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RTE brought in new journalism guidelines today - what's in them?

RTE editorial staff will be trained in the new guidelines, including how they should use social media and the internet in their reporting.

TODAY SAW SOME major changes to RTE’s current affairs journalists – but the broadcaster also announced a shake-up of its standards and guidelines for staff.

RTE editorial staff are to be issued with and trained in the  new journalism guidelines which have been developed over the last three months and which apply to news, current affairs and factual programming. Here’s some of what the guidelines say.

(You can read the full guidelines here. Warning: it’s a PDF).

Internet and social media:

The guidelines stress that editorial staff need to be particularly careful when using information on social media sites from individuals:

Individuals post material, including pictures, audio and video, which may reveal information about themselves, generally for the benefit of friends and acquaintances. A balance needs to be struct between appropriate use of material may have unthinkingly put in the public domain and fairness to that individual and respect for their privacy even if they have become part of a news story.

The guidelines stress that great care should be taken when using any information from the internet and specifically social media sites:

As always, be wary of reporting anything second hand and look out for the possible hidden agenda. Corroborate wherever possible and check the identity of any contributor you intend to use.

Journalists are warned to verify stories that appear on other sites before running the story, and to attribute the source clearly so that the audience can access the information and its source.

Under a section called ‘Hoaxes and Spoofs’, staff are warned to clearly check the source of the information to avoid a repeat of ‘Tweetgate’:

Many websites and social media streams contain bogus information such as spoof news reports. Some campaign and activist sites mimic the domain name and design of an official source for reasons of satire or misinformation. You must take care to perform thorough provenance checks before using material from a website or a social media stream using for example, “about us” sections or “WHOIS”.

Staff are warned to look out for biased sources and out of date information.

Roles and responsibilities

The new guidelines spell out clearly who on the RTE staff has editorial responsibility for  content: everyone.

All those involved in the creation of RTE content including researchers, reporters, producers and editors are required to exercise editorial responsibility for it.

Staff are advised that they must give proper notice of any editorial matter which is likely to cause controversy or have an extraordinary impact.

The Director General is described as the editor-in-chief for content broadcast or published by RTE – but the guidelines note that there are limits:

However, it is not possible or practical for the Director General to be involved in routine day to day editorial decision making across all of RTE’s output. The Director General’s editorial role is therefore primarily a strategic one, where he/she sets overall editorial priorities, standards and direction for the organisation.

RTE Editorial Standard Board

A new Editorial Standards Board is to maintain and monitor the standards of content produced by the broadcaster. The Board will be independent, and will have responsibility to provide an assessment of the merits of formal and substantive complaints lodged against RTE programmes and output.

The guidelines state that the Board will also function as a separate resources which can be used to help assess and examine programmes before they are broadcast.

Trust and accuracy

A large part of the guidelines is devoted to trust and accuracy, noting:

RTE exists to serve all the people of Ireland. Their expectation is that we will treat their interests, views and beliefs accurately and fairly; that we make our best effort to be truthful; that we do not favour one side or another of a contested issue; that we don’t represent vested interests; and that we have no personal interest in what we broadcast.

The standards stress that editorial staff have to do all they can to ensure that facts are accurate and presented in context, without misleading the audience.

We should try to witness events and gather information first hand. Where this is not possible, we should talk to first hand sources and, where necessary, corroborate their evidence.  We should  be reluctant to  rely on a single sourcePage | 10 especially if the information from that source has been given on condition of anonymity. If we do rely on a single source, a named on‐the‐record source is always preferable

Editorial integrity and independence

The guidelines note that the public “must have confidence in the integrity and independence of what they hear and see on RTE’s services”.

RTÉ must be editorially independent of government, business interests, political parties, trade unions, and pressure groups. There is no room for any perception that presenters, reporters or producers personally benefit from their decisions as to who participates in programmes, what products are featured and what issues are discussed.

Financial journalism is singled out as an area that should not be undermined by outside activities or financial interests of any journalists in RTE.

Journalists and presenters covering financial news have been instructed to register all their shareholdings, financial and business interests, and dealings in securities.  Staff are also warned against engaging in insider trading or market manipulation.

In another area, the guidelines advise on what can and can’t be worn on screen:

RTE does not permit presenters to wear religious or political  badges or symbols on screen which could be perceived to undermine impartiality.

The report also includes guidelines on fairness, public interest and privacy.

