Standard Etiquette for Sharing Content

Last night on #editorchat (via Twitter) we discussed content sharing. Of course the discussion was particularly relevant this week after the Washington Post/Gawker debacle. Regardless of your thoughts on the matter, I think most journalists in the industry would agree there needs to be some kind of standard for content sharing.

But setting down a list of rules that must be followed is not likely to be productive. Bloggers, who usually pride themselves in there ability to write without the confines of an editor screening their work, aren’t likely to follow some established rule book.

I suggest instead standards of etiquette. And just like some people don’t feel the need to use a napkin or refuse to rip their role into smaller bit-sized pieces, not everyone will follow these standards, but is most writers and editors did the situation would be much improved.

The standards of etiquette:

• Any content taken from another source must be attributed to that source. (even if its only a paragraph or minor fact.)

• If the entire story is basically a re-write of another person’s work that needs to be indicated up front. The last sentence in the first paragraph is the perfect place to insert the publication or author’s name.

• While it is ideal to list both the original writer’s name as well as the publication, that isn’t likely to happen. For newspapers the publication should be listed, for blogs the author should be indicated (unless it is a widely known blog).

• Somewhere in the article should be a link to the original article and it should not be hidden away in a smaller font after the last paragraph.

• For non-media companies utilizing an article in a report or internal company note, the media source needs to be contacted and permission must be granted to distribute the article.

• The publication taking someone else’s article needs to do its own fact checking on the article, realizing that no one is infallible and therefore a certain amount of research needs to be put into a piece, even if it just a quick rewrite.
  

[I had something like this happen just a few weeks ago. Thanks to an editing error, my first paragraph contained confusing information about the location of the property. Another publication picked up the article, rewrote it and then contacted me to find out what the actual location was. A simple google search or call to the company would have clarified but the writer ignored those normal paths and sent me several e-mails to make sure everything was clarified.]

• It is irresponsible to use the phrase ‘according to reports’ unless in fact several publications have reported on this topic. Otherwise if one publication breaks news that pub needs to be referenced and the story linked to; this is the case even after several publication have rewritten that first pubs report.

• Any publication that picks up full articles from another publication and runs it without a rewrite should indicate both the name of the original publication as well as the writer’s name.

• It is the editor’s role to ensure standards of content sharing etiquette are adhered to. These should be clearly defined from the get-go.

Thoughts on this? What else should be included in this standard of etiquette?

#editorchat in Brief (5/13)

If you missed #editorchat last night or had to tune out - no worries. I culled some of the best tweets and have them below. Hope this helps.

LydiaBreakfast Q #1 Editors: Are you to trying to find new ways to generate more content, even with mandates to cut staff ?

JaneFriedman Q1. Rather than generate all-new content, big push to re-purpose existing content in different ways, in different media.

JMegonigal Q1- Absolutely. Do more with less. Lots of interns, lots of work for editor.

JMegonigal Q1- Necessary to give readers MORE and MORE to stay above the noise and keep from fading out like other pubs/papers...

deegospel q1: there is a need for more content, spesh content that can translate to digital in order to keep up

LydiaBreakfast Seems like we are going back to Dickensian serial publishing ;-)

rjreports Q1 As a freelance journo, I'm seeing that folks want A) more content for B) much less.

JMegonigal From an editor's POV, we are doing much more for far less, too...it's not just the writers. Goes all the way through.

shortformernie Q1: I think blog content should be repurposed in print, big time. Sometimes, good editing is a matter of knowing what to steal.

JJtweets Q1-As a freelance journo, I've seen rising demand for coverage 'depth' rather than 'breadth'. Spending more time researching now

shortformernie Q1: And being able to find content from blogs is killer – it's one of those work smarter not harder things you can do.

travelswithjenn as a writer, I'm also noticing I have more time on stories because editors are aggregating a lot more

LydiaBreakfast The fact is some pubs are doing well with fewer resources, does that mean we should always operate this way?

JaneFriedman It's frustrating to experience tight resources when you know superior content is key to pushing thru the noise.

@milehighfool You could argue that, in the age of the Web, SM skills are crucial for writing and reader engagement

retheauditors I've re-blogged w/update some posts. My audience is growing like crazy and most don't lok back to earlier posts.

