(Credit: Journal & Courier, screenshot)

The editor of the Journal & Courier, Henry Howard, explained that the newspaper has “stepped up our breaking news posts via Twitter” in a recent column to readers.

The Journal & Courier is a Gannett-owned daily newspaper in Lafayette, Indiana with a circulation of about 27,000 copies, according to Mondo Times.

In light of fake news like death hoaxes about various celebrities and the early misreporting of football coach Joe Paterno’s death, Howard explained the newspaper’s standards call for journalists to  “do our best to make sure it’s accurate before sending it out.”   He wrote:

“We hold ourselves to the same standards for publishing information whether it’s a tweet, an online story or in print.”

However, Howard wrote that “many [readers] still see Twitter as only a starting point” and treat it as a way to see headlines.

We have written to Howard asking if the Journal and Courier has an official social media policy and will update with any response.