CMA Newsletter Editorial Policy

Content, Programming & Stories
#1

We’ve identified a need for an editorial policy for the CMA Newsletter. As the newsletter develops it needs to be self-sustaining, and may take advertsing. If anyone can spot any significant issues that they have experience with in opperating an editorial policy in practice, thoughts and comments would be welcome by 10am on Wednesday 7th November.

Thanks, Rob

Community Media Association Newsletter Editorial Policy

Background

The Community Media Association Newsletter is published by the Community Media Association (CMA), which is a Registered Company number 02798488. Each issue is edited and produced by the CMA with the help of a paid content producer who collates and writes-up stories. The newsletter is distributed by email using a GDPR compliant email database, forums and social media feeds that interested parties subscribe to.

Aims

In publishing the Community Media Association Newsletter, the CMA aims to produce a regular point of information and news, which positively celebrates the activities, people and events of the wider community media movement, as a service to individuals and groups who are active-in, supportive-of, or learning-about community media.

This means:

  • Providing information about events and activities.
  • Publishing a diary of future events.
  • Encouraging an exchange of views on issues in a positive and constructive manner.
  • Giving members and supporters an opportunity to acknowledge events and a space to be able to acknowledge each other’s activities publicly.
  • Including ongoing reports on a variety of topics of interest to the general public.
  • Provide a forum for associated community media groups, partner organisations and stakeholders to report their activities, advertise future events and to find new members.
  • Coordinating social advertisements from related businesses to pay for the production & delivery costs thereby ensuring that the newsletter is free to the readers.

Editorial Policy

  • Community news is everything included in the newsletter apart from commercial and social investment advertisements.
  • All contributors are agreeing to the principles of the Community Media Association Charter.
  • All items submitted to the editors will be considered for inclusion in the newsletter.
  • Clear separation and identification of editorial copy and commercial and social investment advertisements must be readily identifiable.

To aid the decision-making process, the following principles will be followed:

  • Items can be submitted by email (preferred option), or alternatively from a shared online document, or as a post on the Community Media Association Chat Forum.
  • The final text will be edited and approved by the CMA designated newsletter editor, or delegated to the co-producers of the newsletter.
  • The final layout will be set out by the CMA’s in-house graphic designer.
  • It is the responsibility of each potential contributor to submit their item before the deadline.
  • The deadline for the submission of material will clearly stated in each issue of the newsletter.
  • Regular contributors by email will be invited to join a mailing list to receive a reminder a couple of weeks before each deadline, and via the CMA Chat Forum.
  • Where possible contact details are included for each item, should readers require further information.
  • All items are included entirely at the discretion of the editors who reserve the right to edit or refuse to publish any item submitted.
  • Items of an overtly party-political nature will not be accepted. While the Community Media Association Newsletter may deal with controversial issues, it will not do so in a way that could be seen as giving support to any specific political party.
  • No charge is made for any community news items.
  • No paid ‘editorial feature’ will be included, all articles and submissions must be editorially independent.
  • The views expressed in the Community Media Association Newsletter are not necessarily those of the editors or CMA, they are included in the interests of information, discussion and free speech.
  • Anonymous items will only be considered where the author has submitted their full name and contact details to the editors with their contribution and have requested, with reason, that these are withheld.
  • All published articles are the copyright of CMA once included in the Community Media Association Newsletter, and are published as Attribution- NonCommercial- NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0).
  • Before publishing a critical item, the editors reserve the right to approach the criticised persons/group and offer an opportunity to reply, where possible, in the same issue. At their discretion the editors may delay the critical item to the following issue or publish without a reply.
  • The editors cannot accept any liability for omissions, errors or mistakes which occur in production.
  • The CMA cannot be liable for any loss or damage occasioned by any total or partial failure (however caused) of publication or distribution of the Community Media Association Newsletter.
  • Submission of a contribution shall be taken as an acceptance of the above conditions.

Commercial Advertising

Commercial or social investment Advertisements for insertion in the Community Media Association Newsletter are accepted subject to the following conditions:

  • Items can be submitted by email (preferred option), or alternatively from a shared online document, or as a post on the Community Media Association Chat Forum.
  • Where necessary, the advert will be set out by our in-house graphic designer.
  • The placing of an advert constitutes an assurance that the advertisement is legal, decent, honest and truthful complying with the British Codes of Advertising and Sales Promotion, with any relevant codes of practice and with the requirements of current legislation.
  • While every endeavour will be made to meet the wishes of advertisers, we cannot guarantee the insertion of any particular advertisement.
  • Payment must be made when the advert is submitted unless a prior arrangement is in place for invoicing, in which case payment must be made within 28 days of the invoice date. We can accept credit card or BACS payment (made payable to the Community Media Association).

