Developing an editorial policy

No matter what platform you use, the choice of an editorial policy can make or break your publication(s) – and consistency is highly recommended. What you select, and why, does make a difference.

Two types of policiesBoard level and Publications levelWhat is a policy: A set of principles that consistently guide the actions of all student media at your school and the working process of the staff.

A board level policy states the board’s intent toward student media. It should not be changed or updated yearly. Compare it to the Constitution. Amendments are few, but significant and done for a conceptual reason.

Publications policy establishes the working principles of student media. It can support a board policy or stand alone. It should be at least reviewed yearly to establish it is an active working document.

Board level policies – the best and most binding on administrators. It reflects the “by policy” of Hazelwood’s by policy or practice.

Publications level policies – May exist without a board level policy. It reflects the “by practice” of Hazelwood’s by policy or practice.

Additional note

Neither of the policy approaches, board- or media-level, recommend mixing ethical guidelines or staff manual language.

Keep policies and ethics-manual language separate to avoid confusion and misunderstanding.

We will talk more about ethical guidelines and staff manual language in another session.

What must be in a good policy?Status of forum: Designated public forum for student expression without prior review by school officials

Prior review: School officials do not exercise prior review. Advisers can review and assist, but…

Final decisions: Students make all final decisions of content

Other points like letters policy, covering death, advertising policy, Takedown policy, use of others’ images, content ownership, photo manipulation and comments policy are needed in the publications level policy but not the board level.

Why not at the board level?

Board level policies establish the general statement of the board of education.

You do not want them playing with things like letters to the editor or how you decide to report death.

Those are best positioned in media-level documents changeable only by the student staff and as regularly as it chooses.

Why designated?

We would add the word designated to all policies, those approved by your boards of education and those that, essentially, guide your practice and are not board approved.

The argument is so long as the board does not act to tell you your student media are not public forums for student expression, and allow you to operate as one, you are one.

Why not open?

We prefer the phrase designated public forums for student expression instead of open forums because the term open can lead to an opponent of your forum arguing open suggests chaos and anything goes.

That is not what you want, or mean, so you cut off the argument early.

So what is the best wording?

"XXXXX student media are designated public forums for student expression in which students make all final decisions of content without prior review by school officials.”

We have three models for the board policy statements:

Model 1[NAME OF SCHOOL] student media are designated public forums in which students make all decisions of content without prior review by school officials.

Comment: This contains only the basic statement of journalistic responsibility. It is usable at the board level to outline the basic principles of external oversight, leaving the process to other internal packages, like ethics guidelines and staff manuals. This removes from consideration the possibility of board attempts to change process-oriented direction.

A short statement like this clearly establishes the principles and responsibilities that guide all other statements. With no prior review added to it, it has the three crucial points in a policy: (1) designated public forum status in which (2) students make all final decisions regarding content and (3) do so without prior review.

Decisions on matters such as letters, bylines, staff disciplinary actions, coverage of death and more are best detailed in ethical guidelines and staff manuals.

Model 2[NAME OF SCHOOL] student media are designated public forums in which students make all decisions of content without prior review from school officials.

Freedom of expression and press freedom are fundamental values in a democratic society. The mission of any institution committed to preparing productive citizens must include teaching these values and providing a venue for students to practice these values, both by lesson and by example.

As preservers of democracy, our schools shall protect, encourage and enhance free speech and the exchange of ideas as a means of protecting our American way of life.

[NAME OF MEDIA] and its staff are protected by and bound to the principles of the First Amendment and other protections and limitations afforded by the Constitution and the various laws and court decisions implementing those principles.

Comments:

Comment: Again, this board-level model policy removes process details from being points of board action or meddling. It also introduces educational and philosophical language to give administrators insight into and understanding of why student media do what they do. It can aid in community understanding and support of the forum process. 

This policy is slightly longer because it adds philosophical wording to support the decision-making without review. This policy could be effective at the board level because it allows others points to be explained in the ethics guidelines and staff manuals.

 

Model 3Freedom of expression and press freedom are fundamental values in a democratic society.

The mission of any institution committed to preparing productive citizens must include teaching students these values, both by lesson and by example. 

For these purposes, as well as to teach students responsibility by empowering them to make and defend their own decisions, school-sponsored student news media, print or online, at [NAME OF SCHOOL] are established as designated public forums for student expression in which students make all final decisions of content. 

Such news media will not be reviewed by school officials outside the adviser in his/her coaching role or restrained by school officials prior to, during, or after publication or distribution.

Therefore, material published in school-sponsored news media may not necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of the [NAME OF SCHOOL] District, and neither school officials nor the school are legally responsible for their content. 

Students are protected by and bound to the principles of the First Amendment and other protections and limitations afforded by the U.S. Constitution and the various court decisions reaffirming those principles.

Comments:

Comment: This is the same as model two but also includes a statement that student media do not intend to reflect the opinions of school authorities. Like model two, this model addresses the educational value of student media and attaches these issues to legal language. The three essential points made in earlier models appear here as well

On all 3 models, note:

Designated forum: This language (designated forum in policy or practice) should be included in policies at board or publication level because all public forums are designated either by action or inaction (unless the board clearly says otherwise). Being silent as students operate as a forum is really permitting a designated forum.

Any of the 3 would be satisfactory, basic, positions expandable in media-level policies.

Questions?

In addition to the 3 noted, include the SPLC Model Policy as a possible board-level policy

What should be in a solid media-level policy

First, note that all policies should be consistent, no matter the platform, in wording and intent.

A policy should be precisely worded to protect all parties – as well as protect student freedoms and encourage journalistic responsibility.

Ideally, all policies should indicate student media are designated public forums for student expression in which students make all final content decisions without prior review by school officials.

