Staff Manual
2012
Welcome to the Cynic Dear Staff member, It is my great honor to welcome you to The Vermont Cynic. You are about to enter an amazing organization that is much, much more than a weekly student newspaper. Since 1883, The Vermont Cynic has been the independent student voice of the University of Vermont, delivering students the happenings on campus and uncovering issues of utmost importance. The Cynic has come a long way from its humble roots in the late 19th century. Through strong leadership and a focus on integrity and meeting the highest standards, the Cynic has been recognized as one of the premier college newspapers in the United States. Take a look at the people around you: this amazing, dedicated group of students will become your great friends during your time at UVM. In my time at the Cynic I have learned more with these people than through any of my classes. The experience you will gain here will arm you with an incredible skillset to go forth and be successful in any career. Former members of the Cynic have gone on to do amazing things after they graduate, and as a member of this organization, you are in line to follow them. The Cynic has been an unforgettable experience that has truly shaped my time at college.While I must confront that my leadership and ideals will fade after my passing, I must make sure that the strong tradition of the Cynic carries on into uncertain times. The current state of the media is in disarray as technology disrupts the flow of information in our modern world. The role of our newspaper must never falter and this challenge will be confronted in the years ahead. To assist you in this endeavor I give to you this Staff Manual, which details the procedures for being a member of this great organization. You will find in this manual how to carry yourself as a reporter, a student and ultimately how to handle your character. Go forth and do great work, the future of the Cynic is counting on you. Sincerely,
1
Brent Summers
What’s Inside? Mission....................................................3 Membership............................................4 On Assignment....................................5-8 Off Assignment.......................................9 Original Reporting................................10 In the Office...........................................11 Organizational Structure......................12 Job Descriptions..............................13-16 Cynical Policies.................................17,18 Business..........................................19, 20 Journalist’s Creed...........................21, 22 Cynic Style......................................23, 24 Cynical wisdom.....................................25
2
Mission Founded in 1883, The Vermont Cynic’s mission is to serve the University of Vermont and the Burlington community as an independent student voice that strives to be an outlet for news and to promote the exchange of ideas and information. By facilitating communication, the Cynic hopes to stimulate social growth. Through unbiased reporting, dedication to fact and unwavering integrity, the Cynic works to be a progressive newspaper that does not rely on external approval but internal motivation. At The Vermont Cynic we look at ourselves as an organization and business more than a normal University club. And as such we have a firm organizational structure – including staff hierarchy and supervisor responsibilities – but it is very important to note that while this structure exists, every position, no matter the level, is equally important. If one person does not complete his or her job it affects everyone else in the organization. It is important to keep constant communication with your fellow staff members. Co-workers must respect one another and maintain open and professional levels of communicate in order to be effective and succeed. All staff members and editors are held responsible and accountable for the content – including factual accuracy and quality – of the work they produce, submit and manage. In order to be successful it is important to maintain open lines of communication.
3
Membership Eligibility All students – both full and part time – are eligible and encouraged to join the Cynic regardless of class or academic standing. The Editorial Board maintains the right to remove anyone from the staff who they do not feel is positively contributing to the overall improvement of the organization.
Membership in Campus Groups
Staffers may not cover a campus organization they belong to, or participate in any editorial or business decisions regarding that organization. Staffers may provide story leads to other staffers about the organizations to which they belong. Staffers should report their memberships to Professionalism their supervising editor. To maintain the role of Whether on assignment or not, staff members the press as an independent watchdog of governare recognized as representatives of the Cynic. For ment, a staffer should not be an elected or apthis reason, all staff is expected to show the utmost pointed member of student government. professionalism and courtesy in interactions with students, faculty, staff, administrators and comOutside Activities, Political munity members. Failure to do so not only reflects Political involvement, holding off-campus pubpoorly on you but on the Cynic as a whole. This professionalism is expected to extend to the use lic office and service in community organizations of the telephone in the newsroom, the greeting should be considered carefully to avoid comproof visitors as well as personal appearance in the mising professional integrity and that of the publication. The notion of the journalist as an indenewsroom and on assignment. pendent observer and factfinder is important to preserve. A staffer involved in specific political acOther Employment tion, especially in a leadership role, should not be Other employment should not conflict with the assigned to cover that involvement. staffer’s first responsibilities to the publication. The staffer must report any other employment to the editor to avoid any conflicts of interest with assignments or other staff editorial or business responsibilities or influences.
Other Campus Media Work To avoid a conflict of interest,a staffer should not hold similar positions on two or more campus news, public information or public relations media or organizations.
4
On Assignment Photo Illustration and Reenactments Set-ups or posed scenes may be used if the average reader will not be misled or if the caption or credit line tells readers that it is a photo illustration or a re-enactment or re-staging of an event. Recording the original action is always preferred.
Use of Photographs of Victims of Accidents, Fires, Natural Disasters Photos have a tremendous impact on readers. The question of privacy versus the public’s right to know should be considered. The line between good and bad taste, and reality and sensationalism is not always easy to draw. Care should be taken to maintain the dignity of the subject as much as possible without undermining the truth of the event. In making a final decision on a photo of this type, an editor should consider: Do the readers need informaion from this photo that helps explain the event better than words or another photo? Who is hurt by the publication of this photo? How would I react if my photograph was taken at such a moment of tragedy and anguish?
Reporting Names, Addresses of Crime Victims Staffers need to know the state laws that govern the publication of the names of crime victims. Customarily, the names of rape victims are not published, however, some news media have asked victims of sexual assault to identify themselves for publication. This may be negotiated between the victim and the publication. Victims of nonsexual crimes may be identified, but the publication has a responsibility to give some protection to the victims such as giving imprecise addresses. With the exception of major crimes an arrested person is not named until charges are filed. However, to avoid a subjective list of exceptions, it is acceptable to withhold all names, regardless of the crime, until charges are filed. exception of major crimes, predetermined by the editor, an arrested person is not named until charges are filed.
5
Conflicts of Interest
On Assignment
It is very important for members of the Cynic staff to remain unbiased to be able to present balanced news to the community. No staff member should ever cover an organization or club that he or she has a tie to in any form. Staff members should avoid using close friends, roommates, floor mates, fraternity brothers/sorority sisters or familial relations as direct sources. It is important to separate your work outside the Cynic from the work within the organization. While it is fine – and encouraged – to recommend a story based on something you are involved in outside the newspaper, it is not appropriate to write the story yourself or pressure the editors to cover it. If a conflict of interest arises, the staff member should contact their section editor immediately.
Prior Review As an independent publication, the Cynic is committed to maintaining its integrity as an unbiased publication. The Cynic therefore does not allow for prior review of any type unless specifically requested by the editor-in-chief. The Cynic will do due diligence in addressing concerns University officials, administrators, sources or the adviser may have before publications. However, the newspaper is committed to maintaining its integrity and independence. A reporter should never agree to allow a subject to read a story before publication. If there are any questions about the story, the reporter should check back with the source before publication to confirm information.
Cooperation with Law Enforcement, Government, College Administration To be an effective watchdog on other agencies, a publication must remain independent. The publication should not take over any of the duties of any outside agency; cooperation or involvement in the work of these agencies should be restricted to what is required by law. Staffers should know any freedom of information, open meetings and shield laws that apply to their work. If a staffer thinks any public authority is interfering with the staffer’s functions as a journalist, the incident should be reported to the editor. The editor should then seek advice from groups such as the Student Press Law Center, American Civil Liberties Union or an editor or media attorney for a nearby, non-student publication.
6
On Assignment Sexist Language
Staffers should avoid sexist labels and descriptive language. Replace such language with objective, neutral terms and descriptions.
Scrutiny of a Public Person’s Life
Conflicts exist between a person’s desire for privacy and the public good or the public’s right to know about a public person’s life. Persons who freely choose to become public celebrities or public servants should expect a greater level of scrutiny of their life than a private person— even a private person who suddenly is involved in a public situation. Staffers should make judgments based on the real news value of the situation, common sense and decency. Reporters and pho-tographers should not badger a person who has made it clear that he or she does not want to be interviewed or photographed. One exception is those who are involved in criminal activity or in court. Publishing intimate details of a person’s life, such as their health or sexual activities, should be done with extreme care and only if the facts are important for the completeness of a story and reflect in a significant way upon the person’s public life.
Use of Alcohol on Assignment
Even though a staffer may be able to drink legally, no or only light drinking in a social setting such as a dinner or reception is recommended to avoid any suspicion by a source or the public that the staffer’s judgment, credibility or objectivity is impaired by alcohol. When covering an event where alcohol is served, staffers should not accept free drinks unless all drinks are free to everyone in attendance. Staffers should avoid the appearance that they are being “wined and dined” by any source or group.
7
On Assignment Plagiarism of Words, Art, Other Plagiarism is prohibited and is illegal if the material is copyright protected. For the purposes of this code, plagiarism is defined as the word-for-word duplication of another person’s writing or close summarization of the work of another source without giving the source proper credit. A comparable prohibition applies to the use of graphics. Information obtained from a published work must be independently verified before it can be reported as a new, original story. This policy also forbids lifting verbatim paragraphs from a wire service without attribuvtion or pointing out that wire stories were used in compiling the story. Material that is published on the Internet should be treated in the same way as if it were published in more traditional broadcast media. Because plagiarism can significantly undermine the public trust of journalists and journalism, editors should be prepared to consider severe penalties for documented cases of plagiarism, including dismissal from the staff.
Negative Stereotyping Staffers should take care in writing to avoid applying commonly thought but usually erroneous group stereotypes to individuals who are a member of a particular group. Generalizations, often based upon stereotypes, can be misleading and inaccurate. In a broader sense, writers, photographers and artists should avoid more subtle stereotyping in their selection of interviewees and subjects of photographs or illustrations. Some examples of negative stereotypes: unmarried, black teen welfare mothers; unemployed, alcohol-using Native Americans; overweight, long-haired white biker outlaws; effeminate gays; inarticulate, “dumb� blonde women. It is also advisable to avoid sexual stereotyping in choice of subjects for stories, photographs and illustrations on sports or political or social issues such as equal rights.
