Introduction and Purpose
The goal of Driving Line is to provide high-quality photography and stories that matter to automotive enthusiasts across the entire spectrum of car culture. Be they lifted Jeeps, diesel drag trucks, slammed imports or roaring muscle cars, we strive to give our readers the best of their car niche, and the opportunity to expand their interests across the broad range of the hobby we love.
To that end, we have developed a set of content guidelines to ensure that not only does each article meet our standards of excellence, but that we do not lose our way in search of the latest fad or trend, abandoning the varied corners of our culture.
Ethical Journalism Standards
Every publication relies on the trust of its readers. Without them, it would cease to exist. We use these guidelines to ensure the trustworthiness of every article produced by Driving Line, along with ensuring that every article is created in an ethical way. We respect our readers and know that if we don’t tell the truth, they should rightly stop reading what we produce.
Correctness of Information
Every article will be researched before it is written and copyedited before it is published. If we need to dig deeper to discover what the truth behind the story is, we will always go the extra mile. This will often mean that stories based on rumor or speculation are not run, because the information within them is not verifiable. Of course, Driving Line is made by people who will occasionally make mistakes, and anytime that happens, we will swiftly work to correct our errors.
Different Viewpoints
In today’s polarized world, it’s easy to only give voice to one side, especially within a culture as passionate as automotive enthusiasm. However, when it comes to matters of opinion, we will present varied positions and allow our readers to make up their minds on what is the correct viewport. Having an opinion is, after all, as individual as car enthusiasts themselves. We recognize and encourage that.
Lawfulness
All content on Driving Line will be acquired in a lawful way. Editors and contributors may not trespass or sneak into restricted locations. They may not break a contract to publish a news story first. They may not steal anything, be it information, digital assets or physical media. Even if it means not being the first to publish a story or not being able to publish it at all, all content must be obtained legally.
Reviews
From time to time, manufacturers will send Driving Line products that they wish to see reviewed on the site. We will only review a product if it is one that would be relevant to our readers and the automotive community. In addition, every review is done in good faith and contains our full, honest opinion. Our integrity as an organization is our primary focus.
Sources of Information
In the vast majority of our news stories, our information is coming directly from the manufacturer. In these cases, we will present this to you as fact since this is what the primary source of truth is telling us (underrated horsepower numbers and all). While most rumors do not meet our standards for correct and verifiable information, from time to time the source of a rumor or leak is respected or close enough for us to consider passing this information on to our readers. When a news story contains information that is related to leaks or other rumors, we will clearly state it so that our readers understand that while it may appear that what we are saying is true, no primary source has confirmed it.
Plagiarism
Driving Line has a zero-tolerance policy towards plagiarism. If we see that an article has plagiarized content, we will not publish it, and if it has somehow made it to the site, it will be taken down immediately.
High Quality Photography and Writing
We strive to be the top automotive outlet on the planet. To that end, we consider the quality of our writing and photography paramount to what we produce. Any feature or event photography must be shot with an eye for detail, and any words accompanying that photography must be well-crafted. If this means that we produce less content than other competing sites, so be it. We want our readers to know that no matter which Driving Line article they read, they will be seeing only the highest-quality work. If we wouldn’t share it with our own friends, we wouldn’t see it fit for publishing.
Original Analysis and Opinion
Our editors and contributors have many years of experience working in the automotive industry and have spent even more time as enthusiasts themselves. This makes them highly qualified to give top-notch analysis and opinion on the specifics of a build or news story (like those underrated horsepower numbers). Our collective editorial knowledgebase is part of what distinguishes us from other outlets, and all our writers are encouraged to share their perspective on whatever they are reporting on, so long as it is in a balanced way. It will always be presented in a way that distinguishes it from the facts and verified information in a story, however, so as to not confuse opinion with fact.
Cars Old and New
One of the more polarizing aspects of the hobby we love is the advent of new technology. Some love the idea of electric, self-driving cars, while others believe true enthusiasm lives only in older, purely analog vehicles, free of electronic launch control. As a part of our mission to bring all corners of automotive enthusiasm together, we will cover both kinds of cars, since both are exciting in their own way. Expect to see an article on a Tesla track day next to a feature on a beautiful C10.
Outside Contributors
In order to produce all the content for Driving Line, we rely on contributors as well as staff. Our contributors are held to these same standards. No matter who creates the content, you can trust it will be of the same high standard.
