FACT- CHECK POLICY

Introduction

Credent TV is committed to publishing accurate, fair, transparent and responsibly verified news and information.

This Fact-Checking and Verification Policy explains the editorial standards and procedures followed by Credent TV while researching, verifying, reviewing, publishing, updating and correcting content.

Credent TV is a digital news and media brand owned and operated by Manasvita Global Media Pvt. Ltd.

This policy applies to news reports, articles, interviews, debates, videos, graphics, photographs, social media posts, explainers and other editorial content published or distributed by Credent TV.

Accuracy Before Speed

Credent TV recognises the importance of publishing timely news. However, accuracy takes priority over speed.

We aim to verify material facts before publication and avoid presenting assumptions, rumours, speculation or unverified social media claims as established facts.

Where information is still developing or cannot be independently confirmed, its status will be clearly communicated to the audience.

Our Verification Principles

Credent TV follows these broad principles:

• Material facts should be checked before publication
• Primary and authoritative sources should be preferred wherever available
• Important claims should be corroborated through additional evidence wherever reasonably possible
• Facts, allegations, opinions, analysis and speculation should be clearly distinguished
• Relevant context should not be omitted in a manner that materially misleads the audience
• Headlines, captions, thumbnails and social media descriptions should accurately reflect the underlying content
• Serious allegations should ordinarily include the response of the person or organisation concerned
• Verified errors should be corrected promptly and transparently

Source Hierarchy

Depending on the subject, Credent TV may rely on:

• Official documents, notifications and government records
• Court orders, judgments and legal filings
• Parliamentary and legislative records
• Police statements, FIRs and investigation documents
• Regulatory and institutional records
• Election Commission data
• Company filings and statutory disclosures
• Scientific research and peer-reviewed publications
• Public statements, speeches and verified interviews
• Direct eyewitness accounts
• Photographs, videos and original field reporting
• Established news agencies and credible news organisations
• Subject-matter experts and qualified professionals

Primary sources are preferred wherever they are reasonably available.

Secondary sources may be used when primary evidence is unavailable, incomplete or inaccessible. In such cases, we assess the credibility, proximity, record and possible interests of the source.

Multiple-Source Verification

Credent TV seeks to corroborate important or disputed information through more than one credible source wherever reasonably possible.

However, the number of sources alone does not determine accuracy. A single authoritative primary source—such as a court judgment, official notification, statutory filing or direct on-record statement—may sometimes be the most reliable evidence available.

Anonymous or single-source information involving serious allegations requires additional editorial scrutiny and may require approval from a senior editor before publication.

Claims and Allegations

Claims and allegations are not presented as established facts unless supported by sufficient verifiable evidence.

Reports should clearly use appropriate attribution, such as:

• “According to the police…”
• “The organisation claimed…”
• “The petition alleges…”
• “The minister stated…”
• “The information could not be independently verified…”

An FIR, complaint, charge or allegation does not establish guilt. The legal status and procedural stage of a case should be represented accurately.

Right to Respond

Before publishing serious allegations that may materially affect the reputation of an individual or organisation, Credent TV will make reasonable efforts to obtain their response wherever practicable.

If no response is received within a reasonable editorial timeframe, the report may mention that an attempt was made to seek comment.

A relevant response received after publication may be added through an update or clarification.

The opportunity to respond does not give a source the right to approve, suppress or rewrite independent editorial content.

Verification of Quotations

Direct quotations should accurately reflect what the speaker said and should not be altered in a way that changes their meaning.

Where possible, quotations may be verified through:

• Audio or video recordings
• Official transcripts
• Written statements
• Direct confirmation
• Reliable published records

Partial quotations should not be presented in a manner that materially changes the speaker’s intended meaning or removes essential context.

Social Media and Viral Claims

Credent TV does not assume that information circulating on social media is accurate merely because it is widely shared or posted by a popular account.

Before publishing a viral claim, we may examine:

• The original source of the post
• The date and location of the event
• Earlier versions of the image or video
• The identity and credibility of the account
• Official responses or records
• Reverse-image search results
• Video frames, metadata and visual landmarks
• Weather, geographical and chronological indicators
• Signs of editing, manipulation or synthetic generation

A screenshot by itself may not be treated as sufficient proof of authenticity.

Photographs and Videos

Photographs and videos are checked for authenticity, context, date and location wherever these details are material to the report.

Old or unrelated visuals must not be presented as evidence of a current event.

Visuals may be examined using appropriate verification methods, including:

• Reverse-image searches
• Key-frame analysis
• Source tracing
• Metadata review, where available
• Geolocation and landmark comparison
• Chronolocation and environmental indicators
• Comparison with official or independently verified footage

Illustrative, representational, reconstructed or file images should be labelled where necessary.

AI-Generated and Manipulated Content

Credent TV treats AI-generated, digitally altered and synthetic media with particular caution.

AI-generated information is not published as fact without independent human verification.

AI-created or materially altered images, videos or audio must not be presented as authentic documentary evidence.

Where synthetic or reconstructed content is used for explanation, design or illustration, an appropriate disclosure should be provided whenever its nature may not be obvious to the audience.

