Transparency Should Work Both Ways.
The Maine Mirror believes accountability shouldn't stop with the people and institutions we cover. It includes us.
Behind the Mirror is our public collection of editorial standards, methods, and accountability practices. It explains how we use artificial intelligence, how we source and verify our reporting, how we distinguish evidence from allegation or interpretation, and what happens when our work is challenged or needs to be corrected. These aren't standards we're asking readers to take on faith. They're standards we're putting in public so you can hold us to them.
We believe independent journalism can embrace new technology, lived experience, and new ways of telling important stories while remaining grounded in primary-source evidence, transparency, fairness, and human accountability.
And when we find a better way to do something, we'll improve.
OUR EDITORIAL STANDARDS
Explore the standards below to see how The Maine Mirror reports, verifies, corrects, and holds itself accountable.
BTM-004: The Correspondence Accountability Project — A Standard for Measuring Responsiveness and Transparency
The Maine Mirror is introducing the Correspondence Accountability Project (CAP), a standardized and publicly documented system for evaluating responsiveness and transparency in completed press correspondence. BTM-004 publishes the methodology, safeguards and standards behind every CAP audit.
Behind the Mirror: Artificial Intelligence & Editorial Transparency
The Maine Mirror openly uses artificial intelligence—but AI is a tool, not evidence. BTM-001 explains how we use AI in reporting, writing, imagery and multimedia, where we draw firm boundaries, and why human accountability remains at the center of everything we publish.
Behind the Mirror: Editorial Accountability, Corrections & Transparency
Accountability includes us. BTM-003 establishes The Maine Mirror’s standards for editorial responsibility, corrections, transparency, conflicts, reader challenges, disclosures, updates, and openly addressing mistakes when the evidence requires it.
Behind the Mirror: Reporting, Sourcing & Verification
Primary sources are the foundation of The Maine Mirror’s reporting. BTM-002 explains our standards for sourcing, verification, public records, quotations, allegations, requests for comment, evidence, analysis, and showing readers the records behind our journalism.