Editorial Standards & AI Disclosure

Last updated: April 12, 2026

The Elko Brief is an independent, locally owned news outlet covering Elko County, Nevada. This document describes how we produce our journalism, our standards for accuracy, and the role technology plays in our newsroom.

The Agentic Newsroom

The Elko Brief operates what we call an Agentic Newsroom — a model where advanced AI tools assist with research, data analysis, and initial drafting, while a human editor maintains full editorial control.

How It Works

  • Data Monitoring: AI tools scan public records, government agendas, press releases, and official data sources relevant to Elko County.
  • Research & Analysis: AI assists in analyzing complex documents such as municipal budgets, mining permits, and regulatory filings — work that would take a traditional newsroom days.
  • Initial Drafting: AI may generate initial drafts of news briefs based on verified source material.
  • Human Verification: Every story — from a quick brief to a long-form investigation — is reviewed, fact-checked, edited, and approved by our Editor-in-Chief before publication.

The Human Lock

No story reaches the site without human editorial sign-off. This is a non-negotiable standard. AI is a tool in our newsroom, not an editor. The final judgment on accuracy, fairness, tone, and newsworthiness always rests with a human journalist.

Accuracy & Sourcing

We strive for 100% accuracy in every piece we publish.

Primary Sources

  • Official government documents and public records (Elko County Clerk, Nevada Secretary of State, BLM, USGS)
  • Direct statements from named officials and community members
  • Court filings, police reports, and regulatory documents
  • Press releases from verified organizations

Source Verification

  • Every data point and quote is cross-referenced with its original source
  • We do not publish unverified claims as fact
  • When a claim cannot be independently verified, we note that clearly in the story

Anonymous Sources

We only use anonymous sources when:

  • There is a documented risk of professional or personal retaliation
  • The information is critical to the public interest
  • The source’s reliability has been established through other means

Independence

The Elko Brief is not funded by any political party, mining corporation, government entity, or outside investor. Our editorial decisions are driven entirely by the public interest of Elko County residents.

We do not accept payment for coverage. Advertising and sponsored content are always clearly labeled and separated from editorial reporting.

Corrections & Transparency

When we make an error, we correct it publicly and promptly.

  • Corrections are noted at the top of the affected article with a description of what changed.
  • Significant corrections are logged in our Transparency Log, which is updated weekly.
  • To report an error, email corrections@elkobrief.com.

Bylines & Attribution

Stories published under a Bureau byline (e.g., “The Community Bureau,” “The Governance Desk”) represent work produced through our Agentic Newsroom workflow — AI-assisted research and drafting with human editorial oversight.

Stories published under Scott Ingram represent work where the Editor-in-Chief conducted primary reporting, interviews, or investigative research directly.

In all cases, the Editor-in-Chief is the final authority on what is published.

Contact

Questions about our editorial standards or methodology?

Email: editor@elkobrief.com Corrections: corrections@elkobrief.com