8
Off Assignment Even when you are not on assignment, as a member of the Cynic you are always a representation of the newspaper’s image. There is a reputation we must all uphold. Here are some guidlines for keeping that image sparkling clean:
Social Media Use Members of the Cynic are expected to carry the reputation of the organization in the utmost regard when using Facebook and Twitter. Some things to avoid: • Staff members must not endorse any political campaign, whether SGA or local/national • Staff must not be tagged in any comprising pictures that would harm the reputation of the Cynic and its reporting, including but not limited to: illegal drugs, alcohol, parties. • Staff must not post photos from Cynic gatherings that include underage drinking or illegal drug use. • Staff have an obligation to assist in promoting the Facebook/Twitter presence of The Cynic, whether it be through posting stories or inviting friends to join.
Sexual Harassment Sexual harassment is: (verbal) suggestive comments, sexual innuendo, threats, insults, jokes about sex-specific traits, sexual propositions; (nonverbal) vulgar gestures, whistling, leering, suggestive or insulting noises; (physical) touching, pinching, brushing the body, coercing sexual intercourse, assault. This conduct can be called job-related harassment when submission is made implicitly or explicitly a condition of employment, a condition of work related assignments, compensation and other factors, or if such conduct interferes with the staffer’s performance or creates a hostile, intimidating or offensive work environment. Sexual harassment is prohibited.
Relationships and Coverage
9
Staffers must declare conflicts and avoid involvement in stories dealing with members of their families. Staff members should not cover — in words, photographs or artwork — or make news judgments about family members or persons with whom they have financial, adversarial, romantic, sexual or closely personal relationships.
Original Reporting Separation of Reporting from Commentary To help the reader separate fact-based reporting from commentary, in the form of personal columns, editorials, analysis and similar opinion writing, all commentary should be labled or somehow clearly and consistently identified as opinion, especially when it is outside the editorial or op-ed pages and mixed with fact-based reporting.
Attribution Give attribution in the following situations: • Direct quote or a paraphrase/summary of what someone said. • Whenever new or startling information is presented. • When attributing to a person, use “said”. When attributing to a document, website, press release, etc., use “according to” or “stated.” • It is important to have at least 3 sources in every story. More sources = more info, more balanced coverage.
Fabrication of Any Kind The use of composite characters or imaginary situations or characters will not be allowed in news or feature stories. A columnist may, occasionally, use such an approach in developing a piece, but it must be clear to the reader that the person or situation is fictional and that the column is commentary and not reporting. The growth of narrative story development (storytelling devices) means that reporters and editors should be especially careful to not mix fact and fiction, and not embellish fact with fictional details, regardless of their significance.
Electronically Altered Photos Electronically altering the content of photos for news and general feature stories or as stand-alone news and feature photos is not allowed. Exceptions to this would be adjustments to contrast and similar technical enhancements that don’t affect the truthfulness of the subject and context of the subject or the scene. Content may be altered for creative purposes as a special effect for a feature story if the caption or creditline includes that fact and if an average reader would not mistake the photo for reality.
10
In the Office The Vermont Cynic is very fortunate to have an office located on the first floor of the Davis Center. It is of the utmost importance that all staff members respect their office priveleges and keep it in good shape.
Noise and distractions
Guests in the office Staffers may invite friends into the office on occasion as long as they do not pose a distraction to others working. Staff members are not, however, allowed to show guests and friends the office passcode.
The office is a place to both work and play, but always be aware of what others are doing around you. Playing loud music while others are engaged in serious work is prohibited. Check with those around you and ask permission to play music. The same rule applies to loud conversations.
24-hour access
Kitchen etiquette
All office computers must be kept organized and free of illegal software/malware. Please do not download programs without approval from your supervisor.
The office provides a coffee pot, two refrigerators and a microwave for convenience (and to aid you in never having to leave the office). Please use them respectfully. Do not leave things in the refrigerator for too long. Keep all of your food products clean and throw things out before they spoil and smell. Wash all plates, tupperware and silverware after eating.
Eating/drinking Be extremely careful when consuming food in the office. Whether eating on the copy-editing table or near a computer, a spill could be disatrous. Please ensure you place lids on coffee and keep all food items an appropriate distance from computers, mice and keyboards.
Office printer The printer is to be used for printing edited stories and other Cynic related materials only. Please be conversative with paper and print double-sided when possible.
11
The editorial board will be granted 24-hour swipe card access to the media door in the Davis Center. This privelege is not to be abused.
