A correction written beneath a player may never reach someone who downloaded the episode yesterday. When a published factual statement needs changing, plan where a listener will encounter the correction as well as what the revised wording says.
Use a fictional example: a guest gives the wrong month for a community exhibition. Confirm the correct date with a reliable record before recording an amendment. Keep the correction focused on the factual point; avoid rewriting the guest’s wider argument without explanation.
Make the versions distinguishable
Identify the original passage by approximate timestamp and topic. If you replace the audio file, document when that happened and whether the running time changed. A listener’s saved copy may still contain the earlier version.
An opening note can direct attention to an amendment later in the programme. A spoken insertion beside the original passage can provide more immediate context. Choose according to the significance of the error and the available publishing tools rather than assuming one placement works everywhere.
Keep the written correction accessible next to the player too. State what changed in plain language, with a source when appropriate. Do not silently describe an old downloaded file as though it already contained the new audio.
Finally, listen to the published version through the public player. The correction process is incomplete if the editor’s local file is accurate but visitors still receive the previous export.
Image: a thematic illustration, not a photograph of this example.