Suspected deepfakes or manipulated media should be examined using multiple indicators rather than relying solely on a single detection tool.

Documents and Screenshots

Documents, letters, notices and screenshots may be verified by examining:

• The issuing authority
• Official letterhead and contact information
• Reference, file or notification numbers
• Dates, signatures and formatting
• Availability on an official website
• Direct confirmation from the issuing organisation
• Comparison with known authentic records

Personal or confidential information may be redacted before publication where necessary.

Surveys, Polls and Statistical Claims

When reporting surveys, opinion polls or statistical findings, Credent TV seeks to identify:

• The organisation that conducted the research
• The sponsor or funding source, where relevant
• Sample size and sample selection
• Geographic and demographic scope
• Dates of data collection
• Methodology
• Margin of error, where applicable
• Limitations or possible conflicts of interest

Statistics should not be presented without the context required to understand their meaning.

Correlation should not automatically be described as causation.

Health, Science and Medical Information

Health, scientific and medical claims require enhanced scrutiny.

Credent TV may consult:

• Peer-reviewed research
• Recognised medical institutions
• Government health agencies
• Qualified doctors, scientists or subject experts
• Original study data and methodology

Preliminary research, preprints, animal studies, small observational studies and laboratory findings should not be presented as definitive conclusions about human health.

Health content is published for informational purposes and should not be treated as a substitute for personalised professional medical advice.

Financial and Economic Information

Financial, market and investment-related information should be sourced carefully and presented with appropriate context.

Rumours about companies, banks, securities, cryptocurrencies or financial institutions should not be amplified without adequate verification.

Credent TV does not guarantee investment returns, and published financial information should not be interpreted as personalised investment advice.

User-Generated Content

Material submitted by readers, viewers, contributors or members of the public is treated as unverified until reasonably authenticated.

Credent TV may contact the person who submitted the material and ask:

• Whether they personally recorded or created it
• When and where it was created
• Whether it has been edited
• Whether they have the right to share it
• Whether other witnesses or supporting records are available

User-generated content should be identified or attributed appropriately where its origin is relevant.

Fact-Checking Political Claims

Political statements are assessed using the same evidentiary standards regardless of the party, ideology, government, organisation or individual involved.

Credent TV does not change its standard of evidence based on the identity or political affiliation of the person making the claim.

Relevant evidence supporting and contradicting the claim should be examined fairly.

Sponsored and Branded Content

Commercial arrangements do not exempt sponsored or branded content from basic factual verification.

Sponsored content should be clearly labelled and must not be presented as independent news reporting.

Advertisers and sponsors are not permitted to improperly influence the factual conclusions of Credent TV’s editorial content.

Headlines, Thumbnails and Captions

Headlines, thumbnails, captions and promotional descriptions are part of the editorial content and are subject to verification standards.

They should not:

• Exaggerate the available evidence
• Present an allegation as proven fact
• Misidentify a person or location
• Use unrelated visuals
• Remove context in a materially misleading manner
• State certainty where the underlying report is uncertain

Engagement or click-through objectives do not override accuracy.

Publication Review

The level of editorial review may vary according to:

• The seriousness of the allegation
• Public-interest significance
• Legal or reputational risk
• Sensitivity of the subject
• Quality of available evidence
• Urgency of publication
• Use of anonymous sources
• Presence of graphic or disturbing material

High-risk or highly sensitive reports may require review by a senior editor before publication.

Corrections, Clarifications and Updates

Credent TV stands by content that has been responsibly verified and accurately published.

When a material factual error is confirmed, we will correct it as promptly and transparently as reasonably possible.

Depending on the nature of the issue, we may:

• Correct the original text
• Update a headline or caption
• Replace an incorrect photograph or graphic
• Add a correction or clarification note
• Update a video title or description
• Publish a separate correction in serious cases
• Withdraw content in exceptional circumstances

Minor spelling, grammatical or formatting changes that do not alter the meaning may be made without a separate correction note.

Further details are available in Credent TV’s Correction Policy.

Reader Submissions and Fact-Check Requests

Readers and viewers may submit claims, documents, photographs, videos or other information for verification.

A request should preferably include:

• The claim to be checked
• The original link or source
• The date and platform on which it appeared
• Available supporting evidence
• The requester’s contact details

Submission of a claim does not guarantee that Credent TV will publish a fact-check.

Priority may be given to claims that:

• Have significant public reach
• Could cause public harm
• Concern public policy or democratic processes
• Involve health, safety or communal sensitivity
• Are being widely circulated
• Can be assessed using reasonably obtainable evidence

Editorial Independence

Fact-checking and verification decisions are based on evidence and editorial standards.

Political organisations, government bodies, advertisers, sponsors, commercial partners and other external parties are not permitted to improperly influence our factual findings.

Contact Us

To report a possible factual error or submit a claim for verification, please contact:

Official Email: in**@*******tv.com
Contact Page: https://credenttv.com/contact-us/

Please include the relevant URL, claim and supporting evidence to enable an efficient review.

Review of This Policy

This policy may be updated periodically to reflect changes in journalism, technology, verification tools, law and professional standards.