The Bay is a wholly-owned brand of Ruca Limited, a company incorporated in Macao (“Ruca”). While The Bay sits within Ruca Limited, editorial decisions are made independently by The Bay’s editorial leadership, in line with the independence principles set out below.
The Bay aims to deliver the very best journalism to audiences across the Greater Bay Area, with Macao as our home base, and to readers beyond the region. For this reason, we are committed to ethical journalism as defined by the cardinal principles of accuracy, fairness, transparency, and integrity.
Our journalists, editors, contributors and other staff members are expected to adhere to these principles, ensuring that we protect our most important asset: the trust of our readers.
In our day-to-day practice, ethical journalism means the following.
Accuracy
We live in an era of rampant online disinformation, making truthfulness more important than ever. The Bay consequently strives for high standards of accuracy in its reporting.
Information is taken from primary sources, or reputable secondary sources, which are clearly identified, and linked to where appropriate. Stories are fact-checked.
We adjust our reporting and our perspectives if new information requires it. Expert opinions are solicited when needed. Information is presented in a tonally appropriate manner, free of sensationalism, bias and hyperbole.
Corrections and complaints
We fix clear factual errors as quickly as possible. For more complex complaints, we aim to acknowledge within 7–10 working days and conclude our review as promptly as circumstances allow.
• Correction — a material factual error has been fixed (such as a wrong name, date, or figure). Noted at the top of the article.
• Clarification — the original was accurate but could be misread; the wording has been refined. Noted at the bottom of the article.
• Update — new information has emerged after publication and has been incorporated. Noted at the top, with the date and time of the update.
Readers who spot errors or have concerns about our reporting are welcome to write to [email protected] with the article URL and a description of the issue. The managing editor reviews all complaints, consults the writer where appropriate, and communicates the outcome to the complainant in writing.
Fairness
We live in an increasingly multipolar world, making it vital for our reporting to be fair, which in turn requires us to provide context. This involves soliciting views from people of diverse backgrounds and viewpoints. It is important to us that underrepresented perspectives be shared and marginalised communities be given a voice.
We report our stories in an ethical, empathetic way. All interviews are conducted in a sensitive and respectful manner. They are never coercive. We will never interview a minor without a responsible adult present.
Right of reply
Individuals and organisations featured in articles published by The Bay have the right to respond to allegations and criticisms. Where The Bay intends to publish material allegations against a named person or organisation, we give the subject reasonable advance notice — typically at least 24 hours — to respond before publication. Where timing, legal constraints or safety concerns make advance notice impossible, we will offer the subject an opportunity to respond as soon as practicable after publication. We are committed to constructive dialogue as part of healthy civic and cultural discourse. Readers are also welcome to give feedback to The Bay if they feel any part of our coverage is unfair. Write to [email protected].
Privileged and off-the-record information
Privileged or embargoed information is respected. What is told to us “off the record” stays off the record. An exception would only be made in cases of legal liability or grave public interest, such as when the information involves criminality or a threat to public or individual safety.
Anonymous sources
Anonymity is granted only when the information is essential, in the public interest, and cannot be obtained on the record. Anonymous sourcing is approved by the managing editor or, where the managing editor is the reporter, by another senior editor. The approving editor knows the source’s identity even when the byline reporter protects the source externally. Every story using an anonymous source explains why anonymity was granted — for example, “a government official who spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorised to comment publicly.” Material factual claims from an anonymous source are corroborated with at least one additional source, document, or piece of evidence. Anonymous sources are never used for personal attacks on named individuals. Notes, recordings, and communications relating to a confidential source are stored securely and are not shared outside the editorial team.
Reporting on minors and vulnerable subjects
The Bay covers topics — migration, labour, gender, mental health, displacement — that often involve vulnerable subjects. In such reporting, we commit to the following:
• Minors are never identified by name or image in stories concerning crime, abuse, mental health, sexuality, or victimisation, regardless of any consent given. Photographs of minors are taken only with the documented consent of a parent or guardian.
• Interview subjects in stories involving trauma are briefed on the purpose, scope and likely publication date of their interview before it begins, and may pause, postpone or withdraw at any point. Where appropriate, relevant quotes are shared with the subject before publication for accuracy — not editorial veto.
• Suicide and mental health reporting follows WHO and Samaritans guidance: we avoid method specifics, avoid sensationalising language, do not place such stories prominently on the homepage, and include local support resources at the foot of relevant pieces. We use current language standards, such as “died by suicide” rather than “committed suicide”.
• Heightened identification protections apply by default to migrant workers, undocumented people, sex workers, trafficking survivors, and people in conflict with the state — first name only, age, or pseudonym where safety requires. Subjects are informed of the risks of disclosure in advance.
Transparency
Openness is a core value at The Bay. When we talk to somebody for a story, we identify ourselves, state our purpose clearly, and seek permission. Interviews are never disguised as conversations.
All information is properly credited, whether it comes from a written source, or from a person or organisation familiar with the topic.
