NEWS MEDIA AND NEWS MEDIA REPRESENTATIVE RELATIONS, INTERACTIONS, AND ACCESS | Policy Manual

9410 - News Media and News Media Representative Relations, Interactions, and Access

Overview and General Protocols
1. The Ohio Valley Educational Services Center is renowned as a premier educational service center and has a reputation for providing an excellent system of public education. The Ohio Valley Educational Services Center enjoys strong relationships with our students, parents/guardians, community members, and stakeholders. Since we provide an excellent system of public education, the news media is frequently interested in the Ohio Valley Educational Services Center. All Governing Board members and employees shall have the responsibility to be open and responsive to news media information requests within the protocols established and outlined in this Policy because the news media is among the many ways our students, parents/guardians, community members, and stakeholders build their individual perceptions of the Ohio Valley Educational Services Center.
2. “News Media” Defined: For the purpose of this Policy, “news media” shall only include print news media (newspapers and newsmagazines) and broadcast news media (radio and television) that encompass all of the following three “media integrity” qualities: (a) independence from private and/or political interests, (b) transparency about its own financial interests, and (c) commitment to well-established journalism ethics and standards. Simply having a social media account and/or page, website, hyperlocal platform, online newspaper, online newsmagazine, blog, podcast, and/or other means to disseminate information over the Internet and/or other electronic, wireless, and/or optical networking technologies shall not constitute “news media” for the purpose of this Policy. If an organization believes that it should constitute “news media” under this Policy, the organization may submit a formal request to the Superintendent explaining why the organization believes that it should be considered “news media” under this Policy. The determination as to whether an entity constitutes “news media” shall be determined solely by the Superintendent. The decision of the Superintendent shall be final.
3. “News Media Representative” Defined: For the purpose of this Policy, a “news media representative” shall only include those individuals (e.g., reporters, editors working as reporters, producers, video camera operators, still photographers, etc.) directly employed by the news media organization requesting “Ohio Valley Educational Services Center News Media Credentials” on behalf of the employed individual. For the purpose of this Policy, a “news media representative” shall not constitute a freelancer and/or a self-employed person offering services to one or more clients and/or businesses at a time. If any news media organization believes that a specific individual should be considered its “news media representative” under this Policy, the news media organization may submit a formal request to the Superintendent explaining why the specific individual should be considered its “news media representative” under this Policy including, but not limited to, the steps the news media organization has taken and shall continue to take to ensure that the specific individual meets the “Ohio Valley Educational Services Center News Media Credentials” eligibility requirements and responsibilities as well as the protocols established and outlined in this Policy. The determination as to whether any person constitutes a “news media representative” shall be determined solely by the Superintendent. The decision of the Superintendent shall be final.
4. Positive relationships with the news media are developed and maintained by providing accurate, comprehensive, and complete information to news media representatives in a timely manner. Whenever contacted by news media representatives, the same courtesy and professionalism we extend to all of our students, parents/guardians, community members, and stakeholders shall be extended toward the news media representatives.
5. To ensure that information provided to the news media is accurate, comprehensive, and complete and to ensure that news media representatives have appropriate access to the best sources of information as determined by the Superintendent or designee, protocols for providing information to the news media are established and outlined in this Policy.
6. To assist the news media in obtaining accurate, comprehensive, and complete information, news media representatives are encouraged to make public record requests to the Treasurer/CFO pursuant to R.C. 149.43 and Governing Board Policy 8130 (Public Records) so the Treasurer/CFO may provide appropriate responses to news media representatives.
7. All Governing Board members and employees shall notify the Superintendent or designee whenever they are contacted by any news media representative for any reasons, including public record requests, and shall comply with the protocols established and outlined in this Policy. If any inquiry or request made by a news media representative is sensitive and/or significant, the Governing Board member or employee shall immediately notify the Superintendent directly.
8. If any Governing Board member or employee feels that there has been a misquote and/or misrepresentation made by any news media representative, that Governing Board member or employee shall immediately contact the Superintendent or designee so an attempt can be made to provide the news media representative with (a) accurate, comprehensive, and complete information and (b) the opportunity to retract, clarify, and/or correct any misquotes and/or misrepresentations.
9. No Governing Board member or employee shall ever release information and/or documentation which are private and/or confidential as identified by local, state, and/or federal laws, rules, and regulations, as well as the policies of the Governing Board. If any Governing Board member or employee believes that private and/or confidential information and/or documentation has been released, that Governing Board member or employee shall immediately contact the Superintendent or designee.
10. The protocols established and outlined in this Policy shall apply to both the Communications & Public Relations Office and Communications & Public Relations Coordinator. The Superintendent has the authority to place greater protocols upon both the Communications & Public Relations Office and Communications & Public Relations Coordinator provided those protocols are consistent with the protocols established and outlined in this Policy.
11. No Governing Board member or employee shall – in any manner – repost, share, redistribute, and/or repurpose any “news media” source as defined in this Policy, “news media representative” source as defined in this Policy, “parent organization” source as defined in Governing Board Policy 9210, and/or “district support organization” source as defined in Governing Board Policy 9211 to any social media account owned, operating, and/or relating to the Ohio Valley Educational Services Center and/or its Governing Board, schools, departments, and/or activities without (a) the prior written approval of the Superintendent or designee; (b) without properly crediting the appropriate news media, new media representative, parent organization, and/or district support organization source; and (c) without violating copyrights under local, state, and/or federal laws, rules, and regulations, as well as the policies of the Governing Board including, but not limited to, Governing Board Policies 2531 (Copyrighted Works) and 7540.02 (District Web Page). The decision of the Superintendent shall be final.
