitive Subjects
- Children and Minors
- Crime, Allegations, and Legal Matters
- Embargoes and Exclusives
- Prepublication Review
- Corrections, Clarifications, and Updates
- Reporting a Correction
- Retractions and Removal Requests
- Social Media
- Newsletters, Video, Audio, and Events
- Archives and Previously Published Work
- External Links and Third-Party Content
- Complaints and Editorial Review
- Enforcement
- Updates to These Standards
- Contact Us
1. Our Editorial Mission
Iconic Original Media covers culture, style, society, business, leadership, travel, hospitality, food, entertainment, emerging talent, and the people and ideas influencing contemporary life.
Our goal is to produce work that is:
- Accurate and properly sourced
- Fair and presented in appropriate context
- Editorially independent
- Transparent about commercial relationships
- Respectful of subjects, contributors, and audiences
- Original and properly attributed
- Corrected promptly when material errors occur
- Accessible to a broad and diverse audience
Our coverage may include reported journalism, interviews, profiles, reviews, essays, analysis, commentary, photography, video, audio, newsletters, service journalism, sponsored content, and other editorial formats.
2. Accuracy and Verification
Accuracy is fundamental to our editorial work.
Writers, editors, and producers should take reasonable steps to verify material facts before publication. Depending on the nature of the story, this may include:
- Reviewing primary documents and official records
- Confirming names, titles, dates, quotations, locations, and statistics
- Consulting knowledgeable or directly involved sources
- Comparing information with multiple credible sources
- Reviewing original photographs, recordings, transcripts, or correspondence
- Seeking comment from individuals or organizations materially discussed
- Distinguishing confirmed facts from claims, estimates, opinions, and predictions
- Verifying information supplied in press releases, biographies, media kits, and promotional materials
Information provided by a source, publicist, brand, representative, or press release should not automatically be treated as independently verified.
When information cannot reasonably be verified, the article should clearly attribute it to its source or explain the limits of what is known.
3. Attribution and Sources
Information obtained from another publication, organization, document, interview, or individual must be appropriately attributed.
Attribution should allow readers to understand where material information originated. Whenever practical, digital articles should link to the original or most authoritative source.
We do not knowingly present another person’s reporting, language, images, ideas, research, or creative work as our own.
Anonymous or confidential sources may be used when:
- The information serves a legitimate public or editorial interest
- The source is in a position to know the information
- There is a reasonable basis for protecting the source’s identity
- The information cannot reasonably be obtained on the record
- An editor understands the source’s identity and evaluates the source’s credibility
The article should explain, as clearly as circumstances permit, why anonymity was granted and how the source is positioned to know the information.
4. Fairness and Context
Fairness does not require giving every position equal weight. It does require presenting significant facts in appropriate context and avoiding materially misleading omissions.
When an article contains serious criticism, allegations, or information that could materially affect the reputation of a person or organization, we should make a reasonable effort to request a response before publication.
The amount of time provided for a response may depend on:
- The seriousness and complexity of the matter
- The publication schedule
- Whether the information is time-sensitive
- The subject’s reasonable availability
- Whether immediate publication serves a legitimate public interest
If a subject declines to comment, does not respond by the stated deadline, or cannot be reached after reasonable efforts, the article may state that fact.
We do not promise favorable coverage in exchange for access, friendship, gifts, travel, advertising, sponsorship, payment, or commercial opportunity.
5. Editorial Independence
Editorial decisions are made according to editorial value, audience relevance, accuracy, quality, and IOM’s publishing objectives.
Advertisers, sponsors, investors, partners, publicists, brands, featured subjects, members, and other commercial parties may propose ideas or provide information, but they may not purchase control over independent editorial conclusions.
IOM’s business and editorial teams may collaborate on appropriate projects, but paid arrangements must not be presented as independent journalism.
The purchase of advertising, membership, products, services, event participation, partnerships, or sponsorship does not guarantee independent editorial coverage.
Likewise, declining to advertise or enter a commercial relationship should not determine whether a legitimate story is covered.
