Terms of Service & Reporter Accreditation Agreement
Effective Date: January 1, 2026 · Applicable to all accredited correspondents, field stringers, and investigative contributors of AVA News Network.
1. Scope of Agreement & Acceptance
By registering an account, submitting KYC identification, or utilizing the AVA News Network Reporter Hub (reporter.avanews.in), you agree to be legally bound by these Terms of Service, our Privacy Policy, and our Editorial Code of Ethics.
Accreditation as a stringer, district correspondent, or contributor does not constitute a permanent employment contract with AVA News Network unless explicitly established through a separate written employment agreement executed by the Bureau Chief.
2. Press ID Card Rules & Operational Limitations
The digital and physical Press ID Card issued through this portal is the sole intellectual property of AVA News Network. Its issuance is governed by the following mandatory regulations:
Exclusive Journalistic Purpose: The Press ID may be used solely for gathering news, conducting journalistic interviews, attending authorized press briefings, and covering ground incidents.
Zero Tolerance for Extortion or Bribery: Any attempt to use the media credential for intimidation, financial extortion, undue influence on public authorities, or unlawful personal gain will result in immediate card revocation, permanent account termination, and notification to law enforcement authorities.
QR Verification Integrity: Each Press ID is cryptographically signed and verifiable via its live QR code. Altering, forging, cloning, or sharing ID credentials with unauthorized individuals is strictly prohibited.
Validity & Renewal: Credentials remain valid for the period specified upon approval (standardly 12 months) and require annual re-verification through our KYC compliance desk.
3. Field Reporting & Editorial Verification
Correspondents submitting news leads, audio-visual footage, and articles through the desk must adhere to fundamental journalism ethics:
Truthfulness and Fact Verification: You are responsible for ensuring the factual accuracy of all submitted material. Fabricated reports, deepfakes, or unverified rumours are strictly prohibited.
Defamation & Sub-Judice Restrictions: Field reports must strictly comply with defamation laws, court gag orders, and Indian sub-judice regulations.
Source Protection: Confidential sources recorded through the platform are safeguarded under journalistic privilege standards; however, correspondents must not knowingly conceal evidence in violent criminal investigations.
4. Content Licensing & Publishing Rights
By uploading articles, photographs, and video footage to the Reporter Hub, you grant AVA News Network an exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to edit, publish, distribute, broadcast, and syndicate the submitted media across our digital portals, social media handles, and partner news wires.
You warrant that all submitted media is original work and does not infringe upon any third-party copyrights, privacy rights, or trademarks.
5. Revocation of Accreditation & Termination
The Editorial Board of AVA News Network reserves the absolute right to suspend, revoke, or permanently terminate any reporter's accreditation and Press ID at any time without prior notice in the event of:
Submission of false or forged government KYC identification documents.
Repeated submission of inaccurate, plagiarized, or misleading news reports.
Breach of state or national media laws, including Information Technology Rules (2021).
Conduct bringing disrepute to the AVA News Network brand.
6. Legal & Grievance Contact
For legal inquiries, accreditation questions, or grievance redressal regarding these Terms, contact our Compliance Office:
