Editorial Policy

Last updated: March 18, 2026

Introduction and Mission

Hardin Local Podcast is a weekly community podcast focusing on local business, events, and conversations in Hardin County. We originally operated as a local news website from 2014–2018, but after being dormant, we relaunched in 2025 as a podcast platform. We are not a traditional news outlet, but we strive to be a trusted source of information and discussion for our community. This editorial policy outlines how we operate: our commitment to honesty and transparency, the freedom given to hosts and guests, and the ethical guidelines we follow to balance conversational content with responsible reporting.

Editorial Philosophy & Independence

Our approach is conversational—we aim for clarity and professionalism while maintaining a friendly, community-oriented tone. Because we are a podcast (not a print newsroom), our style is more relaxed and discussion-driven. However, we maintain the following principles in how we create and share content:

Independence. We make content decisions based on community interest and our mission to inform and entertain, free from undue outside influence. We are not affiliated with any political or corporate agenda, and no advertiser or sponsor dictates our topics or opinions. Our editorial choices are guided solely by what we believe serves our local audience best.
Not Traditional News. While we report on local happenings, we do not adhere to every strict newsroom practice. Our content is a blend of news, commentary, and "word on the street" insights. We embrace the flexibility of our format, which allows open discussion and speculation. At the same time, we understand that trust is earned by being truthful and clear about what is verified fact vs. personal opinion or rumor.
Transparency. We openly communicate our methods and limitations. If we discuss unconfirmed information or community rumors, we will say so plainly. Our listeners will always be able to tell what is confirmed news and what is conversational discussion. We believe this transparency maintains trust even when we're not being "official" journalists.

Hosts' Views and Guest Content

We feature a core hosting team and frequent guest contributors. It's important to clarify how opinions and viewpoints are handled on Hardin Local:

Hosts as Individuals. Our hosts—Rachel Brantingham, Phil Taul, Scott Lucas, Jon O'Brien, Nate Bryan, and Britten & Michele McDowell—are the core team behind the podcast. Each host brings their own perspective and expertise. Each host's opinions are their own and may not always align with an official stance of Hardin Local (in fact, Hardin Local as a platform does not have rigid "official positions" on every issue). We have come together to provide valuable content to the community, but we encourage each other to speak our minds freely.
Guest Opinions. We regularly invite guests (business owners, community leaders, experts, etc.) to share their stories and opinions. We give our guests the freedom to express themselves openly without undue interference. However, any views or opinions expressed by a guest are solely those of the guest and do not necessarily reflect the views of Hardin Local or its hosts. Providing a platform to a guest does not equal endorsement of their statements.
Disclaimers. To avoid confusion, we include (verbally or in print) "views expressed" disclaimers when needed. This means we explicitly note that opinions expressed (whether by our hosts or guests) are personal and do not represent Hardin Local as an organization. Our audience should understand that Hardin Local is a forum for community conversation. We foster an open exchange of ideas and encourage listeners to form their own opinions on the matters discussed.

Comedy and Satirical Content

Hardin Local Weekly includes recurring comedy and satirical segments, including the "Overheard in Hardin County" cold open. These segments are clearly distinct from our news and information content and are understood by our audience as entertainment and commentary.

Our approach to comedy content follows these principles:

Observational, not personal. Comedy segments comment on community behaviors, trends, and cultural moments. They do not target individuals by name or in a way that could identify a specific person.
Self-aware humor. Our hosts include themselves in the joke. We are part of this community and we are laughing at ourselves as much as anything else.
Good faith. The intent behind all comedy content is to entertain and to reflect the shared experience of living in Hardin County. It is never intended to harm, embarrass, or belittle any individual, business, or group.
Encouraging perspective. Community life is better when people can laugh at the small stuff. Our comedy segments aim to help our audience not take things too seriously, find humor in everyday moments, and feel connected through shared experiences.
The same core editorial standards apply. Even in comedy, we do not use hate speech, target protected groups, or platform content that could cause real harm to individuals or businesses. The line between funny and hurtful is one we take seriously, and if we cross it, we will own it and correct course.

Accuracy, Verification, and "Word on the Street"

As a local community platform, we cover community news and chatter, which sometimes means information is evolving or unconfirmed. We are committed to accuracy and clarity in our content, but our approach recognizes the reality of informal information sharing:

Striving for Facts. We do our best to verify information that we share. Whenever possible, we confirm details with primary sources (like local officials, business owners, or eyewitnesses) and double-check key facts.
Transparency About Unconfirmed Info. There are times we will discuss "word on the street"—rumors or reports circulating in the community—especially on fast-moving local stories. In these cases, we commit to being transparent that the information is preliminary.
Balancing Timeliness with Accuracy. Our podcast is conversational and real-time; we don't have the luxury of lengthy fact-checking for every breaking topic. Still, speed doesn't excuse inaccuracy—whenever there's doubt, we either hold back or highlight the uncertainty rather than present speculation as truth.
Updates and Follow-ups. When we've talked about a developing story or tentative information, we make it a point to follow up in later episodes or posts once facts are confirmed. This way, the record is set straight over time.