6. Sponsored and Branded Content
Content created or published in exchange for payment, services, travel, products, access, or another material benefit must be appropriately disclosed.
Depending on the arrangement, disclosures may include:
- Sponsored
- Paid Content
- Brand Partnership
- Presented By
- In Partnership With
- Advertisement
- Affiliate Disclosure
Disclosures should be noticeable, understandable, and placed where readers are likely to see them before or while engaging with the content.
Sponsored or branded content must not intentionally mislead readers about its commercial nature. Sponsors should not be permitted to disguise advertising as independent investigative or news reporting.
When a sponsor has reviewed content for factual accuracy, legal concerns, or brand information, that review should not be used to create a false impression of independent editorial control.
7. Affiliate Links, Products, and Recommendations
Some IOM content may contain affiliate links. If a reader makes a purchase through one of these links, IOM may receive compensation.
The presence of an affiliate relationship should be disclosed when required. Compensation should not determine whether a product receives a favorable editorial assessment.
Product recommendations, reviews, buying guides, and service journalism should reflect the writer’s or editor’s genuine evaluation based on available information, experience, research, or testing.
Free products, samples, accommodations, meals, services, travel, event access, or other benefits relevant to a review or recommendation should be disclosed when their omission could mislead the audience.
8. Conflicts of Interest
Editors, writers, and contributors should disclose actual or potential conflicts of interest that could reasonably affect-or appear to affect-their work.
Conflicts may include:
- Financial interests
- Employment or consulting relationships
- Close personal or family relationships
- Gifts or valuable benefits
- Political or advocacy roles
- Investments in a company being covered
- Paid relationships with a subject or organization
- Participation in a campaign, project, event, or business being reviewed
Disclosure does not automatically prevent participation. IOM may reassign the work, add an appropriate disclosure, obtain additional review, or take another measure to preserve editorial integrity.
Contributors should not use unpublished editorial information for personal, financial, or competitive advantage.
9. Gifts, Travel, Hospitality, and Access
Editorial personnel should avoid accepting benefits that could improperly influence their work.
When products, meals, accommodations, transportation, event admission, or travel are provided for editorial consideration, IOM retains the right to determine whether and how the resulting material is published.
Receiving a product, trip, experience, or special access does not guarantee coverage or favorable treatment.
When an organization materially supports travel, accommodations, production, or access connected with a story, that support should be disclosed when necessary for readers to understand the circumstances of the coverage.
10. Interviews and Quotations
Interview subjects should understand whether a conversation is on the record, off the record, or on background before sensitive information is shared. Any special terms should be agreed upon in advance.
Unless expressly agreed otherwise, interviews conducted for publication may be edited for:
- Length
- Clarity
- Grammar
- Repetition
- Organization
- Removal of irrelevant material
Editing must not materially change the intended meaning of a quotation.
IOM does not ordinarily provide complete articles to sources for approval. We may verify quotations, technical information, names, dates, or specific factual details.
Allowing a subject to review limited factual material does not transfer editorial control or guarantee that requested changes will be accepted.
11. Headlines, Captions, Images, and Social Posts
Headlines, summaries, captions, thumbnails, push notifications, newsletters, and social-media posts should accurately reflect the underlying content.
They must not materially exaggerate, distort, or contradict the article merely to attract attention.
Photographs, video, audio, illustrations, and graphics should not be altered in a way that creates a materially false impression. Routine adjustments such as cropping, color correction, exposure correction, resizing, and sound balancing may be made when they do not change the editorial meaning.
Photo illustrations, composites, reenactments, or substantially altered media should be identified when readers might otherwise mistake them for documentary material.
12. Artificial Intelligence and Automated Tools
IOM may use technological or artificial-intelligence tools to assist with limited production tasks, such as:
- Transcription
- Translation assistance
- Research organization
- Search optimization
- Caption preparation
- Copy editing
- Formatting
- Image or media processing
- Administrative workflows
Such tools must not replace appropriate editorial judgment, verification, attribution, or human review.