Computer use
Organizational Structure Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor
Arts Editor Copy Chief Layout Editor Life/Features Editor News Editor Opinion Editor Photo Editor Sports Editor Video Editor Web Editor
Operations Manager
PR Manager
Work Studies
Advertising Manager
Distribution Manager
Advertising Representatives
Distribution Staff
Assistant Editors
Staff
12
Job Descriptions Editor-in-chief The editor-in-chief is the top position at The Cynic and is the figurehead for the organization and is charged with representing the organization to the public. The editor-inchief is responsible for the following: • Developing a vision for The Cynic and creating a direction for the future of the newspaper. • Act as the voice of The Cynic. • Developing a vision for The Cynic and creating a direction for the future of the newspaper. • Act as the voice of The Cynic. • Leadership of both the editorial and business sides of the organization. • Maintains final say on all content and decisions – both editorial and business related. • Consult with the advisor to help improve the paper and seek guidance as needed • Maintain constant awareness of pos- sible concerns regarding libel and issues of taste. • Works with the managing editor and the operations manager to set dead- lines for the production of the newspaper. • Appoint managing editor and operations manager • Meet with the managing editor and operations manager each week to discuss the previous issue as well as plans for the future. • Run weekly general meetings and executive board meetings. • Finalize all pages before they are sent to the printer. • Maintain staff manual and update accordingly.
13
Managing Editor The managing editor is in charge of the newsroom and the weekly production of the newspaper. The managing editor is a resource as well as a disciplinary for all of the section editors, copy chief and web editor. The managing editor reports directly to the editor-in-chief and is responsible for the following: • Implementing the editor-in-chiefs vision • Works directly with the assistant managing editors and art director in the production of the newspaper each week. • Run weekly editorial board meetings. • Facilitate communication between layout and editorial to increase creative design. • Works with the operation manager to determine the number of pages in each issue • Places the ads throughout the issue and distributes the layout to all the editors each week. • Oversees the production and updating of the Web site. • Meets weekly with the operation manager and the editor-in-chief. • Acts as the leader of the organization in the absence of the editor-in-chief. • Signing off on all the pages before publications.
Job Descriptions Operations Manager The operations manager is the manager of the business side of the organization. The operations manager reports directly to the editor-in-chief and is responsible of the following: • Implementing the editor-in-chief’s vision. • Works with the business manager, advertising manager, public relations director and circulation manager to ensure the timely completion of all their jobs. • Works with the managing editor to decide on the length of each issue based on content and advertisements. • Present the financial status and report of The Cynic on a weekly basis to the adviser and the editor-in-chief. • Meet weekly with the editor-in-chief and the managing editor. • Oversee the workings of the advertising manager to ensure all ads make it into the newspaper. • Oversee the workings of the distribution manager to ensure the newspaper is distributed before 5 p.m. on Thursday afternoon. • Manage the work studies and approve their hours. • Hold weekly meetings with staff to recap the previous week and plan for the future. • Receive weekly financial reports from the SGA treasurer to understand the financial status of The Cynic and report results to the editor-in-chief. • Manages national advertisements
Advertising Manager The advertising manager is the leader of the advertising team and is responsible for facilitating the sales of advertisements for The Cynic. The advertising manager reports directly to the operations manager and is responsible for the following: • Coordinate, train and recruit for the advertising team. • Manage the team and assign members with areas of operation to ensure maxi- mum productivity. • Distribute loose advertising requests evenly amongst advertising representatives. • Resolve any disputes with advertising clients. • Collect and catalogue advertising contracts. • Submit ad sales reports to the operations manager to be catalouged. • Ensure advertising deadlines are met. • Meet weekly with the operations manager to ensure constant communication.
14
Job Descriptions Section Editors (News, Life, Arts, Opinion, Sports) The section editors are responsible for finding, assigning and editing stories. The section editors report directly to the managing editor and are responsible for the following: • Determine, manage and update weekly story budgets and assign articles accordingly. • Manage, train and motivate all the section writers. • Work with managing editor to create deadlines and then emphasize and enforce them with the writers. • Write all headlines and bylines in the section. • Work with layout team to design creative material for section. • Review, edit, proof and accept responsibility for all copy published in the section. • Make corrections after copyediting has occurred. • Submit any corrections from the previous week to the managing editor. • Stay up to date on all happenings in the scope of the specific section in order to have the most time sensitive and relevant stories. • Run weekly section meetings after end of the general meetings on Thursday. • Meets weekly with the editorial board and attends general meetings.
Photo Editor The photo editor is responsible for the overall excellence and coverage of photos in the Cynic. The photo editor reports directly to the managing editor and is responsible for the following: • Work with other editors to coordinate photography needed for that week in the paper. • Make sure all photos are properly edited for print/web and attributed.
15
• Choose the most suitable and journalistically appropriate photos. • Supervise and ensure completion of photo assignments. • Manage, train and motivate photographers to succeed. • Emphasize and enforce deadlines. • Create and maintain photo archives. Back up photo archives on a weekly basis. • Run weekly meetings with photographers. • Meet weekly with the editorial board and attend general meetings.
Layout Editor The layout editor is responsible for coordinating the overall design of the newspaper. The layout editor reports directly to the managing editor and is responsible for the following: • Oversee the layout of the newspaper, making sure all elements conform to the Cynic’s style. • Work with editors/staff on Adobe inDesign to bring their pages to the next level. • Coordinates with staff to complete graphic assignments and add graphics and artistic elements to the newspaper. • Meets weekly with the editorial board and attends general meetings. • Looks over all layout for all the sections to ensure quality, style and consistency.
