WEB NOTES Anna Masera
09/17/2013
Handbook for the use of social media
Guidelines in La Stampa: a starting point
ANNA MASERA
This draft of “social media policy” back in January 2012, when I was appointed Social Media Editor at La Stampa. We kept internally as a reference point, but on popular demand we have decided to publish it, because it’s not a secret document and is a work “in progress” that can benefit from the contribution of everyone, even those who are reading from the outside. So we accept your comments in the acceptable limit, below: I will analyze them all carefully and I will take it if it will be constructive to adjust the throw and update those who want to be simple guidelines for teamwork, while respecting the individuality of each.
INTRODUCTION
All reporters for La Stampa are encouraged to have an account on social networks and are encouraged to experiment with and use them for work. They are now an integral part of everyday life and innovation that is permeating the papers. It ‘s a new land and we are all invited to participate in figuring out how to use it. For this reason, these guidelines will be updated and changed often, and it is welcome contributions from everyone. With social networks every journalist has one more chance to express themselves professionally and the newspaper to become famous.
However, since the activity of interaction and socialization of a newspaper reporter who is on social networks bring into play the image of the head, you need a handbook of behavior.
THE ETHICS: A HANDBOOK
1) The reporters for La Stampa that want to use social networks on behalf of the newspaper will be included in the pages of the website. In this case, La Stampa provides legal assistance, after joining these guidelines
2) The reporters for La Stampa are required to identify themselves as such if they are using their profiles to work (and not just for personal interest).
3) The information must be given first to the newspaper, paper or digital.
4) A proposal rejected paper edition because it is considered not appropriate to the editorial choice of the newspaper, will of course retain the same inadequacy even on digital platforms.
5) And it’s forbidden to divulge on social media news that La Stampa has not yet published, no matter in what format (eg. Anticipate articles coming the next day at newsstands). Exceptions are cases where there is an explicit choice of the direction of promoting content for the newsstand in advance.
6) And it’s forbidden to publish in your profile material properties of La Stampa or confidential information (for example,. Internal business letters, and press releases CoR).
7) It’s good to link the content of La Stampa rather than copy and paste the content on your own personal pages (especially without a link to the source).
8) It’s good to keep in mind that whatever you publish on the Internet is likely to be permanent and can be tracked by search engines in every single word even many years after publication.
9) The reporters for La Stampa on social networks should be aware that any personal information they reveal themselves or their colleagues may be associated with the name of La Stampa.
It is now known that nothing is truly private on the Internet: so you have to be careful with with privacy settings (for example on Facebook) Instructions will be provided in regard to those who required it.
10) The reporters for La Stampa must keep in mind that expressing any opinion on social networks may damage the reputation and credibility of their newspaper. It is recommended to apply common sense and professionalism.
It’s good to always declare that the views expressed are personal, but it is good to keep in mind that negative talk can reflect badly on the journalists – public squabbles on social media are highly discouraged.
When you interact with the public on social networks and in the space reserved for the comments in the blog is good practice to thank when criticism is correct and respond promptly to the wrong ones to restore the truth, but always with education: even when the interlocutors are nothing short of rude.
If journalists are victims of attacks by “trolls”, you are invited to notify the company, and – in the meantime – to ignore them.