No article should be published solely because an automated system generated it. Material facts produced or summarized through artificial intelligence should be independently checked before publication.
AI-generated or materially AI-altered images, audio, or video should not be presented as authentic documentary media. Appropriate labeling should be used when synthetic or substantially altered material could mislead an audience.
Writers and contributors may not submit undisclosed, substantially AI-generated work as their own original reporting or creative work.
13. Originality, Plagiarism, and Copyright
IOM expects original work and proper attribution.
Plagiarism includes copying or closely paraphrasing another person’s words, structure, reporting, research, or creative work without sufficient attribution. Fabrication includes inventing quotations, people, events, experiences, sources, documents, or facts.
Plagiarism, fabrication, manipulated evidence, and knowingly false attribution are prohibited.
Writers, photographers, and contributors must have the necessary rights or permissions for submitted material. Content provided by a third party may be used only when authorized by law, license, permission, or another legitimate basis.
Allegations of plagiarism, fabrication, or copyright infringement will be reviewed and may result in correction, removal, retraction, termination of a contributor relationship, or other appropriate action.
14. Editorial Submissions and Pitches
Submitting a story, pitch, photograph, video, biography, portfolio, press release, or other material does not guarantee:
- Acceptance
- Assignment
- Publication
- Payment
- Promotion
- Membership
- Representation
- A partnership
- Participation in Rising Icons
- Future editorial coverage
IOM may review, decline, retain, or request additional information about a submission, subject to applicable law and our Privacy Policy.
Submitted materials will not automatically be published. Editorial review and approval are required before publication.
Contributors must disclose whether submitted work:
- Has been previously published
- Is under consideration elsewhere
- Was commissioned by another organization
- Contains sponsored or paid elements
- Was created using artificial intelligence
- Contains material owned by another person
- Includes people who have not consented to the proposed use of their information or likeness
Unless IOM agrees otherwise in writing, submitting material does not create an employment, agency, partnership, management, fiduciary, or exclusive relationship.
15. Contributors and Freelancers
Freelancers and contributors must comply with these standards while performing work for IOM.
Assignments, deadlines, compensation, rights, expenses, exclusivity, and deliverables should be addressed in the applicable written agreement or assignment confirmation.
Contributors should promptly notify their editor if they discover:
- A material factual error
- A potential conflict of interest
- A sourcing problem
- A permissions or copyright concern
- A confidentiality issue
- A legal threat
- Fabricated or manipulated material
- A significant change affecting the accuracy of the work
Contributor biographies and profile information should be accurate and kept reasonably current.
16. Rising Icons and Emerging Talent
Rising Icons is an editorial and promotional platform for emerging talent. Participation does not make IOM the participant’s talent agent, manager, booking agent, attorney, employer, or financial adviser unless a separate written agreement expressly states otherwise.
Participation does not guarantee:
- Employment
- Representation
- Sponsorship
- Brand partnerships
- Media coverage
- Commercial success
- Event placement
- Publicity results
- Audience growth
- Revenue
Editorial coverage involving Rising Icons participants should disclose paid, promotional, or commercial relationships when needed to avoid misleading readers.
17. Reviews and Criticism
Reviews and criticism represent the judgment of the identified writer or publication. Opinions should be based on honest evaluation and should not knowingly misstate underlying facts.
A negative review, critical assessment, or decision not to provide coverage must not be used to solicit payment or pressure a person or company into advertising.
Likewise, editorial criticism should not be altered solely because a subject, advertiser, sponsor, or partner objects to an honestly held opinion.
Material factual errors contained within reviews or commentary remain subject to correction.
18. Diversity, Dignity, and Representation
IOM seeks to represent people and communities with accuracy, dignity, and appropriate context.
Editors and contributors should avoid stereotypes, dehumanizing descriptions, gratuitous references to personal characteristics, and language that is irrelevant to the story.
References to race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, disability, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, immigration status, age, medical history, or other personal characteristics should be included when editorially relevant and described with care.
