RegionalReport.co.uk is owned and operated by Regional Report Media Ltd, a private limited company registered in England and Wales (company number 17143892), with its registered office at 3 New Bailey Street, 5th Floor, Manchester M3 5FS, United Kingdom. This Artificial Intelligence and Automation Policy is maintained by the Editor-in-Chief, Margaret Ellison, and the Standards & Fact-Checking Lead, Oliver Reeves. It governs the use of digital tools across our editorial workflow and applies to all content published on our platform.
Supported uses of artificial intelligence and automation
We permit the use of AI and automated tools in strictly defined areas that serve our editorial efficiency and accuracy. These tools may support:
- Research and information gathering, including the identification of publicly available data and documents
- Editing and proofreading for grammar, clarity, and consistency
- Formatting and metadata generation, including alt text and tagging
- Translation of content between English and other languages for community outreach
- Headline variations and summary generation for internal comparison
- Transcription of audio interviews and public proceedings
All outputs produced with the assistance of such tools are treated as drafts. No material generated or refined by AI is published without thorough human review and approval by a member of our editorial team.
Human review guarantee
Every story, brief, explainer, opinion piece, or feature published on RegionalReport.co.uk is subject to a human editorial review process. This review is performed by a qualified journalist or editor who verifies the accuracy, tone, and relevance of the content. Automation may assist in pre-production stages, but it never bypasses the judgement of our editorial staff. The final responsibility for any published work lies with the relevant editor, as listed on our Our Team page.
Prohibitions on fabricated content
Under no circumstances may AI tools be used to create or insert fabricated quotes, sources, interviews, bylines, author experience, or expert profiles. All attributed statements and named sources must originate from genuine interactions, verified documents, or publicly attributable records. Any attempt to use AI to generate false information is a direct violation of our editorial standards and will result in immediate corrective action and, where appropriate, disciplinary measures. This prohibition is reflected in our Editorial Policy and Fact-Checking Policy.
Labelling of AI-generated media
Where we publish media—such as images, audio, video, or graphics—that is wholly generated by artificial intelligence or significantly altered through AI manipulation, we will label it clearly and conspicuously. The label will state the nature of the AI involvement and, if relevant, the tool used. This ensures that readers can distinguish between original journalistic work and synthetic content. We also apply this standard to any sponsored or commercial material produced on behalf of partners.
Transparency and accountability
We are committed to being transparent about how technology supports our journalism. This policy is part of a broader framework that includes our Ownership & Funding disclosure, where commercial relationships are outlined. Any updates to our use of AI or automation will be reflected here, and we welcome questions and feedback from readers via our contact channels. Our full editorial team and their responsibilities are detailed on the Our Team page, and any concerns about AI-generated content can be raised with Oliver Reeves, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead, at oliver.reeves@regionalreport.co.uk.
Our commitments
- All editorial content is subject to human review before publication; no automated output enters public view without a qualified editor’s approval.
- We never use AI to invent quotes, sources, interviews, bylines, or any form of false attribution.
- Any AI-generated or AI-significantly-altered media is clearly and consistently labelled for our readers.
- We disclose the ways in which we deploy AI and automation tools, and routinely reassess their use against our editorial values.
- We maintain a clear point of accountability for this policy through the Editor-in-Chief and the Standards & Fact-Checking Lead, and we will update the policy as technology and best practices evolve.