|
visionOntv editorial guidelines Editorial Board VOTV broadcasts independently-produced videos dealing with social, political, cultural, and environmental issues. We hope to commission and produce original programming, develop programming partnerships and collaborations with social justice organisations and to provide special live broadcasts of events. We have an editorial board consisting of at least 3 people to a maximum of 20. The quorum for the board is three or 40% of the board members, whichever is the greater. The board will be appointed by the VisionOnTV directors. The board will delegate authority to promote films for broadcast to named key workers on the project. The board will insist that the inclusion of films for broadcast be agreed by at least two key workers. These decisions will then be proposed for ratification by the next board meeting. All editorial board decisions are accountable to the VOTV board of directors. Proper records will be kept of all editorial board meetings. Submissions by producers for broadcast can take 2 paths: 1. Producers who are releasing videos on a regular (weekly or monthly) basis via an rss feed as a magazine or series. 2. Producers who have made a single video. Once an editorial decision is made to accept a series from a producer, the board will monitor the content for quality and legal liabilities. If the quality is found not to be consistent, we may remove the feed, and/or filter it for the best content. If guidelines or copyright have been broken, or there is an issue of potential libel, any board member can temporarily suspend a video or series until the next full board meeting. In the case of a dispute, the decision to reinstate a video or series must be made by a majority of the editorial board. If producers are unhappy with or have questions about our decision to suspend a video, series, or feed, we encourage them to contact us as soon as possible. All such communication will be brought to the next editorial board meeting. Editorial Guidelines The editorial board and sanctioned key workers will follow these guidelines: * VisionOnTV is a television station which promotes social and environmental justice. Broadcasting primarily on the internet, we will enhance dialogue and action for social change. We aim to widen the coverage that mainstream media provides by placing marginalized or ignored issues in front of a wide audience. We will preserve a record of UK and international counter-culture. We aim to distribute videos by a diverse range of video makers. VisionOnTV also aims to inform, engage and inspire the wider public. Crucially, VisionOnTV is an outreach project, which aims to reach as many people as possible, to make social change via video a real possibility. In practice this means we will broadcast content with the widest possible definition of “alternative”. We believe that social change takes many different forms, and we aim to be a portal to them all. * We therefore exercise our editorial freedom to distribute content about any subject, at any point on the spectrum of debate as long as there are good editorial reasons for doing so. * As an outreach project, VOTV’s priority is to reach viewers who will only watch alternative films with high production values and story-telling skills. For this reason, VOTV is selective, not “open publishing”. We will however work closely with producers to improve production values, so that radical ideas and actions get the greatest possible distribution, and inform and inspire as widely as possible. We invite producers to contact us about any editorial decision affecting their work, and we will reply as soon as possible. * We will sometimes carry reports or interviews with people whose views may cause serious offence to our audiences. We will show this material only if we are convinced that a clear public interest outweighs the possible offence. * We encourage free speech and defend everyone's right to express unpopular points of view. But we do not permit hate speech (speech which attacks or demeans a group based on race or ethnic origin, religion, disability, gender, age, veteran status and sexual orientation/gender identity). * We will instantly take down and delete from our server any film about which we have been notified of a copyright violation. In cases of alleged libel, we will temporarily suspend the video until the editorial board is able to assess the case and make a final decision. * We will not broadcast pornography, and any sexually explicit content must have a valid editorial justification. User moderation In time, viewers will be encouraged to join VOTV as moderators of content. This will allow them access to videos in our holding area. Videos can be rated with stars, or flagged if inappropriate or breaking our guidelines. The most popular videos will rise to the top for inclusion and broadcast, subject to agreement by the editorial board. The editorial board is still free to choose films which do not have popular appeal. Talent VOTV will have a strong focus on finding and nurturing new talent. We will seek out filmmakers and presenters who have a novel and engaging way of educating audiences. This may be via comedy stand-up, chat shows, traditional documentary-making, or via highly opinionated video blogs, among others. Right of Reply When we make allegations of wrong-doing, incompetence or lay out a strong and damaging critique of an individual or institution, the presumption is that those criticised should be given a "right of reply", that is, given a fair opportunity to respond to the allegations before or after transmission. Many of our programmes will be linked to an online forum/chat room enabling people to publish not only their factual corrections, but also their dissident opinions. Copyright / Copyleft Much of what is broadcast on visionOntv will be released under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial Share Alike licence. (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/uk/ - plus http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/uk/legalcode for the legal code). This licence allows others to remix, tweak, and build upon the work non-commercially, as long as they credit the producer and license their new creations under the identical terms. Viewers can download and redistribute the work. This also allows anyone to translate, make remixes, and produce new stories based on the original work. Any work carried out by us on the original material will carry the same licence, as will any subsequent derivatives by others. All these derivatives will therefore be non-commercial in nature. All video producers are obliged not to use commercial music or images. If copyrighted images or music have been used within a work, we will delete it from our server and inform the filmmaker. Political issues VOTV is completely independent of any political party, and will not permit the promotion of a particular political party. We also believe that politics expands way beyond the corridors of Parliament and the institutions which dominate the world of the mainstream media. We encourage the widening and democratising of grassroots political action, and will provide the tools for social networking which can build this. We may initiate particular campaigns for positive social change. Advertising On the visionOntv website and player application, visionOntv will not broadcast advertising which does not meet our ethical standards in terms of the company's business practice or the manner of their advertising. Our basic advert guidelines are that all ads must be based around providing information rather than selling aspiration. Most of our adverts will consist of short photo and text in between each video. They will not interrupt videos. Advertisements will be placed automatically depending on the tags of the playing video.
|
