Credibility is an indispensable asset of The Vintage News, as it is of any serious news website. To insure that our credibility is not damaged, editorial staff members have a special responsibility to avoid conflicts of interest or any activity that would compromise their journalistic integrity. Full and timely disclosure by employees of their outside activities is a key to making this policy work. Employee compliance will guarantee the professional behavior to which The Vintage News is entitled and will maintain the organization’s reputation for fairness and honesty.
1. Outside Organization/Financial Matters. Involvement in one’s local and/or online community is encouraged for all editorial staff members. Participation in public activities and groups helps connect and explain the news website to the community, and demonstrates our commitment to public concerns. But participation can lead to real or perceived compromise of journalistic integrity. At issue is whether the public could believe The Vintage News news coverage is influenced by a staff member’s outside activities.
The proper stance is firmly on the side of credibility and integrity, but dividing lines often can be unclear. To determine what levels and areas of participation are acceptable and what activities should be avoided, editorial staff must disclose to their supervisors any ongoing or proposed activities, relationships, dealings or investments that could damage the credibility of The Vintage News or conflict with its interests. If an actual or potential conflict arises, the staff member must discuss it immediately with the supervisor, and should recuse himself or herself from editorial decisions that may involve the issue in conflict.
To further avoid conflicts, staffers should not use their position or the name of the news website to gain advantage in personal activities. (In applying for a loan for a house, car, business or anything of that nature, you will, of course, be expected to say where you work, what you do and how much you get paid. That is normal, acceptable practice, and should not be a conflict. But if you’re worried about some aspect of such a transaction, discuss it with your supervisor.) Your The Vintage News business card or stationery should only be used for company business. Staffers should not refer to their news website connections to try to resolve consumer grievances, to get quicker service or to seek discounts or deals.
Neither should staff members write about, photograph, edit or make news judgments about any individual related by blood or marriage or others with whom they have a close personal or financial relationship unless they have made the relationship known and received a ruling from a supervisor that there is no cause for concern about a conflict or the perception of one.
Fundraising for any organization or cause, no matter how worthy, has the potential to create a conflict of interest or the appearance of one. The rule of thumb is that no staff members should engage in or lend their names to fundraising efforts, even if their The Vintage News connection is not explicitly mentioned. Certainly, editorial employees must never solicit people, companies or foundations covered by the news website for cash contributions or any other kind of assistance. This prohibition on fundraising is not meant to exclude such things as taking the collection at church or selling cookies or candy. Anything much beyond that requires specific approval from the Managing Editor.
2. Outside Endeavors. Outside employment, endeavors or compensation are only permitted when editorial supervisors determine they do not constitute a conflict of interest or otherwise interfere with the performance of a staff member’s job. All staff members must disclose each such arrangement: (a) to the editor hiring the staffer upon receipt of an offer of employment; (b) in the attached form on an annual basis; and (c) to a deputy managing editor or above before undertaking any project involving the provision of any written, oral, graphical, photographic, broadcast, digital or other creative materials or performances to any company or endeavor other than those owned or controlled by Timera Inc.
Generally speaking, staff members will not receive permission to write, edit, illustrate, perform or provide pictures for any competing print, online or digital publication or broadcast. The editors may determine that other activities present a conflict of interest for staffers as well. The editors reserve the right to withdraw approval for any activity as circumstances change.
All companies that publish news and information on the Internet, the World Wide Web, and other online or interactive services are by definition in competition with the The Vintage News for readers and advertising dollars. In those cases where the editors approve of a free-lance arrangement that will result in work that appears in any of these media, approval will be conditioned upon agreement between Timera Inc. and the other interactive publisher regarding promotional and other considerations — eg., in the case of an article, prominent identification of the author as a The Vintage News writer, with the words “The Vintage News” linked to www.thevintagenews.com. In no case may any material that originally appeared on The Vintage News or any of its affiliated electronic publications be placed within another Internet, online, or electronic site without permission from the managing editor.
