How it works
Methodology
Zeehound does not just show you the news — it shows you how much to trust it. Every signal is scored by the Hound Meter™, a transparent confidence gauge built from source classification, independence tracing, and corroboration checks. Here is exactly how it works.
High. This matters to your interests.
The Hound Meter™
A 1–10 score that reflects how confidently Zeehound can stand behind a signal. It is not a measure of importance — it is a measure of evidence strength. A score of 9 means multiple independent, high-tier sources agree with no conflicts. A score of 3 means the story is early, uncorroborated, or contested.
Scoring Factors
Four inputs determine where a signal lands on the meter.
Source Independence
High weightAre the sources genuinely independent, or are they republishing the same wire copy? We trace lineage to distinguish original reporting from syndicated relays.
Corroboration
High weightHow many credible sources independently confirm the same claim? More independent paths raise the score; a single uncorroborated source lowers it.
Freshness
Medium weightHow recent is the reporting? Signals decay as they age — a 6-hour-old report scores higher than a 4-day-old one on the same development.
Conflict Checks
High weightDo sources disagree on the same metric, date, or geography? Unresolved conflicts cap the score and flag the signal for deeper review.
Confidence Bands
Scores map to four bands that appear as badges on every signal card.
High
8.0 – 10.0Multiple independent, high-tier sources agree. No unresolved conflicts. Fresh reporting.
Medium
5.0 – 7.9Solid corroboration but with minor gaps — fewer sources, or slight freshness decay.
Emerging
3.0 – 4.9Early reporting with limited corroboration. Treat as a developing story, not a settled fact.
Low
1.0 – 2.9Single uncorroborated source, active conflicts, or significant freshness concerns.
Source Tiers
Every source is classified into one of eight tiers. Higher tiers carry more evidentiary weight.
Wire Services
Reuters, AP, AFP — fast, structured, widely syndicated.
Broadcasters
Major network news desks with editorial standards.
Newspapers of Record
National and large regional papers with established editorial processes.
Regional Outlets
Local papers with geographic expertise and on-the-ground sourcing.
Government
Official statements, press releases, and public records.
Regulatory
SEC filings, court documents, and regulatory announcements.
Corporate
Company press releases and investor relations materials.
Specialist
Industry newsletters, trade publications, and expert analysis.
Validation Pipeline
Before a signal reaches your feed, it passes through six validation checks.
Identity
Is the source who it claims to be? We verify domain ownership and publication history.
Date
When was the information published or last updated? Stale or undated content is penalized.
Readability
Is the text machine-readable and complete? Paywalled teasers and bot-blocked pages are flagged.
Conflict
Do multiple sources disagree on the same fact? Conflicts are surfaced, not hidden.
Independence
Are the sources genuinely independent, or do they share a common origin? Syndicated content is de-duplicated.
Freshness
Is the reporting within the active signal window? Older reports are weighted down.
Evidence in view
Every signal links back to its original sources. You can always open the evidence drawer on any card to see exactly which sources were used, how they were classified, and whether any conflicts were detected. The Hound Meter is a guide — not a verdict. We encourage you to read the sources and decide for yourself.