Job Descriptions Video Editor The video editor is respondible for coordinating multimedia production and capturing/editing video to accompany stories. The video editor reports directly to the managing editor and is responsible for the following: • Work with other sections to plan video content. • Create a minimum of one video per week. • Train section members in shooting video and editing in Final Cut Pro. • Work with web team to post videos online. • Manage the CynicVideo youtube account. • Meets weekly with the editorial board and attends general meetings.
Copy Chief The copy chief is responsible for reading every word of copy before it goes to press and correcting errors in line with The Vermont Cynic style guide and AP Style. The copy chief reports directly to the managing editor and is responsible for the following: • The oversight of all copyediting and fact checking. • Supervises, trains and evaluates all the copy editors. • Administers copy quizzes to editorial staff and copy editors twice a semester. • Review and updates The Vermont Cynic style on a regular basis. • Meets weekly with the editorial board and attends general meetings.
Web Editor The web editor is responsible for the production of the vermontcynic.com. The web editor reports directly to the managing editor and is responsible for the following: • Maintaining the website and making sure it is constantly updated. • Make sure all content is uploaded and sections are complete. • Oversee social media presence. • Is available to check the Web site daily, do maintenance and, if necessary, upload breaking news. • Learns new ways to improve the website, including adding multimedia slide shows, audio, etc. • Works with managing editor to decide what the most important stories are so that those are presented on the top of the site. • Meets weekly with the editorial board and attends general meetings.
Senior Staff Writer/Photographer • Weekly contributor of a section who has published over 10 articles/photos in the Cynic and has displayed a degree of excellency recognized by their section editor.
Staff Writer/Photographer • Weekly contributor of a section who has pubished over 3 articles/photos in the Cynic.
Cynic Correspondent • New contributor to the Cynic who has published 3 or less articles.
16
Cynical Policies Deadlines The newspaper lives and dies on deadlines. In order for us to run smoothly it is of the utmost importance to meet deadlines. When a staff member misses a deadline, the entire paper feels the effects. When we all meet our deadlines is when the paper can really thrive. The managing editor is charged with setting weekly deadlines for the staff editors who are in turn in charge of setting deadlines for their individual staff members, which allow them to meet their deadlines. If deadlines are not met – and there was no previous agreement for an extension – the editor or manager is at liberty to level punishment.
Editing and Style
All stories must pass before five sets of eyes – the section editor, a copy editor, the copy chief, the managing editor and the editor-in-chief – after being submitted by the writer and before going to press. Stories shall be edited in accordance the Cynic style guide and the Associated Press Style guide. If questions arise and there is no answer in our style guide or the AP guide, then it is up to the editor-inchief and copy chief to make a decision, which should be immediately marked down in the style guide.
Accuracy It is of the utmost importance to maintain the highest level of accuracy in stories. Editors are charged with making sure all facts in stories are confirmed and accurate. Writers should be prepared to make themselves available during production of the newspaper in order to help with confirming facts and maintaining accuracy.
Un-Publishing
Once something is published – either in the print edition of the Cynic or on the website at www.vermontcynic.com – it is considered historical record and should not be altered. Requests for removal or alterations to content should be judged on a case-by-case basis. The only situations in which content should be changed are in situations of libel or inaccuracy. Decisions on actions regarding alterations to content will be made by the editor-in-chief. If the current editor-in-chief is confronted with a removal request for content not published under their term, the editor who it was published under must be contacted and approve the removal.
Corrections
The Vermont Cynic is committed to producing a factual and unbiased product. That being said, we are not perfect, but errors we do make are unintentional and we dedicated to correcting them. Corrections and clarifications can be sent to cynic@ uvm.edu.
17
Cynical policies Anonymous sources As a rule, The Vermont Cynic does not print any information or quotes from sources that are unknown or unverifiable to the reporter and editor. Reporters should never promise anonymity to sources unless there is evidence that physical, emotional or financial harm would come to the source if he or she were revealed. Anonymity should only be granted after a dialogue between the reporter, section editor and editor-in-chief. If a source is granted anonymity, the editor-in- chief and section editor must be given the sources name and all the facts surrounding the situation. Sources should be informed that their information will be shared with the section editor and editor-in-chief. When possible reporters should do their best to get the same information from a source that agrees to go on the record.
Off the Record Reporters and staff members should avoid going off the record with sources whenever possible. Certain situations call for off the record conversations but these instances should be limited or eliminated wherever possible. If a source asks to go off the record, the reporter should inform the source of the benefits of speaking on the record and refrain from talking off the record until the end of the interview. When going off the record both parties must agree to speak off the record. If the source asks to talk off the record but the reporter never agrees, the reporter is not ethically bound to keep any of the material out of print. If there is an agreement to speak off the record then the reporter may not print the material unless they can confirm the information and attribute it to another source.
Free Travel To remain as free of influence or obligation to report a story, the journalist should not accept free travel, accommodations or meals related to travel. For convenience, sports reporters may travel on team charters, but the publication should pay the cost of the transportation and related expenses. The same pay-as-you-go policy should apply to non-sports reporting as well, including businesses and governments. Free travel and accommodations that are non-coverage related and that may be provided by a vendor may be accepted if the primary purpose is for education or training and is related to the fulfillment of an agreement or contract.