The Bay clearly separates fact from analysis and opinion. If an article is a commentary, we will label it as such. We provide full disclosure of any affiliations that may influence our coverage, so that readers are aware of potential bias. We will not permit writers and editors to work on a story when conflicts of interest make it impossible for them to do so in a fair and accurate manner.
We display updates and corrections to our stories in a clear way so that readers can observe our process of accountability.
Gifts and press trips
Staff do not accept gifts of significant value from sources, subjects, advertisers, sponsors, or partners. Where coverage is produced as a result of a press trip or sponsored visit — including transport, accommodation or hospitality provided by the subject of the coverage — this is disclosed clearly at the foot of the article.
Plagiarism and attribution
The Bay’s reporting is original. Where we draw on the work of others — whether text, photographs, audio, video, data or code — we attribute it clearly. Direct quotations are attributed to the speaker and to the publication where they originally appeared. Paraphrased information is credited to its source. When we summarise or build upon reporting from another publication, we link to the original where possible and never present another outlet’s work as our own. Translations of third-party reporting are credited to the source publication. Background drawn from press releases, wire services or briefings is acknowledged as such. The Bay treats plagiarism — including unattributed self-republishing of our own past work — as a serious breach. Where it occurs, we correct the record publicly and review the circumstances internally.
Translation
The Bay reports across the Greater Bay Area, drawing on sources in Cantonese, Mandarin, Portuguese and English. Where we translate quotes or other source material into English, the translation is faithful to the meaning of the original; where idiom or nuance requires interpretation, this is acknowledged. Where machine-assisted translation is used, the resulting text is reviewed and edited by a human journalist before publication.
Use of artificial intelligence
The Bay uses artificial intelligence tools to support its journalism in ways that include research, transcription, summarisation, translation, headline drafting, copy editing, alt-text generation, and data analysis. All AI-assisted output is reviewed by a journalist before publication.
The Bay also publishes AI-generated illustrations and explanatory graphics, which are clearly labelled as such — for example, “Illustration generated by AI” — in the caption. Where AI has been used to translate substantial source material, the article acknowledges this.
The Bay does not:
• present AI-generated photorealistic imagery as a real photograph of a real person, place or event
• attribute AI-generated quotes to real people
• use voice cloning of any kind
• publish AI-written commentary, opinion or analysis without a named human author who has reviewed and revised it
• use AI in ways that are hidden from readers
Photographs and video
Photographs may be cropped and colour-corrected, but never altered in ways that change their meaning. Archive and library imagery is labelled. Staging or re-enactment of news footage is prohibited.
Sponsored content and revenue
We clearly distinguish paid content from editorial content. Sponsored content, branded content, and partner features are labelled. The Bay’s revenue is derived from advertising, sponsored content, branded content and partner features, events, and partnerships. Sales staff do not influence which news stories we cover, and sponsors do not see or approve editorial content before publication.
Independence
The Bay is editorially independent and is not affiliated with any political or religious organisation or interest group. The Bay does not accept government funding tied to specific editorial coverage. Government bodies may purchase clearly labelled sponsored content or partner features under the same terms as any other commercial partner, and such arrangements never include editorial review or pre-publication approval. Editorial decisions are made independently of advertisers, sponsors and partners.
Integrity
The Bay goes about its work with integrity. This means that we uphold commonly accepted, international standards of ethics in journalism, and ensure that we are in compliance with all relevant media laws and regulations regarding libel, defamation, intellectual property rights, and plagiarism.
Bias, othering or stereotyping have no place in our coverage. We are always mindful that we are addressing an audience of varying ethnicities, genders, ages, faiths, beliefs, physical abilities, neurological status, and sexual orientations.
When reporting a sensitive story, we will respect the privacy and feelings of individuals involved and proceed with care. We have no intention of inflicting harm on communities or individuals by our reporting and will consider the emotional impact of our stories before we publish them.
The Bay uses social media, video, and emerging digital technology in a responsible and ethical manner. The same principles that govern our journalism also apply to these areas of our work. We understand that information can spread with great speed on social media and that misinformation can be greatly amplified. We therefore prioritise accuracy when posting written content, videos or images to our platforms.
Our staff are instructed to act with decency and probity in all situations and are required to avoid posting on personal social media in ways that could reasonably be seen as compromising their ability to report fairly on the subjects they cover. This policy applies to all journalists, editors, contributors, freelancers and partners producing work for The Bay. Adherence is a condition of publication. Any reader with concerns about the conduct of our staff, or the integrity of our work, is invited to reach out to us via [email protected].
Conclusion
The Bay aims to be an impeccable source of information about the Greater Bay Area, and the wider world, in a media landscape that has become complex and fragmented.
We can only achieve that goal by putting ethics front and centre. That requires us to produce trustworthy and responsible journalism through the principles of accuracy, fairness, transparency, and integrity.
It also means a willingness to have an ongoing conversation with our readers and staff members about our standards and our work. As the media industry evolves at an exponential rate, our goal is one of continuous improvement and ongoing accountability.