Doorstepping

Doorstepping – an interview with someone who was not expected to be interviewed for broadcast – should normally be a last resort, the guidelines state.

It should not be used simply for dramatic effect.

Any proposal to doorstep someone must be approved in advance by the relevant senior editorial figure.

Accountability

The guidelines stress that the best way to deal with corrections and clarifications is to respond quickly “and on our own initiative” rather than having to subsequently deal with a complaint.

If a mistake is  pointed  out  to RTÉ and it  is deemed to be of  a relatively trivial nature, the programme will not refer to the mistake on air. However every effort must be made to avoid repeating the mistake again in subsequent broadcasts.

If the mistake is more substantial and the view  is taken by  the programme team that the public  record needs  amending,  the programme or service responsible for the broadcast or publication of the inaccurate information will clarify matters as soon as feasible.

RTE decides to axe Prime Time investigates >

What happens to the rest of the ‘A Mission To Prey’ crew? >

RTE: Full statement on “two very serious editorial failures” >

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16 Comments
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    Mute david whelan
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    Apr 3rd 2012, 10:31 PM

    RTE current affairs have let us down badly in recent times – it will take a lot to gain our trust again.

    60
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    Mute David Higgins
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    Apr 3rd 2012, 11:36 PM

    A day full of stories about RTÉ and no one asking the vital question as to whether we even need RTÉ as a state broadcaster in the first place. €100 household charge could be offset by an abolition of the €160 Licence Fee. €60 into people’s pockets. Then we won’t have to worry so much when RTÉ does something wrong because it’ll be of commercial consequence, not national consequence.

    36
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    Mute Faceless Man
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    Apr 3rd 2012, 10:35 PM

    That’s those stable doors closed….

    35
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    Mute sluazcanal
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    Apr 3rd 2012, 11:59 PM

    Rule number one. No makey uppy stuff.

    33
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    Mute Eire
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    Apr 3rd 2012, 10:59 PM

    The absorbed wages paid to the RTE presenters, management , producers , newscasters & journalists more so in annual earnings then our useless current politician’s tells me we have a state broadcaster that does not have the pulse or the interest of the ordinary working person! RTE will for the next few weeks on the Airwaves hammer home the Government Fiscal Treaty “Yes Campaign” to keep their Pay master Rabbit Happy they couldn’t even report the accurate numbers who did turn up to protest outside the FG Conference ! or report on The FG delegates who waved 2 * €50 notes at protesters in Jest instead it was left to the likes of the Sunday Independent RTE thought it was fair game to defame an innocent Priest & attack candidates involved in a constitutional election for President ….Like the House Hold Charge we should hold back on the License Fee ….unroll they proof worthy!

    25
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    Mute Susie Chester
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    Apr 3rd 2012, 11:43 PM

    Even the protest march in Dublin was marred last saturday by their reporting ….. But do you know what , those of us who know , know and those who don’t want to know will never be convinced !

    17
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    Mute Dee
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    Apr 3rd 2012, 11:44 PM

    Will pat kenny get his knuckles wrapped for what happened on The Frontline presidential debate?

    23
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    Mute Susie Chester
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    Apr 4th 2012, 12:31 AM

    ….or will Miriam O’Callaghan have to apologise for the debacle on the Primetime Presidential debate

    15
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    Mute Susie Chester
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    Apr 3rd 2012, 11:39 PM

    RTÉ must be editorially independent of government, business interests, political parties, trade unions, and pressure groups. There is no room for any perception that presenters, reporters or producers personally benefit from their decisions as to who participates in programmes, what products are featured and what issues are discussed.

    Well you see it written here ^ ,now we will have to see how that translates into practise .

    19
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    Mute Bernadette Dunne
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    Apr 4th 2012, 12:24 AM

    Well said Susie and we also are entitled to know more about the exact reasons to the resignation we the public who pays €160 a year to this station

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    Mute Ed Kavanagh
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    Apr 4th 2012, 1:05 AM

    Is it implied that journalists should assume that the governments version of things is automatically the truth. Are main stream media outlets also assumed to be good sources of truth. Its seems to me these assumptions are very dangerous for all our freedoms. I rarely see main stream media question government versions of events.

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    Mute corky2004
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    Apr 4th 2012, 8:09 AM

    RTE should learn to be objective and not controlled by the state!