Community Media Association Newsletter Editorial Policy

  • It is the responsibility of each potential contributor to submit their item before the deadline.
  • The following deadline is clearly stated in each issue of the Community Media Association Newsletter.
  • Advertisers who pay in advance will receive a reminder before their advert runs out.
  • It is the advertisers’ responsibility to ensure that the editors have their up-to-date contact details.
  • Inclusion in the Community Media Association Newsletter does not mean that CMA endorses or recommends any particular advertisers.
  • The Community Media Association cannot accept liability for any loss or damage arising out of a response by any party to an advert appearing in the publication.
  • The editors reserve the right to refuse to accept any particular advert.
  • It is the responsibility of each potential contributor to make their instructions clear.
  • The CMA cannot accept any liability for business lost due to any error in production.
  • In the event of any error, misprint or omission in the printing of an advertisement we may make a reasonable refund for the cost of the advert or offer a re-insertion.
  • No refund or re-insertion will be made where the error, misprint or omission does not materially detract from the advertisements.
  • Where an advertiser pay in advance they may make amendments to their advert during that year. However, it is the advertisers’ responsibility to ensure their advert is kept up to date.
  • It is the responsibility of the advertiser to check the first insertion of any series of advertisements and notify the editors immediately of any errors. We cannot assume responsibility for the repetition of errors unless previously notified by the advertiser.
  • The CMA cannot be liable for any loss or damage occasioned by any total or partial failure (however caused) of publication or distribution of any publication, document or media in which any advertisement is scheduled to appear.
  • The placing of an advert by an advertiser constitutes an assurance that all necessary authority and permission has been secured to use names and logos.
  • The placing of an advert shall be taken as an acceptance of the above conditions.

October 2018

#2

Hiya Rob,

I do have a question, how much does the newsletter cost to run? what does “self-sustaining” look like?

Also how does taking advertising affect the newsletter in regard to GDPR, as not sure how people have consented (or not) to be on the newsletter, but pretty sure you have to be wary in regard to commercialism because of consent and GDPR.

Finally I have concerns over the copyright element of policy, if I submit a story I am not sure I want to surrender my own copyright to the CMA for the story, and also how does that work with the CMA linking to 3rd party stories and copying the sub lines out for the newsletter?

#3

Thanks @martinsteers, very useful. We had a modest budget approved last year for improving communications, which means that the newsletter can be produced on a regular basis. Any advertising would only partly supplement to that, rather than fully replacing it.

The addition of a statement about GDPR residing with the CMA’s maillist, would be appraopriate, indicating that subscriber’s information will not be passed on to any commercial organisation without explicit consent.

I’ll have to check that the existing consent is consistent with that principle, and if not then go back and ask for consent.

The copyright policy is fairly standard, in that the source material is the property of the original rights holder, but the report or write-up of the story is copyrighted by the CMA in the form that it is presented in the newsletter. This is then also covered by fair comment, and so on.

Using the Creative Commons approach of attribution and non-commercial use should protect contributions, in theory. The practice, however, is that any copyright dispute would need to be resolved in the courts.

The GDPR status is definitely something to return to, my inclanation is to have a general policy of never passing information on to commercial or third-party organisations, unless you can think of circumstances where this might be beneficial?

Does inviting people to join a maillist rather than pushing a mail-out at people mark a sufficient distinction?

Rob

#4

Well I would personally like to see more about what the CMA is up to in the newsletter, minutes of meetings with stakeholders (often promised and rarely delivered), notes, agendas or minutes for CMA meetings?

As for GDPR, I dont think anyone would be happy with their details being passed on.

I dont remember subscribing to the newsletter in the first place, if consent hasnt happened you might need to take some advice before you start putting advertising and other commercial / marketing notices in it.

1 Like
#5

Thanks for the comments, both online and offline. The final version now includes a statement on GDPR compiance and that the policy should be reviewed anually. It will now be fed into the council discussion for submission to records. CMA-Newsletter-Editorial-Policy-002-2018-11-09.pdf (117.1 KB)

#6