COS Media Department

Comm35 meets Tuesday and Thursday at 3pm to 6pm.
The classes are held at Studio COS on the Weed campus.

Ron Demele is the instructor

Draft - Proposal

College of the Siskiyous

Television News Magazine Guidelines

College television is governed by the same basic legal rights and responsibilities as in professional television. College journalists have the right guaranteed in the First Amendment to free expression, insofar as broadcasted items many not contain slander or obscenity, invade the privacy of individuals, incite or violate the laws of copyright, or violate community standards of appropriateness.

In keeping with recent court interpretations of cases dealing with the colleges, it is understood that censorship, while not desirable, is legal in some cases; however it can be avoided through a commitment by the staff to excellence in reporting.

With the right to freedom of expression comes an obligation to the highest ideals of broadcasting and journalistic professions. These include responsibility, independence, sincerity, truthfulness, accuracy, impartiality, fair play and decency. Good taste should be exercised in all content.

Stated generally, the goals of student broadcasts at College of the Siskiyous are to inform, entertain, interpret (through editorial commentary), and provide a sounding board for ideas and opinions of students, faculty and the community. In addition, it is understood that broadcasts are primarily designed to serve as a laboratory experience for students interested in learning the techniques of sound journalistic practice and improving their media production skills.

Content Guidelines

• Productions shall be free of profanity, vulgarity and words or images which have acquired undesirable meanings, as judged by the generally accepted standards of the community.
• Productions shall contain no statements or images derisive of any race, religion, sex or national origin.
• Productions shall show no disrespect for law enforcement not the generally accepted ethic of the community.
• Productions shall not advocate illegal arts of any kind nor disruption of the school environment.
• Productions shall adhere to the 1987 radio and television new directors association code of ethics.
• Productions shall avoid editorial material which encourages cheating.
• Productions shall avoid naming or picturing students, faculty, or staff who have violated public law or school board policy. Productions will furthermore refrain from publicizing names or images of individuals with AIDS or other personal illness without the written consent of the individual and in the case of minor the written consent of the individual's parent or guardian.
• Expressions of opinion in a broadcast on controversial subjects must be clearly identified as such by means of direct or indirect quotes or by means of an identity title graphic or credit.
• To maintain independence and integrity, broadcasts shall not become involved in, or take sides with, any rivalries or jealousies within the college. No person or organization is to be permitted to use the production to his or her own ends - be that a staff member, he adviser, a teacher, the administration, and organization, or someone outside the college.
• Items which may be deemed by the adviser to be violation of libel, slander, right to privacy, or copyright law will not be broadcast
• Promotion of illicit drugs, alcohol and tobacco will not be accepted nor will any music, photo or art work depicting the use of these products. The broadcasting staff likewise reserve the right to refuse any adverting of a controversial nature including, but not limited to, advertisements for teen counseling services for contraception, pregnancy, abortion and homosexuality; cults or discriminatory organizations; or other issues which might cause division among the staff, the student body, the faculty, the school district or the community.
• Students are expected to take an active interest in the events around them and, accordingly, there are no such things as "taboo" topics. Items of a controversial nature can be discussed by the entire staff and that group may render a decision about the item's suitability for broadcast, based upon strict adherence to the Broadcast Journalism guidelines set forth herein.
• An error of fact in any broadcast will require a labeled statement of correction in the following broadcast or edition according to appropriate or feasible time and space limitations.

Staff Qualifications and Selection

• Staff members will be determined through a written application process completed one week after the beginning of regular semester. Applicants will be evaluated on the basis of skills, experience, grade point average, interest, classes enrolled, availability.
• A Staff member must meet at least on of these criteria.
  • Must be enrolled in a College of the Siskiyous class.
  • Provide a sample media that is deemed above average by a current adviser.
• Immediate removal from the class may be recommanded by the adviser or principal in the case of deliberate violations of these guidelines.

Staff Jobs

Television News Magazine

Planning

• Producer
• Chief Editor
• Section Editors
• Copy Editor
• Photo/Graphics Editor
• Reporters
• Advertising Manager
• Information Technology Manager

Production Day

• Producer
• Director
• Floor Director
• Technical Director
• Sound Engineer
• Camera Operator ( x3 )
• Character Generator
• Lighting
• Set Design
• Graphics

Segment Production ( n )

• Director / Reporter
• Camera Operator
• Audio Engineer

Job Roles and Responsibilities

Producer

Director

Storyboard/Script Supervisor

Techincal Director

Audio Engineer

Assistant Audio Technician

Character Generator

Teleprompter Operator

Camera Operator

Anchor

Probationary Status or Removal from Staff

• To be determined

Grading

• To be determined

Attendance Policy

• To be determined

Professional Code of Ethics

The responsibility of radio and television journalists is to gather and report information of importance and interest to the public accurately, honestly and impartially. The members of the Radio- Television News Directors Association accept these standards and will:

• Strive to present the source or nature of broadcast news material in away that is balanced, accurate and fair.
  • They will evaluate information solely on its merits as news, rejecting sensationalism or misleading emphasis in any form.
  • They will guard against using audio or video material in a way that deceives the audience.
  • They will not mislead the public by presenting as spontaneous news any material which is staged or rehearsed.
  • They will identify people by race, creed, nationality or prior status only when it is relevant.
  • They will clearly label opinion and commentary.
  • They will promptly acknowledge and correct errors.
• Strive to conduct themselves in a manner that protects them from conflicts of interest, real or perceived. They will decline gifts or favors which could influence or appear to influence their judgments.
• Respect the dignity, privacy and well-being of people with whom they deal.
• Recognize the need to protect confidential sources. They will promise confidentiality only with the intention of keeping that promise.
• Respect everyone's right to a fair trial.
• Broadcast the private transmissions of other broadcasters only with permission.
• Actively encourage observance of this Code by all journalists, whether members of the Radio-Television News Directors Association or not.