Effective Date: July 1, 2026

Welcome to the website of The Madera Tribune (“The Madera Tribune,” “we,” “our,” or “us”), currently accessible at:

• The Madera Tribune

These Terms of Use govern your access to and use of our website, digital publications, subscription services, newsletters, comments, submissions, advertising systems, and related services (collectively, the “Site”). By using the Site, you agree to these Terms.

1. About The Madera Tribune

The Madera Tribune is a newspaper and digital publishing platform serving Madera County and surrounding communities. The Site includes locally produced journalism, archives, opinion content, advertising, legal notices, subscription services, multimedia content, newsletters, and community submissions.
The Madera Tribune is published by Madera Printing and Publishing Company.

2. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing or using the Site, you confirm that:

• you are at least 13 years old;
• you have the legal authority to agree to these Terms;
• you will use the Site in compliance with applicable laws and regulations.

If you do not agree to these Terms, do not use the Site.

3. Changes to These Terms

We may revise these Terms periodically. Updated versions become effective when posted on the Site. Continued use of the Site after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.

4. Intellectual Property Rights

Unless otherwise stated, all Site content is owned by or licensed to The Madera Tribune, including:

• articles;
• headlines;
• photographs;
• videos;
• graphics;
• page layouts;
• branding;
• logos;
• databases;
• archives;
• advertising layouts;
• custom illustrations;
• downloadable materials.

All applicable copyright, trademark, and related intellectual property rights are reserved.
Except as allowed by law or expressly authorized in writing, you may not:

• reproduce;
• republish;
• scrape;
• distribute;
• broadcast;
• sell;
• modify;
• commercially exploit;
• systematically archive;
• train AI systems on;
• or redistribute Site content.

Limited personal, non-commercial sharing of links and brief quotations with attribution is permitted.
The existing Tribune policy remains in force:

Website content may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without prior written approval from the publisher.

5. User Submissions

Users may submit:

• letters to the editor;
• comments;
• announcements;
• photographs;
• event listings;
• obituary information;
• story tips;
• advertising materials;
• classified listings;
• other materials.

By submitting content, you represent that:

• you own the content or have permission to submit it;
• the content does not infringe third-party rights;
• the content is accurate to the best of your knowledge;
• the content is not defamatory, unlawful, fraudulent, threatening, abusive, or obscene.

You grant The Madera Tribune a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to publish, archive, reproduce, edit, adapt, distribute, and display submitted materials in print, digital, social media, newsletter, archival, promotional, and future formats.
We reserve the right, but not the obligation, to:

• edit submissions for length, clarity, grammar, formatting, style, or legal concerns;
• refuse publication;
• remove content;
• suspend commenting privileges;
• preserve archived copies even after removal.

Submission does not guarantee publication.

6. Letters to the Editor

Letters to the editor must include:

• the author’s real name;
• city of residence;
• valid contact information.

Anonymous letters generally will not be published.
The Madera Tribune may edit letters for length, clarity, civility, legal compliance, and editorial standards.

7. Prohibited Conduct

You agree not to:

• violate laws or regulations;
• impersonate another person;
• submit false or misleading information;
• interfere with Site operations;
• introduce malware or malicious code;
• harvest user information;
• attempt unauthorized access to systems or accounts;
• engage in spam, scraping, or automated extraction;
• use the Site to harass, threaten, or defame others;
• post unlawful, hateful, discriminatory, or obscene content.

We may suspend or terminate access for violations.

8. Subscription Services

Certain portions of the Site may require paid subscriptions.
Subscription terms may include:

• recurring billing;
• automatic renewal;
• limited article access;
• digital-only access;
• print and digital bundles.

Pricing and features may change.
Users are responsible for maintaining accurate billing information.
Failure to pay may result in suspension or cancellation of access.
Refunds are handled at our discretion unless otherwise required by law.

9. Advertising and Sponsored Content

The Site may display:

• advertisements;
• sponsored content;
• affiliate links;
• promoted listings;
• legal notices;
• third-party marketing materials.

Advertisers are responsible for the accuracy and legality of their advertisements.
Publication of advertising does not constitute endorsement by The Madera Tribune.
All property rights to advertisements produced by The Madera Tribune remain the property of The Madera Tribune unless otherwise agreed in writing.

10. Third-Party Services and Links

The Site may contain links to third-party websites or services.
We are not responsible for:

• third-party content;
• privacy practices;
• transactions;
• accuracy;
• availability;
• security;
• policies;
• damages arising from third-party services.