Gifts Gifts should not be accepted. Any gift should be returned to the sender or sent to a charity. If the gift is of no significant value, such as a desk trinket, small food item or pen, the staff member may retain the gift.
18
Business Acceptance Terms • The Cynic reserves the right to accept or reject any advertisement. We do not accept advertising that is racist, sexist or that personally attacks another individual. The decision on what ads are accepted and which are rejected falls to the operations manager with final approval on decisions coming from the editor-in-chief. • The Cynic has the right to require prepayment for any advertisement. • The Cynic assumes no liability for typographical errors present in the creative submitted by the advertiser. Liability for errors shall not exceed the cost of the ad in which the error occurred. The advertising manager and operations manager, in consultation with the editor-in-chief, will determine billing adjustments for errors.
Rates The Cynic has four tiers of prices for advertisements. There are separate prices for UVM student clubs, UVM affiliated companies, local companies and national advertisers. The Cynic also accepts inserts. For full listing of prices see the rate card available on vermontcynic.com – for more information, contact the advertising manager at cynicalads@gmail.com
Classifieds • The Cynic accepts classifieds for as little as one issue to as long as the whole semester. Classifieds are a minimum of 10 words and a maximum of 50 words. • The Cynic does not send tear sheets for classifieds. It is the advertisers responsibility to check the classified after the first run and report any errors to the Cynic. We will only assume responsibility for errors the first day the classified runs.
19
House Ads • House ads should be used sparingly. While they are a great way to get information about the Cynic out to the community, they can be used as a crutch and that should be avoided at all costs. • The operations manager is in charge of facilitating the creation of set house ads that can be filled in to spaces in the newspaper by the section editors. When creating house ads, be creative and inventive in trying to draw people to the Cynic.
Placement • Unless the advertiser specifically requested a specific location in the newspaper and agreed to pay the 10 percent placement, the advertisement will be placed randomly at the managing editor’s discretion.
Discounts • The Cynic offers discounts to advertisers for frequency – three or more ads placed in consecutive issues – as well as prepaying, which both carry with them 10 percent discounts.
Advertisement Specifications • The Cynic is a tall-tabloid newspaper with 150 square inches of available advertising space on each page. We accept full, half, quarter and fifth page ads as well as a small coupon ad that measures four inches wide by three inches tall. • The Cynic has the freedom to publish the advertisement in whatever position on whichever page. • Ads that have the appearance of editorial material may be identified as “ADVERTISEMENT” at the discretion of the managing editor.
Business Trade-outs Trade-outs are advertisements given in exchange for something of value to the newspaper other than money and should be considered with caution and used only when deemed appropriate by the operations manager and editor-in-chief. It is acceptable to have a trade-out account in order to provide food on production days as well as the possibility of electronic equipment. All trade-outs must be made on a dollar-for-dollar basis, meaning a $200 advertisement should be traded for at least $200 worth of goods.
Free Advertisements The practice of giving free advertisements is not a practice that the Cynic makes a habit. But we do recognize that in certain situations it is appropriate. With the relationship between the Cynic, WRUV and UVMtv, trading advertisements is entirely acceptable. In all situations of free advertising the advertising manager must first clear it with the operations manager before getting final approval from the editor-in- chief.
Insert Deadlines The deadline for insertion orders and advertising creatives is noon on the Friday prior to publication.
Stipends Currently the Cynic pays weekly stipends to the top two tiers of the organizational structure. If a staff member receives money through work-study, that trumps a stipend. Staff members are paid for each published issue.
Petty Cash Petty cash may be made available for the purposes of covering an event. Acceptable uses of petty cash would be purchasing public records and restaurant reviews. All requests for petty cash must be directed to the editor-in-chief and should plan on a two days before they receive the money. The Cynic is not able to reimburse people for expenses unless it has been discussed previously with the editor-in-chief. If you are covering an event that requires a car to get to, the Cynic often can cover the cost of gas, but the editor-in-chief needs at least a week’s warning in order to process the paperwork and get the money.
Distribution The distribution manager is in charge of facilitating distribution and circulation of the newspaper. This includes placing racks in locations around campus and downtown, contacting downtown purveyors to request a space to place the Cynic and creating circulation maps of where papers are being distributed.The newspaper must be distributed before Thursday at 5 p.m. This includes saving newspapers for the Cynic archive as well as reserving newspapers for the operations manager to use to invoice.
20
Journalist’s Creed This code of ethics is adapted for the use of the Cynic from the Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics. While this code is almost always followed, the editor-in- chief may make the decision to vary from the code.
Preamble Members of the Cynic believe that public enlightenment is the forerunner of justice and the foundation of democracy. The duty of the journalist is to further those ends by seeking truth and providing a fair and comprehensive account of events and issues. Conscientious journalists from all media and specialties strive to serve the public with thoroughness and honesty. Professional integrity is the cornerstone of a journalist’s credibility. Members of the Society share a dedication to ethical behavior and adopt this code to declare the Society’s principles and standards of practice.