    4
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    Mute Unitedpeople Ireland
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    Apr 4th 2012, 11:03 AM

    Are they going to stop the likes of Pat Kenny being once-sided?
    He in particular CONTINUOUSLY interrupts and stops anyone speaking while they voice anything that is anti-Fianna Fail.
    He does it on the radio and he seriously does it all the time on RTE shows he hosts.
    RTE are going to make him more impartial? How are we trying to kid here!

    We have heard it before – and he alone has not changed one iota!

    3
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    Mute AMAS
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    Apr 4th 2012, 1:50 PM

    The first page of RTÉ’s new guidelines state that “RTÉ wishes to acknowledge with gratitude the assistance it received from fellow public service broadcasters, BBC and ABC, in drafting these guidelines.”

    The BBC’s assistance seem to have been exceedingly generous, as RTÉ’s “Guidance on reporting from the Internet and Social Media sources” (Appendix 2) are basically either a fairly direct lift or a watered down version of the BBC’s “Internet Research” guidelines from October 2010.

    For the full source see http://www.bbc.co.uk/guidelines/editorialguidelines/page/guidance-internet-research-full

    For example…

    The RTE appendix 2.2 on “Hoaxes and Spoofs” states:

    Many websites and social media streams contain bogus information such as spoof news reports. Some campaign and activist sites mimic the domain name and design of an official source for reasons of satire or misinformation. You must take care to perform thorough provenance checks before using material from a website or a social media stream using for example, “about us” sections or “WHOIS”.

    The BBC guidelines on “Hoaxes and Spoofs” state:

    Many entertainment websites contain bogus information such as spoof news reports. Some campaign and activist sites mimic the domain name and design of an official source for reasons of satire or misinformation. Researchers must take care to perform thorough provenance checks before using material from a Web site. Many sites have an “about us” section revealing information about the site and contact details for its owners. Crosscheck these details with directory enquiries before making contact, as this lessens the chances of involving a hoax Web site. A simple background check is advised for any source or contributor we wish to use. Searching the web for references to a site’s domain name may confirm its official status, but it might also reveal it to be a hoax. Researchers can also conduct a “WHOIS” search to check the registration details of a domain name. This will often reveal the name, address and telephone number of a Web site’s owner.

    Spot the difference?

    RTÉ’s appendix 2.3 on “Biased Sources” states:

    As with any medium, hidden commercial or political agendas can shape a Web site’s content. You should check the links to and from a site as these can often reveal political or commercial affiliations.

    The BBC’s guidelines on “Biased Sources” state:

    As with any medium, hidden commercial or political agendas can shape a Web site’s content. Researchers should check the links to and from a site as these can often reveal political or commercial affiliations. It is wise to question where the financing for a Web site comes from.

    RTÉ’s appendix 2.4 on “Out of Date Information” states:

    Even trustworthy sources can contain pages that have not been updated in years. Contextual information can provide an idea of the date it was authored, but always use recognised sources to corroborate any information found.

    The BBC:

    Even trustworthy sources can contain pages that have not been updated in years. Contextual information can provide an idea of the date it was authored, but always use recognised sources to corroborate any information found.

    RTE appendix 2.5 on “Social Media Sites”:

    Individuals post material, including pictures, audio and video, which may reveal information about themselves, generally for the benefit of friends and acquaintances. A balance needs to be struck between appropriate use of material that an individual may have unthinkingly put in the public domain and fairness to that individual and respect for their privacy even if they have become part of a news story.

    The Beeb:

    Individuals post material, including pictures, audio and video, which may reveal information about themselves, generally for the benefit of friends and acquaintances. Such material may cause embarrassment or worse if it receives the kind of wider distribution that re-use by the BBC implies. A balance needs to be struck between appropriate use of material that an individual may have unthinkingly put in the public domain and fairness to that individual. (See Guidance: Pictures from Social Media and Third Party Websites)

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    Mute Ciaran De Bhal
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    Apr 4th 2012, 9:25 AM

    Recent gaffes aside, RTE do one thing very well – Current Affairs !! Radio is good too. Other than that RTE makes a mockery of itself by making cheap copies of UK and foreign Programmes. It’s woeful and cringeworthy really. Let RTE become a news and current affairs channel only between the hours of 6am and midnight and leave entertainment programmes to others capable of doing so. Reduce the license fee accordingly and get rid of the posturing presenters. It always amazes me that the most popular figures on RTE over the years have been puppets and other inanimate objects, Judd, Bosco, Zig and Zag, Dustin, Kenny ….

    1
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