Staff members are forbidden to use any The Vintage News supplies, materials, equipment, content (including outtakes) or other materials in the course of any outside employment or endeavor.
3. Breaking News and Unpublished Information. If an employee obtains news, information or other material that might be published, distributed or broadcast by The Vintage News or one of its affiliated Timera Inc. companies, the staff member should notify her supervisor, whether the information directly relates to the staffer’s regular beat or duties or not. Staff members are forbidden from providing such material to any company or endeavor other than The Vintage News without approval from a division editor.
4. Endorsements. Under no circumstances should staff members make endorsements or participate in broadcast commercials, digital promotions or print advertisements for products or enterprises other than those owned or controlled by Timera Inc. Special care should be taken not to permit even a hint of an implied endorsement in a situation where a staff member may be perceived to have been influenced by a favor of any sort.
5. Additional Work for The Vintage News. Editorial supervisors cannot offer supplemental pay for work by a staffer it the work is part of that person’s job description. When appropriate, a staffer may be reimbursed for expenses or paid overtime. An exception is the fee paid for a book or record review. Editors are not eligible for supplemental pay for any assignment, including reviews.
6. Seminars, Honoraria and Complimentary Tickets. The Vintage News will pay the legitimate expenses of editorial staff on assignment. Staff members invited to make speeches or participate in seminars may accept free travel, lodging expenses and honoraria if the trip and honorarium are cleared by the Managing Editor.
Complimentary tickets or free admission to an event such as a concert, political fundraiser or charity benefit may be accepted by a staff member who is covering that event or whose attendance is authorized because of job responsibilities. The Vintage News also may pay for other staff to attend.
Staff should not accept free tickets to an event for personal enjoyment, nor “special offers” aimed at members of the news media.
Staff should avoid public-relations events for the news media unless they are assigned to cover the events or their attendance is authorized because of job responsibilities. Such events include junkets and receptions, especially those to which the public is not admitted. When practical, The Vintage News will pay the expenses of a staff member authorized to attend.
7. Awards and Prizes. The Vintage News is careful in submitting staff entries for recognition and awards to limit participation to those contests whose central interest is recognition of journalistic excellence. It makes every effort to avoid those that exist primarily to publicize or further the cause of the organization sponsoring the contest. For that reason, those who would like their work entered in a contest should consult with supervisors.
By the same token, any staff member offered an award, monetary or otherwise, from any person, company, organization, government body, college or any other source, including such professional groups as journalism, medical or bar associations, should notify supervisors and get their approval before accepting. There are scores, or hundreds, maybe thousands, of groups out there who think they will win great favor with the media if they can just pass out enough awards each year to members of the press. If that is their primary motive, and many make small effort to conceal it, we surely don’t want to play along.
8. Gifts, Merchandise and Review Copies. No merchandise, cash, services or anything else of value should be solicited. Unsolicited merchandise whose value exceeds that of a key chain will be donated to charity by the website. Staff members will be notified of the donation.
Merchandise used for a story or its illustration should be purchased by The Vintage News or returned to its source immediately. If return is not practical, the merchandise should be disposed of by the news website. Merchandise should not be kept for a staffer’s personal enjoyment. Exception: A staff member may keep a book or recording that was reviewed on The Vintage News. Staffers may also keep unsolicited books sent to them as individuals by publishers or authors seeking attention for the work. In either case, such items may not be sold.
Books or recordings sent to staffers strictly as gifts must be dealt with like any other gifts of significant value.
9. Implementation. The purpose of this policy statement on ethics is to illuminate a set of professional standards that should help us all in our efforts to protect the credibility of The Vintage News. Any editorial staff member who violates any provision of this policy statement will be subject to disciplinary action, including reprimand, suspension and/or termination. Any employee who has a question concerning this policy statement or becomes aware of a possible violation of this policy statement should promptly contact their supervisor.