LydiaBreakfast The Times is one of the few papers left to really invest in long form, I think there is room for both

milehighfool Right. The best blogs read like a good magazine -- quick hits mixed with strong features.

TimOBrienNYT we'll NEVER lose good storytelling. we just have to be judicious about when and how we deploy narrative.



LydiaBreakfast Let's move to Q2 Writers: Are editors asking you to produce more? What’s changed in your output routine?

KatPowers Q2 I don't think as an editor I'm asking for more. I think what I ask for is more focused and more targeted

littlebrownpen Q2. I'm being asked to write more, but the more popular request is to loop in social media contacts.

jennipps q2 So I got used to doing articles & then had to learn to find/take pictures that would go w/articles w/o violating copyright.

hotspringer Q2: Editors asking for same story in multiple formats. Next month, I write for print; rewrite for web; Tweet live from festival.

JMegonigal Q2 - I make my writers jump through hoops. 30 minute turnarounds and such. And they LOVE me for it. LOL

BeckyDMBR Favorite phrase of the day: "...sexing up my prostate cancer story." :)

LydiaBreakfast I have issues with that - remember my schtick about writers who work for a pittance are no better than piece workers

retheauditors Speak for yourself. :) Guilty re images @BeckyDMBR Many successful blogs couldn't do what they do without STEALING content

AuldHouse The joker says, "If you are good at something, never do it for free.

JMegonigal On 1 side (writer, journ advocate) I'm with you. On other (editor) if I can find cheap and good, I'm taking it.

LydiaBreakfast cheap and good does not make for a fair playing field

cursingeditor I'm all for training, but shouldn't journos interested in having a future be learning new media skills themselves?



LydiaBreakfast Let's go to Q3 Editors: What have you tried that’s worked in bridging the content divide?

luckychica seems so difficult these days 4 qualified journ 2 earn fair $$. Editors/pubs think we should b satisfied w/ "glory" of writing

KatPowers Q3 I have experts in my community who want to write what they know, instead of being interviewed. That's huge

deegospel q3: podcasting long form, supplying short with player, readers can listen to the article, read it later. my Editors love it

KatPowers I've had trouble with young ladies saying they don't "do video" or "do blogs" They're out of the biz

Dark_Faust Collaboration with other pubs/editors helps too. As long as not seen as competitive.

Dark_Faust As EiC, I make sure my editors write stories that can run in at least one other pub (print or online). Efficient coverage helps.

KatPowers No, I mean after 6 months of being passed over for assignments and promotions because they can't video, they left

JMegonigal Most of our interns have to be RE-introduced to SM as a tool/resource instead of a personal party album

SpecialDee Q3 I've conversed w/writers & bloggers via SM and so far one has been published in a Spec Sec ( @TobyDiva)

luckychica there are only a handful of OUTLETS that matter in terms of clips. Everyone else has to pay $.

SpecialDee Q3 Had a slew of freelance queries last fall. Important to know if they can conduct an interview.



LydiaBreakfast Q4: Writers (and Editors) Do you see the content divide as a threat or an opportunity?

jennipps q4 but also opportunity for same reason *and* I'm not grounded in any particular way of doing things, for the most part.

JMegonigal Q4 - If you see it as a threat, you're out sooner or later. Only those who see the opportunity will adapt, survive and thrive.

deegospel q4: an opportunity. a lemon situation for me 8 years ago is starting to taste like lemonade. i welcome the changes

anti9to5guide Q4: In some ways I hate changes to publishing biz, but as freelancers we've mastered flexibility & adapation...

LydiaBreakfast I agree with @milehighfool, I'm not competitive, just want to write well and tell the best story - quality always in style

DavidRozansky Q4: Since we will be moving to SM as our only line of finding quality authors, I would think SM is opportunity for writers.

JaneFriedman Editors/pubs/writers must work collaboratively to bridge divide. Be unconventional. Take Shatzkin's advice: http://bit.ly/SizBY

littlebrownpen Q4. A big challenge is connecting the right editors and writers.

SuburbNews Let's face it - would any outlet RATHER have back a bigger staff? Yes.But smaller makes you hungry, scrappy. Wish could have all

Single_Shot Just say no to PIE! Agreeeeed!!!