Accessing third-party services is at your own risk.

11. Accuracy and Editorial Independence

The Madera Tribune strives for accuracy and responsible journalism. However:

• content may contain errors or omissions;
• information may become outdated;
• opinions belong to their respective authors.

We reserve the right to:

• correct errors;
• update stories;
• remove inaccurate material;
• clarify reporting.

Nothing on the Site constitutes legal, financial, medical, or professional advice.

12. Legal Notices and Public Notices

Public notices and legal advertisements are published based on materials submitted by advertisers, agencies, attorneys, courts, or authorized parties.
The submitting party is responsible for:

• accuracy;
• legal sufficiency;
• deadlines;
• compliance with publication requirements.

The Madera Tribune does not provide legal advice.

13. Copyright Complaints (DMCA)

If you believe material on the Site infringes your copyright, send a written notice containing:

• your contact information;
• identification of the copyrighted work;
• identification of the allegedly infringing material;
• a statement made in good faith;
• a statement under penalty of perjury;
• your physical or electronic signature.

DMCA Notices should be sent to:
The Madera Tribune
2591 Mitchell Court, Suite 107
Madera, CA 93637
Email: [insert dmca email]
We may remove allegedly infringing content while claims are reviewed.

14. Privacy

Use of the Site is also governed by our Privacy Policy.
The Privacy Policy should address:

• analytics;
• cookies;
• newsletter signups;
• subscriber accounts;
• advertising technologies;
• embedded media;
• data retention;
• contact forms;
• California privacy rights.

A separate Privacy Policy should be published alongside these Terms.

15. Disclaimer of Warranties

THE SITE AND ALL CONTENT ARE PROVIDED “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE.”
TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, THE MADERA TRIBUNE DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING WARRANTIES OF:

• MERCHANTABILITY;
• FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE;
• NON-INFRINGEMENT;
• AVAILABILITY;
• ACCURACY;
• SECURITY.

We do not guarantee uninterrupted or error-free operation.

16. Limitation of Liability

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, THE MADERA TRIBUNE SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR:

• INDIRECT DAMAGES;
• INCIDENTAL DAMAGES;
• CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES;
• LOST PROFITS;
• LOSS OF DATA;
• INTERRUPTION OF BUSINESS;
• DAMAGES ARISING FROM USE OF OR INABILITY TO USE THE SITE.

If liability cannot be excluded, liability shall be limited to the amount paid by the user, if any, for access to the Site during the preceding twelve months.

17. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless The Madera Tribune, Madera Printing and Publishing Company, employees, contractors, contributors, licensors, and affiliates from claims arising from:

• your use of the Site;
• your submissions;
• your violation of these Terms;
• your violation of third-party rights.

18. California Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of California.
Any disputes arising from use of the Site shall be resolved in courts located in Madera County, California, unless otherwise required by law.

19. Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found unenforceable, the remaining provisions remain in effect.

20. Contact Information

The Madera Tribune
2591 Mitchell Court, Suite 107
Madera, CA 93637
Phone: (559) 674-2424
Website: The Madera Tribune
For legal or policy questions regarding these Terms, contact:
[insert contact email]

Recommended Companion Policies

For the relaunch, the following additional pages are strongly recommended:

1. Privacy Policy
2. Cookie Policy
3. Accessibility Statement
4. Commenting / Community Guidelines
5. Subscription and Cancellation Policy
6. DMCA / Copyright Notice Procedure
7. Advertising Specifications and Disclaimer

⠀# Practical Recommendation for the Relaunch
For a local newspaper website, “Terms of Use” is generally the better title than “Terms of Service.”
Reason:

• “Terms of Service” is more common for SaaS platforms, apps, marketplaces, and hosted user-account systems.
• “Terms of Use” is more common for publishers, newspapers, media organizations, archives, and editorial websites.
• The Madera Tribune functions primarily as a publishing and media entity rather than a software platform.

That said, the legal function is largely the same.
The cleaner structure for the relaunch is:

• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• Accessibility Statement

rather than combining everything into a single document.

Notes Requiring Final Review Before Publication

Before publication, review the following:

• subscriber/payment platform language;
• comment system moderation language;
• AI scraping/training restrictions;
• California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA/CPRA) obligations;
• newsletter/email marketing consent language;
• whether arbitration clauses are desired;
• whether minors may create accounts;
• ad network disclosures;
• DMCA contact email;
• accessibility commitments.