Commissioning

We commission pieces from staff contributors and a small roster of occasional freelance writers. All commissions are reviewed by the editor in chief and at least one other contributor before reporting begins. Pieces are not commissioned on the basis of search-traffic potential or sponsorship.

Reporting standards

Every reported piece is expected to be based on first-hand observation, direct interview, primary documents, or verifiable archival sources. Composite scenes and composite characters are not permitted. Pseudonyms are used only when a source faces a credible threat from being identified, and we always disclose their use.

Fact-checking

Each piece is fact-checked by a contributor other than the writer. Names, dates, dollar amounts, distances, titles of works, and any direct quotation are checked against the writer's notes, recordings, or the original source. Where a quote is taken from a translated interview, the original-language transcript is retained.

Corrections

We correct factual errors visibly. When a correction is made, a dated note is appended to the bottom of the piece describing what was changed and why. We do not silently re-edit pieces after publication.

Sources and confidentiality

We protect confidential sources. When a source has agreed to be interviewed on the record, we publish them on the record. Anonymous sourcing is permitted only when (a) the information cannot be obtained on the record, (b) the information is materially important, and (c) the editor in chief has been told the identity of the source.

Independence

Editorial decisions are taken by the editorial trust, which is independent of any commercial entity. We do not accept sponsored content, native advertising, or affiliate links. We do accept foundation grants for specific reporting projects, which are disclosed in the relevant pieces.

Use of generative tools

Common Hours pieces are reported and written by human contributors. We do not use generative text models to draft or rewrite pieces. We may use software for transcription, translation assistance, or fact-checking lookups, and we treat the output as a draft to be verified.