Staff Policies
THE WHIRLWIND EDITORIAL POLICY
THE WHIRLWIND is a dedicated student forum. Content and editorial decisions are made by student staff members exercising their rights as protected by the First Amendment and the Oregon Student Free Expression Law (Ore. Rev. Stat. sec. 336.477 (2007)). Opinions are those of The Whirlwind staff and not West Albany High School or the Greater Albany Public Schools district.
Roles
Editorial Board
The Whirlwind Editorial Board is the guiding body of the publication, and its primary role is directing the staff toward fulfilling its mission and adhering to its values. The Board will be made up of Editor(s) in Chief, Managing Editor(s), and an editor representing each section. Decisions will be made by vote and determined by a simple majority. In the event of a tie, decisions will be made by the Editor(s) in Chief.
Role of the Adviser
The student media adviser is responsible for providing instruction in journalistic reporting and writing, media production, law and ethics, and leadership. The adviser oversees assignments and grading for the course, offering feedback at multiple stages throughout the production process.
The student media adviser will establish clear expectations and standards for work produced for publication. She will advise students on story pitching and selection; sourcing; question and angle development; writing and editing; design, photography and multimedia; and production. She will follow state and federal laws protecting student expression.
The student media adviser will not determine the editorial content of any student publication. She will not censor student work, with the exception of work that violates the law as laid out in Ore. Rev. Stat. § 336.477. She will not create work for the student publication.
The student media adviser is a facilitator, a coach, a guide — an adviser. She recognizes that student publications should and must be about, for and by students, and she commits to making it so.
Journalistic Integrity
Censorship
According to Oregon Student Free Expression Law, “Student journalists have the right to exercise freedom of speech and of the press in school-sponsored media, whether or not the media are supported financially by the school or by use of school facilities or are produced in conjunction with a high school class.” Censorship of student produced content is not permitted except expression that is: (a) libelous or slanderous; (b) constitutes an unwarranted invasion of privacy; (c) violates the law or legal rules and regulations; or (d) incites students to create a clear or present danger of unlawful acts, violation of school policy, or “material and substantial disruption of the orderly operation of the school.” The Whirlwind adviser is responsible for teaching professional standards of English and journalism, but is not considered, or protected as, a member of The Whirlwind staff.
Corrections
The Whirlwind strives for accuracy and will correct all errors. Corrections can be submitted to [email protected] and will appear in the print magazine or at the top of the online story in which it appeared. The writer of a story that contains an error is responsible for creating a comprehensive correction, which may require conducting additional interviews.
Unnamed Sources
Given that the excessive use of anonymous sources can be detrimental to the credibility of the publication, names will be withheld only if: 1) an imminent threat would occur to a subject due to the publication of that subject’s name; 2) the story in which the anonymous source will be used is sufficiently newsworthy and has significance to the audience, and it would otherwise go unreported; 3) there is a clear request for an off-the-record publication, and their view or fact was not already publicly declared. Reporters using anonymous sources are expected not to use their source’s name in journalistic materials and not reveal who their sources are even if pressured to do so. Additional, named sources should be used in all stories that include anonymous sources.
Conflict of Interest
While staff members do participate in outside activities, they are prohibited from reporting on their own activities. If it is of significant value to the community, stories may be published which feature Whirlwind Staff, including their photos. However, these cases are rare and should be discussed by editors beforehand. Close relations or friends of a Whirlwind staff member may not be used as sources by that staff member.
Code of Ethics
Staff members will adhere to the Society for Professional Journalists Code of Ethics and professional standards whenever possible. Fabrication of interviews or stories will lead to immediate dismissal from staff and removal from the course, if possible, or alternative assignments if course rescheduling is not immediately possible. Staff members are expected to exercise good judgment and make ethical decisions.
Financial Responsibility
The Whirlwind editors, with support from the adviser, are responsible for managing the finances of the publication. This includes planning sponsorship and subscription drives at the beginning of the year, selling advertising, and coordinating other fundraisers as needed to financially support the publication. The Business Editor will track and regularly update the Editorial Board at weekly meetings as to the progress of the staff toward its annual fundraising goal. A magazine will not be sent to print unless funds are available, or arrangements have been made with the adviser to cover the cost of printing.
