Editorial Standards

That's why we hold ourselves to the standards of a newsroom. When you hit play on an episode or flip open an issue, you can trust that everything you're about to hear or read has been carefully researched and fact-checked.

Can I trust what you tell me?

Every fact we publish comes from a reputable source. We rely on primary sources, the trade press, and established genre outlets. If we didn't report it ourselves, we'll tell you who did. For the magazine, every article is fact-checked by someone other than its writer before it goes to print.

We don't rely on rumor sites, content farms or social media posts. Online discourse tells us what people are talking about, not what's actually happening. If we can't confirm something, it doesn't run. The rare exception is a rumor too big to ignore. When we discuss one, we'll be clear about what we do and don't know.

When we cover work by someone we've published, a friend, a sponsor, or one of our sister shows at Lore Party Media, we'll disclose that loudly and upfront. You'll never be tricked into reading something that turns out to be a hidden ad halfway through.

Do you use AI?

We never publish AI-generated writing, art or audio. We do use AI behind the scenes, including to help organize research. But just like Wikipedia isn't a source, neither is AI. It can only help us find leads that might be worth chasing. Everything we publish is fact-checked by a person. Our AI Policy has the full details.

Do sponsors make any decisions?

No, our sponsors and advertisers have no say in what we cover or how we cover it. They don't see episodes, articles or issues before release. We only work with brands that align with our values and whose products we personally use or believe in. Some podcast ads are inserted automatically by our hosting platform. We don't pick those, and running them isn't an endorsement.

Do certain writers get priority?

Every story in Stellar arrives one of two ways: through open submissions, or we commission a writer directly. Both routes are reviewed against the same guidelines, and a commissioned story still has to earn acceptance. It isn't a guaranteed spot. When a submission comes from someone an editor knows personally, that editor steps back from the decision and another editor makes the call.

What happens when you get something wrong?

We're a small and scrappy team, so mistakes are inevitable. But mistakes don't have to be permanent, which is why we'll always make corrections publicly. Podcast corrections go in the episode's show notes. Magazine corrections go in the issue's credits. We don't quietly change facts and hope no one noticed.

We're committed to earning your trust, one episode and one issue at a time.

If you spot a mistake, tell us at stellarscifi@loreparty.com.