What do we mean by a forum?Closed forum

Limited forum

Designated public forum for student expression

Forums by policy/forums by practice

Do you know which type you are – and why?

Why is the designation important?

Hint: 2nd Circuit decision—Ithaca; Seattle; Dean and Lange

New rule: “designated public forum” & state clearly that “students make all final decisions of content” without prior review by school officials

Our recommendations for media-level policy:

• Statement of mission and journalistic principles

• Statement of forum status/prior review

• Role of the publication/media

• Role of the adviser/school system

• Rights and responsibilities of the student staff

• Who makes final decisions of all content

Things we once recommended for policy, but would now move to ethics guidelines and/or staff manual as well:

• Letters to the editor/comments policy, advertisement policy, how to handle death reporting, use of other’ images, photo-manipulation

• Takedown policy, who owns copyright/content

What do we mean by responsibility?

Who decides what this is?

To whom and why?

How to be achieved?

A common phrase: journalists have to be responsible.

But what do you mean…and why?

How about journalistic responsibility?

Journalistic responsibility to whom, why and how.

Journalistic responsibility starts at the policy level and is implemented at the ethics guideline level and staff manual level.

Moved but important: Takedown policy

Leave everything as is, if: the request is designed to avoid embarrassment, image; truth; credibility; no factual issue; historical record must be maintained based on your mission.

Publish corrections, retractions or updates, if: info is factually or legally deficient when published; transparency of source inaccuracy; provide context and perspective; clarify or update; gray area solved by compromise.

Take down information, if: info is fabricated; to protect sources; one-time reasons.

Wording to avoid:“When questions of good taste arise, or those which surpass social norms of good taste and decency, they shall be resolved in consultation with the involved reporter(s), the managing editor, the executive editor and the advisers.”

“material not generally

acceptable to this

community” or

“significant minority or

the majority of the

community.”

“To create a wholesome school spirit

and to support the

best traditions of the school;

“ The XXXXXX adviser and/or editors have the

right to deny publication of any editorial, column,

review, or comment.”Wording like publication is “ an open forum” but superintendent has final say, etc

Develop acceptable methods for preserving the constitutional provision for free speech.”

“material that endorses any candidate for public office or takes a political stand on any issue.”

To promote and encourage school-sponsored activities; • To serve as public relations media

To promote cooperation among taxpayers, parents, the school and its students

Moved but important: Ethics

A good set of ethics guidelines is worth its weight in gold

But … not a part of the policy where some administrator might try try to enforce it

Why is this bad: ethics should be right v right statements and guidelines, not measures for discipline

Where do ethics statements go: In a Ethical guidelines manual, essentially a part of a strong Staff Manual

Not for policy statementsIf question on the veracity of publication persists, the issue

will be brought to the editorial board who must consider the following questions before publication of the piece:

Why is it a concern?What is its journalistic purpose?Is the information accurate and complete?Are any important POV omitted?How would we feel if the story was about ourselves or someone we know?What are the consequences’ of the publication?Is there a logical explanation to anyone who challenges issue?Is it worth risking our credibility?What are the alternatives?

Consider this policy:

“XXXX is created by the XXXX City Schools and published under the auspices of the Board of Education. XXXX is a curriculum taken for academic credit and has educational purposes as a regular classroom activity. No material shall be considered for publication that is libelous, obscene, profane, biased, prejudiced, unsuitable for its readers, or that defames character, encourages violation of laws or would cause disruption or material interference with the orderly operation and discipline of the school.”

Key words to note

“XXXX is created by the XXXX City Schools and published under the auspices of the Board of Education. XXXX is a curriculum taken for academic credit and has educational purposes as a regular classroom activity. No material shall be considered for publication that is libelous, obscene, profane, biased, prejudiced, unsuitable for its readers, or that defames character, encourages violation of laws or would cause disruption or material interference with the orderly operation and discipline of the school.”

Your reaction?CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES

All coverage of controversial issues will occur upon a timely subject.All sides of the issue will be presented and reviewed so as to refrain from any bias, with exception of opinions.

In news, all sides of a school, community, city, state, national, or international political issue will be presented factually so as to inform rather than promote or endorse.

The media will not publish material that is unnecessarily obscene, libelous, unwarranted invasive of privacy.

The media will not attack.

If question on the veracity of publication persists, the issue will be brought to the editorial board who must consider the following questions before publication of the piece:

Why is it a concern?What is its journalistic purpose?Is the information accurate and complete?Are any important POV omitted?How would we feel if the story was about ourselves or someone we know?What are the consequences’ of the publication?Is there a logical explanation to anyone who challenges issue?Is it worth risking our credibility?What are the alternatives?

Adviser Code of Ethics

• Model standards of professional journalistic conduct to students, administrators and others

• Empower students to make decisions of style, structure and content by creating a learning atmosphere where students will actively practice critical thinking and decision making

• Encourage students to seek out points of view and to explore a variety of information sources in their decision making

• Support and defend a free, robust and active forum for student expression without prior review or restraint

• Emphasize the importance of accuracy, balance and clarity in all aspects of news gathering and reporting

Adviser Code of Ethics

• Show trust in students as they carry out their responsibilities by encouraging and supporting them in a caring, learning environment

• Remain informed on press rights and responsibilities

• Advise, not act as censors or decisions makers

• Display professional and personal integrity in situations which might be construed as potential conflicts of interest

• Support free expression for others in local and larger communities

• Model effective communications skills by continuously updating knowledge of media education

Your roles might be changing8 new functions for journalism

Authenticator

Sense maker

Investigator

Witness bearer

Empowerer

Smart aggregator

Forum organizer

Role model