We recognize that language and preferred terminology evolve. Editors should consider how individuals and communities identify themselves while preserving accuracy and editorial independence.
19. Privacy, Trauma, and Sensitive Subjects
Editorial interest should be balanced against potential harm, particularly when covering:
- Children
- Victims of crime or abuse
- Medical information
- Sexual violence
- Suicide or self-harm
- Immigration status
- Private family matters
- Grief and bereavement
- People experiencing trauma
- Individuals who may not be able to provide informed consent
Public availability of information does not automatically make its republication necessary or appropriate.
Sensitive personal details should be included only when they materially contribute to the story and their publication is justified by the editorial or public interest.
20. Children and Minors
Coverage involving minors requires particular care.
When appropriate, IOM should seek permission from a parent or legal guardian before conducting an interview, arranging a photo session, or publishing sensitive identifying information about a child.
The best interests, safety, privacy, age, and ability of the child to understand the consequences of participation should be considered.
Permission from a guardian does not eliminate IOM’s independent responsibility to avoid unnecessary harm.
21. Crime, Allegations, and Legal Matters
Individuals accused of wrongdoing should not be described as guilty unless there has been an applicable legal determination or the statement is otherwise supported and properly attributed.
Coverage should distinguish among:
- An allegation
- An investigation
- An arrest
- A criminal charge
- A civil claim
- A court ruling
- A conviction
- An appeal
- A settlement without an admission of liability
When materially relevant and reasonably available, later developments such as dismissals, acquittals, reversals, settlements, or exonerations should be considered for updates.
22. Embargoes and Exclusives
IOM may agree to reasonable embargoes when the terms are clear and accepted before receiving the information.
An embargo does not obligate IOM to publish the material.
Claims of exclusivity should be confirmed in writing. If exclusivity is materially changed, withdrawn, or offered simultaneously to others, IOM may reconsider the assignment, publication timing, or description of the content.
23. Prepublication Review
Editorial content may be reviewed before publication for:
- Accuracy
- Clarity
- Structure
- Sourcing
- Attribution
- Copyright and permissions
- Ethical concerns
- Privacy
- Defamation and other legal risks
- Accessibility
- Conflicts of interest
- Sponsorship disclosure
- Compliance with these standards
Sensitive or high-risk work may require additional editorial or legal review.
Prepublication review is an internal process and does not create a right for outside parties to approve coverage.
24. Corrections, Clarifications, and Updates
IOM corrects material factual errors promptly and transparently.
Depending on the circumstances, we may publish:
- A correction
- A clarification
- An update
- An editor’s note
- A retraction
- A revised caption, headline, graphic, photograph, video, or social post
Minor spelling, grammar, punctuation, formatting, or style changes that do not alter the meaning of an article may be made without a correction notice.
Material changes should include an explanatory notice when necessary for readers to understand what changed and why.
A correction should not be written to conceal the original error or create a misleading impression about the scope of the change.
Complete removal is generally reserved for exceptional situations, such as serious legal risk, substantial fabrication, privacy or safety concerns, invalid permissions, or material that should not have been published.
Additional information is available in our Corrections Policy.
25. Reporting a Correction
A small “Report a correction” link should appear at the bottom of every IOM article.
When selected, the link should open IOM’s correction-reporting form and automatically include the article’s:
- Title
- Canonical URL
- Publication date
- Author, when available
- Publication or editorial section
Readers should not have to enter this information manually.
The reader may then identify the statement or material believed to be inaccurate, explain the concern, and provide supporting evidence or reliable sources.
Submitting a correction request does not guarantee that the article will be changed. The editorial team will review the request and determine whether a correction, clarification, update, editor’s note, retraction, removal, or no change is appropriate.
Correction requests may also be emailed to press@iconicoriginalmedia.com.
Personal information submitted with a correction request will be handled according to our Privacy Policy and will not be added to a marketing list solely because the reader reported a correction.
