This Editorial Policy outlines the standards, practices and responsibilities that govern all content published by Wochenbriefing (wochenbriefing.de). As an independent Swedish digital news publisher owned by Wochenbriefi Media Ltd., we are committed to transparency, accuracy and editorial independence. This policy explains how we produce, label and review our journalism, and how readers can hold us accountable.
Who is responsible for editorial standards at Wochenbriefing?
The Chefredaktör (editor-in-chief), Benjamin Richter, bears ultimate responsibility for all editorial standards, publication decisions and corrections at Wochenbriefing. He reports to the company’s board and is independent from commercial, political or external influence.
Benjamin Richter oversees the newsroom and ensures every article meets our quality benchmarks before publication. He can be reached directly at anders.lindqvist@wochenbriefing.de or +46 8 525 030 61. Day-to-day editorial leadership is delegated to Stefanie Schmid, Redaktionschef, who manages the newsroom, assigns stories and reviews headlines. Each editorial team member – from political editor Felix Jung to economic reporter Petra Schuster – operates under clear editorial guidelines that prioritise accuracy, fairness and context over speed or sensation.
How is Wochenbriefing owned and funded?
Wochenbriefing is wholly owned and operated by Wochenbriefi Media Ltd., a private company registered in Gibraltar (company number C 92009, Malta Business Registry) with its registered office at Office 9, Business Centre, Valletta, 0000. The main phone number is +356 2138 9009.
Our funding comes from display advertising, affiliate links, commercial partnerships, sponsored content, newsletter sponsorships and content licensing. All sponsored or commercial material is clearly labelled, and affiliate links are disclosed in accordance with regulatory requirements. Commercial relationships never determine editorial conclusions. For a detailed breakdown of our ownership structure and funding sources, please see our Ownership & Funding page. Further information on how we identify and handle advertising and affiliate content is available in our Advertising & Affiliate Disclosure.
How do we distinguish news, opinion, features, sponsored and affiliate content?
We label each piece of content with its category so readers can immediately understand its nature. News articles report verified facts; opinion pieces reflect the author’s personal viewpoint; features provide in-depth analysis; sponsored content is paid for by a third party and clearly marked; affiliate content contains links that may generate revenue for us.
Every news article carries the label “News” at the top. Opinion columns are headed “Opinion” and include a note that the views are those of the author. Feature articles are labelled “Feature” and often include a longer context box. Sponsored content is preceded by the word “Sponsored” in the headline and a disclosure statement at the start of the text. Affiliate links are always accompanied by a brief, standardised disclosure, such as “This article contains affiliate links.” If you would like to read our full policy on sponsored material, visit our Sponsored Content Policy.
What transparency do we provide at the article level?
Every article published by Wochenbriefing includes the name of the writer, the date of publication, the name of the editing editor, the fact-checker assigned to the piece, and a link to any corrections or updates made after publication. This information appears in a box beneath the headline.
We believe article-level transparency builds trust. Readers can see who wrote a story, who checked its facts and who decided to publish it. If a correction is required, we append a note at the top of the article detailing the change and the date it was made. Our Corrections Policy and Fact-Checking Policy provide further detail on how we handle errors and verify sources.
How do we use artificial intelligence?
AI-assisted tools may support research, drafting, editing, formatting, translation, metadata generation, headline options, summaries and transcription, but they never replace human editorial judgement. Every piece of published editorial content is reviewed and approved by a human editor before it goes live.
We strictly prohibit AI from fabricating quotes, sources, interviews, bylines, author experience or expert profiles. All factual claims are verified by a named human fact-checker. If AI tools are used in the production process, that fact is disclosed in the article footer. For a comprehensive overview of our approach, see our AI & Automation Policy.
Who writes for Wochenbriefing and how are they credited?
All articles are drafted by a named writer, reviewed by an editor and fact-checked before publication. Bylines appear on every story, and each writer’s professional background or specialism is listed on our team page.
Writers are either staff journalists or regular contributors. Freelance and guest authors are clearly identified. We do not publish anonymous opinion pieces or unsigned news reports. Readers can view the full list of our editorial team, including contact details and responsibilities, on our Our Team page. If a writer’s name does not appear, the article has not been finalised and will not be published.
How can readers submit a complaint?
We take all complaints seriously and provide a clear, formal procedure for readers to raise concerns about accuracy, fairness, bias or ethical breaches. Complaints can be submitted to complaints@wochenbriefing.de or via the form on our dedicated complaints page.
Upon receiving a complaint, our complaints team acknowledges it within two working days. The Chefredaktör, Benjamin Richter, or a deputy reviews the complaint and issues a response within ten working days. If the complaint is upheld, we publish a correction or clarification. If it is rejected, we explain the reasoning. Readers who remain unsatisfied may escalate the matter to an external independent arbitrator. For full details, please see our Complaints Procedure.
Our commitments
- We commit to accuracy: every factual claim is verified by at least two independent sources or a directly attributable primary source before publication.
- We commit to independence: no advertiser, sponsor, political party or external funder influences editorial decisions or story selection.
- We commit to transparency: all bylines, corrections, funding sources and use of AI tools are openly disclosed on every article and supporting page.
- We commit to accountability: readers can submit complaints through a formal, timely process, and we will publish corrections promptly when errors are identified.
- We commit to fairness: we seek comment from all relevant parties before publishing any critical report, and we correct any misrepresentation without delay.