Corrections and Accountability

Despite our best efforts, we might get things wrong at times. Being a responsible community platform means owning up to mistakes and correcting them:

Prompt Corrections. If we discover that we shared any inaccurate or misleading information, we will correct it promptly and transparently. In the very next podcast episode, the hosts will clarify the mistake and provide the accurate information.
Web & Social Media Updates. We will also post corrections or clarifications on hardinlocal.com and our social media pages.
Encouraging Feedback. We invite our community to help us stay accurate. If you, as a listener or viewer, believe we've gotten a fact wrong or left out an important detail, please let us know via our Contact page. We will verify the feedback and, if an error is confirmed, act on it.
Record of Corrections. For transparency, we maintain a record of significant corrections/clarifications we have issued on hardinlocal.com and on our Facebook page.

Ethics and Privacy Guidelines

We care deeply about our community and the people in it. Our ethical approach centers on the idea of "help, not harm."

Do No Harm. We consider the potential impact of our content on individuals and the community. When a topic is sensitive or could paint someone in a harsh light, we weigh the public's need to know against the potential harm it could cause.
Respectful Dialogue. Some episodes might cover situations or opinions that provoke strong disagreements in our community. We welcome differing opinions, but personal attacks, hate speech, or malicious rumors have no place in our content.
Source Confidentiality. We respect our sources' requests for privacy. If someone provides information and asks to remain anonymous, we will honor that. We will never reveal a source's identity without their explicit permission.
Victims and Families. We avoid sharing names or identifying details of victims until authorities have released that information publicly and after we are sure that family members have been notified.
Images and Videos. When sharing footage or photos from the scene of an incident, we blur or obscure any personal information such as license plates or faces.
Crime Reporting. We follow the principle of "innocent until proven guilty." If we discuss arrests or charges, we refer to individuals as suspects or persons of interest and base our information on official sources when available. The exception is if there is an immediate danger to the community that requires sharing more specific information.
Minimizing Harm. We avoid sensationalizing tragedies or crimes and focus on facts and useful information rather than exploiting personal pain.

Conflicts of Interest & Disclosure

Hardin County is small enough that personal and professional relationships are part of community life. We disclose conflicts openly so listeners can weigh our coverage with full context:

Sponsor relationships. Sponsored segments, episode sponsors, and recurring advertisers are clearly identified on-air and in our show notes. Sponsorship does not buy favorable coverage; we maintain a firewall between sales and editorial.
Family and host relationships. When a host has a close personal connection to a story (including but not limited to family members in public office, in business under coverage, or otherwise involved), we disclose that relationship on-air the first time we discuss the topic and—when appropriate—hand the segment to a different host or guest contributor.
No "both-sides" laundering. Disclosure is not a substitute for fair treatment. We hold all parties—including those connected to a host—to the same evidentiary standard.

Sponsorship & Editorial Firewall

Hardin Local accepts sponsorships from local businesses and organizations. Sponsorship supports our weekly production but never directs our coverage:

Sponsors may not pre-screen, approve, or edit non-sponsored editorial content before publication.
Sponsored content (paid segments, sponsored posts, episode sponsorships) is always labeled as such—both on-air and in show notes.
If a sponsor is featured in our regular editorial coverage (e.g., a sponsor business included in a Business Buzz segment or restaurant review), that connection is disclosed.
We reserve the right to decline sponsorships from organizations whose mission, messaging, or business practices conflict with our editorial standards.

Hardin Local publishes through hardinlocal.com (this website), live weekly podcast streams, and social media platforms including Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok. Our editorial standards apply equally across every platform:

Live Streams and Interaction. We welcome live comments and questions but moderate to ensure respectful and accurate discussion.
Content Moderation. We monitor replies and discussion threads to ensure respectful dialogue. Hate speech, personal attacks, or doxxing are not tolerated.
Platform Policies. We comply with the rules of each platform we use, and often go further by applying our own ethical standards.
Pinned and Highlighted Content. Our pinned posts and highlights are used to make important information—including corrections—easy to find.

How to Reach Us

For corrections, story tips, or other feedback, please use our Contact page. We read every message.

Conclusion

The Hardin Local team is proud to serve our community by sharing news, stories, and conversations in a format that's accessible and engaging. We may not follow every traditional journalistic convention, but we take seriously the values of honesty, fairness, and responsibility.

In summary, we promise to do our best to get things right, to correct them when we don't, and to always be upfront with you about what we know and what we don't know. We will continue to refine these guidelines as we grow, ensuring that Hardin Local remains both a reliable source and an open forum for the Hardin County community.

Thank you for trusting us and being a part of the conversation.

Hardin Local reserves the right to make changes to this policy as needed.