Takedown Requests
Requests to remove Whirlwind content from the website or social media will be discussed by the Editorial Board. The Board will first verify the content in question was, and continues to be, within the legal rights of the staff to publish. If so, they will follow a process to guide their ethical decision-making to come to consensus on a decision. The Editor(s) in Chief will reply to the person making the request with the Board’s decision within 10 days of receipt of the request.
Coverage and Content
Equal Coverage
As a news source of and for all of West Albany, The Whirlwind will provide fair and equitable coverage of the entire school community, dedicating equal space and effort to covering all grades, races, genders, and other divisions in our multifaceted school. Writers must use at least three interviewed sources in each story they write, unless it clearly does not make sense to do so. It is the responsibility of the staff to periodically audit to ensure coverage meets these goals.
Focus
As the student news media of West Albany, The Whirlwind will focus on stories that are timely, local and most relevant to the West Albany community specifically. While The Whirlwind may write about events important to the nation and world at large, they are of a secondary importance to The Whirlwind, and will be featured through a local lens.
Prior Review
To ensure the credibility of a story and prevent outside influence, Whirlwind stories remain confidential until publication and may not be shared with any outside member unless approved by Editorial Board decision, to permit selective viewing with strong justification. A reporter can, however, and should check his or her quotations with a source prior to publication.
Bylines and Credit
With the exception of staff editorials, all work published in print, online or on social media will give credit to the individual(s) who created it. Mug shots and small graphics may not include a credit line. If a photograph is being used with permission of the copyright owner, credit will be given to that individual.
Balance and Objectivity
Reporters will make every effort to remain objective and present all reasonable sides of a story, seeking out sources who are most impacted or who are in the position to offer the most accurate and relevant information. They will regularly examine their own biases or conflicting interests, and in the situation where a conflict of interest cannot be avoided, they will disclose it to readers transparently.
Death on Campus
As a part of the press, The Whirlwind has a responsibility to cover all events noteworthy to its readership base. As such, The Whirlwind will cover the deaths of all current West Albany students or staff members within one month of their official death announcement in a 300-400 word obituary. While The Whirlwind will be sensitive to the circumstances of death and wishes of family, obituaries will be written with similar journalistic requirements and integrity to other news stories. The Whirlwind will not announce the death of any person.
Suicide
In accordance with the Recommendations for Reporting on Suicide, coverage of a person who died by suicide will not include details of the manner or circumstances of death, speculate on reasons, share intimate personal details, or glamorize the death.
Sources Deserving Special Treatment
The Whirlwind will balance the responsibility to report the news with potential harm in dealing with individuals, such as minors or victims of crime, who may be deserving of extra consideration. Students in special education programs will not be identified as special education students without express written consent from a parent. Children below age 12 (e.g. Little Bulldogs preschoolers) will be named by first name only unless express written permission is given from a parent to include their full name. Individuals who have been accused of a crime, but not yet convicted, will not be named until a formal charge, which is a public record, has been made.
Advertisements
The Whirlwind accepts paid advertisements for its print and online publications. The staff reserves the right to reject advertisements on the basis of content or space availability, unless required by law.
Letters to the Editor
Any student, staff member, or community member is invited to submit a letter to the editor regarding issues covered by The Whirlwind. Letters should be submitted electronically to [email protected] or printed and dropped off in the adviser’s box near the main office. Unsigned letters to the editor will not be published. Letters may be edited for length or clarity, and will be checked for factual accuracy.
Photography
Candid photographs should reflect the reality of the situation in which they were taken, which means photo editing should be limited to that which reasonably improves the quality of the photo without changing its meaning. Cropping, adjusting exposure, and color balancing are all acceptable methods of photo editing. Flipping photos, adding or removing items, or significantly altering a photo’s composition are not permitted. Photographs that are intentionally edited for artistic effect will be labeled photoillustrations.
Personal Columns
Individual staff members may be assigned the position of staff columnist, in which they will write regular columns focused on their perspective or unique personal experiences. Columns are expected to tie in a larger idea or message that applies to a wide audience.