Seek Truth and Report It Journalists should be honest, fair and courageous in gathering, reporting and interpreting information.
Journalists should:
• Test the accuracy of information from all sources and exercise care to avoid inadvertent error. Deliberate distortion is never permissible. • Diligently seek out subjects of news stories to give them the opportunity to respond to allegations of wrongdoing. Identify sources whenever feasible. The public is entitled to as much information as possible on sources’ reliability. • Always question sources’ motives before promising anonymity. Clarify conditions attached to any promise made in exchange for information. Keep promises.
21
• Make certain that headlines, news teases and promotional material, photos, video, audio, graphics, sound bites and quotations do not misrepresent. They should not oversimplify or highlight incidents out of context. • Never distort the content of news photos or video. Image enhancement for technical clarity is always permissible. Label montages and photo illustrations. • Avoid misleading re-enactments or staged news events. If re-enactment is necessary to tell a story, label it. • Avoid undercover or other surreptitious methods of gathering information except when traditional open methods will not yield information vital to the public. Use of such methods should be explained as part of the story • Never plagiarize. • Tell the story of the diversity and magnitude of the human experience boldly, even when it is unpopular to do so. • Examine their own cultural values and avoid imposing those values on others. • Avoid stereotyping by race, gender, age, religion, ethnicity, geography, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance or social status. • Support the open exchange of views, even views they find repugnant. • Give voice to the voiceless; official and unofficial sources of information can be equally valid. • Distinguish between advocacy and news reporting. Analysis and commentary should be labeled and not misrepresent fact or context. • Distinguish news from advertising and shun hybrids that blur the lines between the two. • Recognize a special obligation to ensure that the public’s business is conducted in the open and that government records are open to inspection.
Minimize Harm
Journalist’s Creed
Ethical journalists treat sources, subjects and colleagues as human beings deserving of respect.
Journalists should:
• Be vigilant and courageous about holding those with power accountable. • Deny favored treatment to advertisers and special interests and resist their pressure to influence news coverage. • Be wary of sources offering information for favors or money; avoid bidding for news.
• Show compassion for those who may be affected adversely by news coverage. Use speBe Accountable cial sensitivity when dealing with children and inexperienced sources or subjects. Journalists are accountable to their readers, • Be sensitive when seeking or using interviews listeners, viewers and each other. or photographs of those affected by tragedy Journalists should: or grief. • Recognize that gathering and reporting infor- • Clarify and explain news coverage and invite dialogue with the public over journalistic mation may cause harm or discomfort. Purconduct. suit of the news is not a license for arrogance. • Encourage the public to voice grievances • Recognize that private people have a greater against the news media. right to control information about themselves • Admit mistakes and correct them promptly. than do public officials and others who seek • Expose unethical practices of journalists and power, influence or attention. Only an overthe news media. riding public need can justify intrusion into • Abide by the same high standards to which anyone’s privacy. they hold others. • Show good taste. Avoid pandering to lurid curiosity. • Be cautious about identifying juvenile suspects or victims of sex crimes. • Be judicious about naming criminal suspects before the formal filing of charges. • Balance a criminal suspect’s fair trial rights with the public’s right to be informed.
Act Independently Journalists should be free of obligation to any interest other than the public’s right to know.
Journalists should:
• Avoid conflicts of interest, real or perceived. • Remain free of associations and activities that may compromise integrity or damage credibility. • Refuse gifts, favors, fees, free travel and special treatment, and shun secondary employment, political involvement, public office and service in community organizations if they compromise journalistic integrity.
22
Cynic Style University • When referring to The Vermont Cynic: refer to The Vermont Cynic in italics, spelled out completely. • When referring to UVM as “the University,” always capitalize University as if it were a proper known. When simply referring to “UVM” that acronym meets The Vermont Cynic style. • UVM departments: capitalize all departments in UVM, including areas of study such as the Political Science Department. • Student titles: use “first-year,” “sophomore,” “junior” and “senior.” Do not use freshman, second-year, etc. • University policies: capitalize all University policies. • University buildings: capitalize all names of all University buildings. • University campuses: the names of all sections of campus are capitalized. • Our-of-state students: when referring to outof-state students, hyphenate out-of- state. • In-state students: when referring to in-state students, hyphenate in-state.
Capitalizations • Capitalize all proper nouns, formal titles when used before a name, University when referring to UVM, the different UVM campuses, departments at UVM, titles of movies, publications, titles of songs, titles of albums, sports teams, geographic locations (South Bronx, or New England), University policies and University buildings.
23
Paragraph length • Paragraphs should be 40 words or less, but above 15 words.
