In just a couple weeks I’ll officially take over as editor-in-chief of The Daily Iowan — a daily newspaper, website, and TV newscast based on the University of Iowa campus. As part of my commitment to transparency, I thought it would be useful to post a draft of my staff handbook here. Any questions, suggestions, or criticisms would be much appreciated. To foster transparency and collaboration, I’d prefer input as a comment to this post, but if you’d prefer, feel free to email me at Sullivan.AB@gmail.com.

My biggest goal with the handbook was to make it short and clear. Section manager are encouraged to develop specific guidelines for their departments, so this handbook is meant to be the big ideas that apply to the whole staff. Much of this is based on the previous manual, so credit to my predecessors who have put that together over several years.

Editorial philosophy: The Daily Iowan is a mutli-faceted media organization which provides accurate coverage of the University of Iowa, Iowa City, and the state of Iowa that fairly reflects current events of local interest.

Daily Iowan staffers will recognize and seek to avoid the echo-chamber effect prevalent among mainstream media outlets — competing outlets providing similar coverage of events and issues. That goal is best met by seeking out new perspectives, providing more background, and establishing the impact of the events and issues we cover. One of The Daily Iowan’s highest priorities must be advancing the public’s collective knowledge. Duplicating coverage from our rivals offers no new information to the public.

Innovative coverage: All reporters are required to produce content for the print edition, the online edition, and the television newscast. Daily Iowan staffers will also use social media and The Daily Iowan’s web outlets to quickly offer information to our community. Employing staffers who can complete multiple tasks is part of the organization’s commitment to expending resources efficiently.

Public affairs coverage: Watchdog coverage of government, elections, and business are The Daily Iowan’s highest priorities. Metro, TV, and Opinions staffers will always operate with this in mind, but Sports, Arts, Photo, and Design staffers will also strive to meet this expectation.

The Daily Iowan’s focus is informing our community on the policies and proposals which effect them, not on determining their political viability. Staffers will avoid “horse race” coverage and instead explore the merits of candidates’ proposals and officials’ policies.

Daily Iowan staffers will recognize the value of intellectual diversity. The staff will make an effort to report ideas and perspectives which fall outside the mainstream paradigm and which challenge tacit philosophical beliefs. Doing so helps foster an environment conducive to the exchange of meaningful ideas.

Staff structure: The editor-in-chief and managing editors are the newsroom’s leadership team. They oversee and offer advice to section editors and staffers. Section editors are granted a high degree of autonomy to make editorial and management decisions for their staffs, but the editor-in-chief and managing editors reserve the right to override a section editor’s decision.

It is vital the newsroom leaders are responsive to their staffers. It is equally important that staffers make themselves available to their superiors and are receptive to direction. Any breach of either of those responsibilities should be reported to the editor-in-chief or managing editors.

The editor-in-chief and managing editors are committed to creating an environment in which all staffers feel comfortable asking questions, offering input, and bringing concerns.

Ethical standards: Staffers should always discuss real, perceived, and potential ethical issues with their superiors. The Daily Iowan uses the Society of Professional Journalists’ Code of Ethics as a general guideline but not as a manual of operations. In addition, staffers will observe the following rules:

• Staffers may not offer review of Daily Iowan material prior to publication to anyone not employed by the organization.
• The use of anonymous sources is rare and must be approved by a section editor as well as a managing editor or editor-in-chief.
• The Daily Iowan will avoid conflicts of interest — staffers reporting on issues to which they are closely involved. When conflicts cannot be avoided, conflicts will be disclosed to our community. Staffers also will not interview friends, family members, or other sources who present personal conflicts of interest. Staffers will not accept gifts from sources which are not offered to the general public.
• The Daily Iowan is committed to avoiding factual inaccuracies. If inaccuracies are published, the staffer will write a correction which will be published prominently with the reporter’s name attached.
• The Daily Iowan has an ethical obligation to being responsive to its community. All reader comments, questions, and concerns will be taken seriously and routed to the appropriate staffer or editor.
• Work for any other media organization, including internships and freelance work, must be approved by a managing editor or editor-in-chief. Daily Iowan staffers also cannot comment to or be interviewed by other media organizations without prior approval.
• The Daily Iowan newsroom and any place reporters work are professional environments at all times. Staffers will dress and act accordingly.
• Staffers are also required to observe any guidelines and rules put in place by their section editors. Managing editors and the editor-in-chief reserve the right to change any handbook guidelines at any time.