Reviews of Student Productions
In recognition that student productions (drama, music, art) are not the work of professionals, reviews of student work will aim to highlight their strengths without unduly criticizing the work. When criticism is warranted, it should not be directed at individual students.
Social Media
The Whirlwind uses social media as an extension of its publication to instantly alert its readership of noteworthy events as they occur and to advertise longform stories, not for personalized use or editorialized promotion. Social media posts may be published by any member of the staff, subject to editing by the social media editor. Specific use of platforms and accounts will be regulated at the discretion of the Editorial Board.
All content published to social media should follow the same journalistic principles and ethical guidelines as any other medium.
It is the responsibility of the Editorial Board to determine the purpose of each social media channel. They will monitor posts and discuss issues as they arise, including developing new social media policies as needed. Social media will be subject to the same editing process and critique as other media forms.
Passwords will be reset at the beginning of each school year. All editors will have access to the account. All staff will have access to templates.
We should not re-post from other accounts except for the official school account to avoid bias, real or perceived. We should not like or follow individual students’ accounts, however we can follow the accounts of official school-related organizations, though effort should be made to follow all organization accounts.
While it is sometimes acceptable to direct message others from the publication account, individuals should identify themselves so the recipient knows who on staff they are interacting with.
We should edit or delete inaccurate social media posts, so people who haven’t seen the corrections will not spread them on social media. We should note that we have edited or deleted inaccurate posts.
Expectations by Section
News:
The news section will cover news within the school, district, community and throughout the world or nation as it applies to the WAHS audience. Newswriters are expected to interview all key stakeholders and represent all sides of a given story.
Sports:
Sports staff will make reasonable effort to cover all sports equitably. Male and female sports will receive equal coverage when possible. Sportswriters will be assigned to cover a sport throughout the season and are expected to provide pre-season, season, and post-season as well as feature coverage for the sport they are assigned. Effort will be made to include a variety of sources, including coaches, when possible.
Entertainment:
Stories covered in the Entertainment section will include the fine arts, music, movies, dance, theater, video games, social media trends, fashion, lifestyle, and other topics not covered in news and sports. Writers in the Entertainment section will produce timely, localized features, analytical stories, and commentary.
Opinion:
Staff Editorials are unsigned editorials that represent the position of The Whirlwind Editorial Board. Staff members assigned to write a staff editorial will conduct a meeting with representatives of The Whirlwind Editorial Board in preparation for writing the editorial. Staff members are expected to keep the name of the staff editorial writer(s) confidential. All opinion articles are expected to balance fact and opinion and should clearly apply to the local audience. All opinion articles that are not considered staff editorials will be bylined.
Staff Expectations
Content Production
All staff members, with the exception of section editors, will work within three sections over the course of the year, rotating around the end of each sports season. Effort will be made to honor staff members’ requests to work within a specific section, though even distribution of staff is the highest priority. Staff members, including all editors, are expected to create three content items per cycle, which will typically include one print and two online stories, plus other work as assigned.
Deadlines
The success of The Whirlwind is dependent upon individual staff members meeting their obligations and upholding their responsibilities, including meeting deadlines. If a staff member cannot meet a deadline for a legitimate reason, the staff member is expected to seek an approved deadline extension. Regular inability to meet deadlines will have negative consequences, including: grade reduction, probation, and removal from staff.
Production Nights
Production nights are regularly scheduled to allow the time needed to complete work on the print magazine. Work nights begin after school on designated days and continue until 9 p.m. Staff members are permitted to leave as needed but are expected to communicate their needs to their section and head editors. Non-staff members are not permitted to attend late nights except in rare circumstances that should be pre-approved by the adviser. Attendance at late nights is expected until the staff member’s work is complete.
Production Schedule
Online stories will be planned on a weekly basis, and the print magazine will be produced six times per year (approximately every 4-5 weeks). Staff members will complete portfolios with self-assessments for grading at the end of each production cycle.
Recording and Notes
Reporters are encouraged to record interviews with sources. Permission to record must be secured before beginning the interview. Reporters are expected to turn off recording devices when given off-the-record information, as specified by the interviewee. Even when recording, reporters are expected to take notes and are required to keep their notes for one year after work is published. Reporters should not give their notes to anyone else, regardless of who they are.
Respect in class
Staff members are expected to treat each other with respect in and out of class. Discussions of story ideas and stories in progress are expected to be kept confidential and should not be shared with individuals who are not members of The Whirlwind. Disrespectful behavior may lead to discipline or removal from staff.
Equipment
Camera, audio, video or other technological equipment will be checked out to staff members through the adviser or photo editor(s) only after a signed equipment loan agreement form has been submitted to the adviser. Staff members are liable for all equipment while it is in their possession. Equipment should be returned immediately after use and should not be kept in unsafe locations, such as a personal car or school locker. Staff members will be held financially responsible for lost equipment.
Press Pass
Every reporter on The Whirlwind will be provided with a press pass. This will identify them as a working member of the press in the United States, and they are expected to carry it as identification, particularly at events where identification is required. Abuse of the privileges associated with a press pass will lead to disciplinary action.
Fundraising
The Whirlwind is primarily funded through the sale of advertisements, subscriptions and sponsorships. As such, individual staff members are expected to raise funds toward the cost of production. All funds will be deposited to The Whirlwind account through the WAHS ASB office. Staff members who make a good faith effort to raise their contribution but are unable to meet the minimum will have the opportunity to demonstrate their understanding of business and journalism through an alternative assignment.
Distribution
The Whirlwind print magazine is published six times per year, three times per semester. The magazine will be distributed directly to classrooms for distribution at no cost to students. Copies will remain available in common areas and the publications room. Subscriptions will be mailed within 10 days of publication.
Failure to Meet Staff Obligations
Staff members who fail to meet minimum standards will be informed of the issues in an individual meeting with head editors and/or the adviser. Lack of improvement will lead to probationary status and an official notification of such. Continued failure to improve may lead to removal from staff.
Press Law and Ethics
Lawbreaking
Violation of laws or school rules is not condoned by The Whirlwind. It is prohibited for any staff member to violate the law in the process of reporting. Staff members who violate laws or school rules will be held accountable for their actions.
Copyright / Fair Use
Photos and art created by a staff member, excluding simple headshots and small graphics, will be credited and belong to the staff member who took the photo or created the artwork. While the author/photographer does own their work under copyright law, by participating on The Whirlwind staff, the staff member permits The Whirlwind to publish the work within the year(s) the staff member is on staff and the years following.
Language
The Whirlwind will avoid publishing profanity unless the profanity itself is integral to the understanding of the story. Profanity will otherwise be excluded from print and online publications.
Interviews
Student reporters are expected to conduct in-person interviews with sources. Exceptions can be made to interview sources otherwise unavailable due to time or distance. In those cases, virtual video conferencing is preferable to phone interviews. Text and email interviews are not permitted, however fact checking using those methods is always acceptable.
Internet Use
Internet research is an essential part of journalism, however staff members are expected to use the internet only as a supplemental source beyond in-person interviews. All information found on the internet will be vetted for factual accuracy and sources will be checked for credibility. The source of any information a reporter includes from internet research will be clearly identified.
Management
Editorial Board Meetings
The Editorial Board will convene weekly to plan for the week and discuss all matters in need of consideration. A running agenda/notes document will be used to document meetings.
Formation of Staff
The outgoing Editor(s) in Chief and Managing Editor(s) will select the subsequent year’s staff and editors in tandem with the adviser. Editors will apply and interview.
Selection of Editors
An application for editor positions will be made available after distribution of the fourth issue. Editor decisions will be made by the outgoing editors and adviser, and they will be announced after distribution of the fifth issue. The new editors will take over their positions for the duration of the sixth production cycle. An additional editor application will be made available after the first issue of each school year to fill any vacant positions.
Modification of Staff Policies
Staff policies may be modified by a simple majority of the Editorial Board. In the event of a tie, the decision to modify will be made by the Editor(s) in Chief. Staff policies will be reviewed prior to the start of each school year by the Editor(s) in Chief and Managing Editor(s).