Quotations • Punctuation and quotes: all punctuation goes within the quotation marks, including question marks if they are part of the direct quote. If the writer is questioning a direct quote, the question mark must go outside the quotation marks. • Editing quotes: quotes are to be written as they were said. Do not edit for grammar, if quotes are simply terrible to read, paraphrase what the person said and attribute them as you would a direct quote. • Quotes in ledes: do not use quotes as the first sentence of a lede paragraph. Quotes used elsewhere in a lede should be short (only five or six words long) and should be used with caution. They could probably be used in a better place later in the story. • Use quotation marks to: Enclose direct quotes and dialogue Denote titles of movies, songs, plays, books and magazine articles. To identify words used in special senses. • Do not use quotation marks: at the end of a full sentence quote if that quote is continues on the next paragraph. • Use quotation marks: at the end of a partial quote if that partial quote is followed by a full-sentence quotation at the start of the next paragraph.
Cynic Style Tenses • Stories: past tense. • Cutlines: first sentence in present tense. All sentences after that are past tense. Limit sentences to no more than three. • Headlines: present tense. • Subheads: present tense.
Grammar • Verbs: tell action or state of being of the nouns or pronouns. Verbs, when used well, make good writing. When editing an article, underline weak verbs (was, were, have, been) and replace them with stronger verbs. • Make sure that the verb tense is consistent and that they agree with the nouns. • Pronouns: Noun substitutes or equivalents, as subjects and objects of sentences and phrases. Be careful to avoid gender specific pronouns that could make your writing seem sexist. One can use plural nouns or plural pronouns – such as “their,” “them,” or “they” – to substitute for gender specific pronouns that might be offensive. • Adverbs: modifiers of verbs, adjectives and other adverbs. Use with caution. They can make writing biased and lead to unprofessional reporting.
Attribution • It is of the utmost importance to give credit to those that have said, written or done something that is part of a story. • Make sure that you get all names of people and organizations spelled correctly. • There should be attribution in every paragraph that talks about something that is not common knowledge.
Titles • Use AP style for all titles not mentioned here: • As a general rule: if a formal title, capitalize only when used before the person’s name, always lowercase when following the person’s name. • Do not use complementary titles such as Mr. or Mrs. • Always lowercase “professor.” • In attribution, if titles are long, titles should follow the person’s name. if titles are short, they should precede the persons name. Example: “The Cynic scooped us again,” journalist Tim Johnson said. As opposed to: “They broke it first,” said Tim Johnson, UVM beat writer for the Burlington Free Press.
Dates, Times and Numbers • Dates: abbreviate all months except March, April, May, June and July. Spell out months when not referring to a specific date. When referring to a specific date, write as follows: May 3, 2005. • Times: use Arabic numerals to denote times. Abbreviate “a.m.” and “p.m.” For example: 1:32 p.m. Always use periods with a.m. and p.m. • Do not use a.m. or p.m. in the same sentence that you have used a word such as morning, afternoon, evening, night, etc. to avoid redundancy. • Numbers and percents: refer to AP style.
24
Cynical Wisdom In October 2011 the Vermont Cynic was awarded a Pacemaker award - the Pulitzer Prize of college journalism - for the first time in history. I had the honor of serving as the paper’s editor-in-chief at the time and it was truly the most inspiring, unforgettable and proud moment of my life. When I was walking up to receive our Pacemaker it was clear to me that without every single member of our team, this remarkable achievement wouldn’t have been possible. Further, without every person on every team who had worked tirelessly on the paper in years before us, we wouldn’t be standing there holding the most prestigious award in college journalism. Making a paper is a team sport, everything you do has an impact on someone else. Look around you, some of the smartest and hardest working people at the University of Vermont call that newsroom home. There is something to learn from everyone, use your peers as resources - ideas are always better when they have been bounced off critical thinkers, in our case, of course, Cynics. And we always need fresh ideas - don’t be afraid to share yours. Work as hard as you can. Do it to keep up the legacy of the teams before you and to raise the bar for those who will soon eat, sleep and breathe Vermont Cynic in years to come. You are part of something bigger than just those you see around you today - you are a member of the Cynic family, and you always will be. Oh, and pens freeze in the cold - always bring a pencil. - - Once a Cynic, always a Cynic. - Natalie DiBlasio, Editor-in-chief, 2010-2011 I wasn’t prepared for how much the Cynic would change my life. I was first introduced to the Cynic at a club fair in the fall of my first year. The news editor pulled me aside and told me that the Cynic was the place for me. How right he was. College can be an overwhelming experience if you do it alone. At the Cynic, I found a group of curious and intelligent students. I found a home. Thinking back now about my time at UVM, the majority of my great memories were Cynic related. When I started, the Cynic was located in the basement of Billings. Editors laid out their own sections, often late into Sunday night. It was long, it was intense, and it was fantastic. There is nothing like spending every hour of every weekend with a group of people to bring you together. No other experience at UVM will compare with the satisfaction of seeing your first article in the Cynic. You’ve done something tangible. Your tuition money is now somewhat justified. Friends who did not work for the Cynic have asked me what was so great about working for the paper. I explain to them that I learned how to balance a budget, manage a large staff, write, and make a deadline. Those skills will take you far in life. The Cynic will take you far in life. For those of you just starting at the Cynic, I am jealous. You are beginning a wonderful journey that I hope will define your time at UVM. Enjoy your four years, and stay involved in the Cynic after you graduate. -Will Sedlack, Editor-in-chief, 2009-2010
25