26. Retractions and Removal Requests
Retractions may be appropriate when the central premise of a published work is materially unreliable because of fabrication, pervasive factual errors, invalid evidence, or another serious failure.
A retracted article may remain available with a prominent retraction notice when preserving the public record is appropriate.
IOM does not ordinarily remove accurate published material solely because a person later dislikes it, considers it unfavorable, changes employment, ends a relationship, or wants to reduce its visibility in search results.
Removal, de-indexing, anonymization, or limitation of access may be considered in exceptional circumstances involving:
- Demonstrable danger or substantial risk of harm
- The privacy or safety of a minor
- Identity theft or exposure of sensitive personal information
- A binding legal requirement
- Invalid consent or publication rights
- A serious and disproportionate privacy concern
- Material that violates IOM’s policies
- Compelling evidence that continued publication would be fundamentally unfair
Requests are evaluated individually. No particular result is guaranteed.
27. Social Media
Editorial standards apply to IOM-controlled social-media accounts.
Social posts should not knowingly distribute false or materially misleading information. Posts promoting sponsored, affiliate, or commercial content should contain appropriate disclosures.
When a material error appears only in a social post, IOM may correct, update, delete, or replace that post depending on the platform and circumstances.
Personal social-media activity by staff members and contributors should not disclose confidential IOM information, unpublished material, protected sources, private customer information, or internal editorial deliberations.
28. Newsletters, Video, Audio, and Events
These standards apply across formats, including newsletters, podcasts, interviews, livestreams, recorded video, print editions, panels, and events.
Corrections should be made in a manner appropriate to the original format. This may include:
- Updating a newsletter’s web version
- Adding a correction to a later newsletter
- Revising a video description
- Adding an on-screen or spoken correction
- Correcting a podcast description or transcript
- Publishing an editor’s note
- Correcting event materials or follow-up communications
Live discussions may contain spontaneous statements from guests. The views expressed by guests do not necessarily represent IOM.
29. Archives and Previously Published Work
IOM generally preserves its editorial archive as part of the historical record.
Archived articles may reflect facts and circumstances known at the time of publication. When later developments materially affect the accuracy or fairness of an archived article, IOM may add an update or editor’s note.
The existence of newer information does not necessarily make the original publication inaccurate.
30. External Links and Third-Party Content
IOM may link to external websites or incorporate third-party content for context, reference, reporting, commerce, or audience service.
A link does not constitute endorsement of every statement, product, policy, or practice appearing on the external website.
Embedded posts, videos, photographs, and other third-party materials should be used with appropriate editorial justification and consideration of authenticity, rights, privacy, and potential harm.
31. Complaints and Editorial Review
Readers may submit concerns about accuracy, fairness, attribution, conflicts of interest, sponsorship disclosures, plagiarism, copyright, or compliance with these standards.
Complaints should identify:
- The article or material at issue
- The specific concern
- The requested resolution
- Supporting evidence, when available
- The complainant’s contact information
IOM may request additional information and may consult editors, contributors, sources, records, subject-matter experts, or legal counsel during its review.
Disagreement with an editorial judgment or opinion does not, by itself, establish a violation of these standards.
32. Enforcement
Violations of these Editorial Standards may result in:
- Additional editorial review
- Correction or clarification
- Removal of material
- Retraction
- Disclosure of a conflict
- Reassignment
- Suspension of publishing access
- Termination of a contributor or contractor relationship
- Referral for legal review
- Other appropriate action
The response will depend on the seriousness of the issue, whether it was intentional, its effect on the audience or subjects, and whether similar problems have occurred previously.
33. Updates to These Standards
IOM may revise these Editorial Standards as its publications, technologies, operations, and legal obligations evolve.
The current version will be published on this page with its effective date and most recent revision date.
34. Contact Us
Questions, complaints, or concerns about IOM’s editorial practices may be directed to:
Iconic Original Media Corp
New York, New York
Email: press@iconicoriginalmedia.com
Privacy inquiries and formal legal notices should be sent to:
