Blunt has been covering Australian and international alternative culture since 1999. We take our responsibility as a publisher seriously. This page sets out how we work.
We believe trust is earned through transparency. Readers should understand how stories are sourced, how corrections are handled and how editorial decisions are made.
Editorial independence
Editorial decisions at Blunt are made independently of advertisers, sponsors, and commercial partners. Advertising does not buy coverage. Sponsored content is clearly labeled and never disguised as editorial.
Blunt Australia Holdings Pty Ltd and its principals have commercial interests across the broader music and media industries.
Sourcing
We build reporting on direct interviews, on-the-record statements, verified press materials, and reliable public records. Where we rely on another publication’s reporting, we credit it. Where we quote a source, we identify them.
Anonymous sources are used sparingly. They appear only when the source faces credible risk for speaking on the record, and only when their information can be corroborated.
Reviews
Reviews represent the perspectives of the writers concerned. Our reviewers are not paid by labels, artists, or PR companies. Promotional materials, including records, streaming access and gig tickets, do not constitute payment.
When a reviewer has a prior personal or professional relationship with the subject of a review, the relationship is disclosed at the bottom of the piece or the review is reassigned.
Conflicts of interest
Editorial staff disclose financial relationships, personal relationships, and other conflicts with the subjects of their coverage. Where a conflict cannot be reasonably managed, the staff member does not cover the subject.
This applies to coverage of Blunt’s own properties, owners, and corporate parent. Articles involving Blunt, our owners, or our commercial partners are flagged in the piece.
Use of AI in editorial production
Blunt uses AI tools to support specific production tasks, not to write our journalism.
Current use includes:
- Research assistance. Writers may use AI tools to identify sources, surface background context, and assist with fact-finding. Information sourced this way is verified before publication.
- Transcription. Recorded interviews are often transcribed using AI tools. Transcripts are reviewed and corrected by editors before quotes are used.
- Light drafting assistance. Writers may use AI tools to help start a draft or work through structure. All published articles are substantially written and edited by the named human author.
We do not use AI to fabricate quotes, invent sources, or generate articles in place of journalism. Bylines reflect work the writer authored.
As Blunt expands across specialist publications, our use of AI in production will evolve. We will update this page to reflect current practice when it changes.
Corrections and updates
When we get something wrong, we correct it publicly. Significant factual errors result in a correction appended to the article and listed on our Corrections page. Updates to developing stories are timestamped within the article. We do not silently edit articles after publication for substantive changes.
Spotted an error? Email [email protected]. We aim to respond within two business days.
Right of reply
Subjects of critical coverage may request a right of reply. We consider requests on the merits. We do not publish responses containing unverified accusations against third parties, but we publish substantive disagreement with our reporting where the response is on point.
Complaints about our reporting can be sent to [email protected]. If you’re not satisfied with our response, you may also refer the matter to the Australian Press Council, which provides an independent complaints process for Australian publishers.
Diversity
Heavy and alternative music in Australia includes voices across gender, sexuality, ethnicity, and background. Our coverage aims to reflect that range — in the artists we cover and in the people who write about them.
Updates to these standards
This page was last updated on 30/05/2026. We update our editorial standards as our publishing practice evolves and note significant changes here.