12. No Governing Board member or employee shall ever – in any manner – repost, share, redistribute, and/or repurpose any non-news media, non-news media representative, non-parent organization, and/or non-district support organization source to any social media account owned, operating, and/or relating to the Ohio Valley Educational Services Center and/or its Governing Board, schools, departments, and/or activities. If a Governing Board member or employee believes that a non-news media, non-news media representative, non-parent organization, or non-district support organization source contains a topic of interest to the Ohio Valley Educational Services Center, that Governing Board member or employee shall contact the Superintendent or designee and a determination shall be made by the Superintendent or designee regarding whether to incorporate such a topic in a source created and distributed by the Ohio Valley Educational Services Center itself. This process allows the Ohio Valley Educational Services Center to take steps to avoid violating copyrights under local, state, and/or federal laws, rules, and regulations, as well as the policies of the Governing Board including, but not limited to, Governing Board Policies 2531 (Copyrighted Works) and 7540.02 (ESC Web Page). This process also allows the Ohio Valley Educational Services Center to take steps to protect its own copyrights under local, state, and/or federal laws, rules, and regulations, as well as the policies of the Governing Board including, but not limited to, Governing Board Policies 1231.01 (Research and Publishing), 2531 (Copyrighted Works), 3231.01 (Research and Publishing), and 7540.02 (ESC Web Page). The decision of the Superintendent shall be final.
13. No Governing Board member or employee shall ever – in any manner – like or comment upon any source as the Ohio Valley Educational Services Center and/or its Governing Board, schools, departments, and/or activities without the prior written approval of the Superintendent or designee. The decision of the Superintendent shall be final.
14. A news media representative who violates any applicable local, state, and/or federal laws, rules, and regulations, as well as the policies of the Governing Board including, but not limited to, this Policy, shall have his/her “Ohio Valley Educational Services Center News Media Credentials” permanently revoked. The decision to permanently revoke “Ohio Valley Educational Services Center News Media Credentials” rests solely with the Superintendent. The decision of the Superintendent shall be final.
15. Nothing in this Policy is intended as a restraint on the rights of students, parents/guardians, community members, and/or stakeholders to have any interaction with and/or access to schools, events, parents/guardians, students, and Governing Board employees in accordance with local, state, and/or federal laws, rules, and regulations, as well as the policies of the Governing Board including, but not limited to, Governing Board Policies 8105 (Civility Policy), 8310 (Public Records), 9150 (School Visitors), and 9160 (Public Attendance at School Events).
News Media Spokesperson
1. The Superintendent shall serve as the primary news media spokesperson for the Ohio Valley Educational Services Center and the Governing Board. The Superintendent may designate news media spokesperson duties and responsibilities to administrators with regard to areas relating to their respective administrative positions and assignments. The Superintendent may also designate news media spokesperson duties and responsibilities to the Communications & Public Relations Coordinator. Any designation of news media spokesperson duties and responsibilities may be withdrawn by the Superintendent at any time and without any prior notice. The decision of the Superintendent shall be final.
2. All Governing Board members shall refer all news media matters to the Superintendent or designee in accordance with this Policy. As set forth in Bylaw 0148, the Governing Board President functions as the official spokesperson for the Governing Board for all matters that have been memorialized pursuant to one or more resolutions of the Governing Board. While it is understood that individual Governing Board members may, from time-to-time, make public statements on education matters to local, state, and/or federal news media and/or public officials; all individual Governing Board members shall, when writing or speaking on education matters to news media representatives, make it abundantly clear that the views of the individual Governing Board member do not necessarily reflect the views of the Governing Board or his/her colleagues.
Governing Board Employee Responsibilities
1. Each program manager is authorized to keep parents/guardians and students informed about a school’s programs, events, and activities in accordance with local, state, and/or federal laws, rules, and regulations, as well as the policies of the Governing Board.
2. News media releases that are of concern to only one school, or to an organization of only one school, are the responsibility of the building principal/program manager and may only be released after coordination with the Communications & Public Relations Office and upon prior written approval of the Superintendent or designee.
3. Publicity regarding students shall always be evaluated in terms of the effect on the students and may only be released after coordination with the Communications & Public Relations Office and upon prior written approval of the Superintendent or designee.
4. All Governing Board employees shall direct any and all news media representatives with inquiries and requests to the Office of the Superintendent. No Governing Board employee shall tell any news media representative that he/she is not allowed to talk to the news media or that he/she has to get permission to do so. Instead, all Governing Board employees shall simply tell news media representatives that: “The Ohio Valley Educational Services Center policy is to refer all news media inquiries to the Office of the Superintendent. You can reach the Office of the Superintendent at 740-439-3558 and the regular Central office hours are Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.” All Governing Board employees must respond quickly, courteously, and professionally to all news media inquiries and requests as news media representatives have deadlines to meet. Responding to news media representatives quickly, courteously, and professionally is important because the way a Governing Board employee responds to new media inquiries and requests may be the news media representative’s first impression of the Ohio Valley Educational Services Center and that first impression may end up in the published story and/or broadcasted news segment.
5. After having been given prior approval by the Superintendent or designee, a Governing Board employee may only respond to news media inquiries and/or requests in a manner that is accurate, factual, and on a subject related to the employee’s area of knowledge, experience, and expertise.
6. If the Governing Board employee is not able to respond to news media inquiries and/or requests in a manner that is accurate, factual, and on a subject related to the employee’s area of knowledge, experience, and expertise; the Governing Board employee shall direct any and all news media representatives to the Office of the Superintendent consistent with the protocols established and outlined in this Policy.
7. Nothing in this Policy is intended as a restraint on the expression of personal opinion by any Governing Board employee as permitted by local, state, and/or federal laws, rules, and regulations, as well as the policies of the Governing Board. Nonetheless, every Governing Board employee is individually responsible for fully understanding any and all of the laws, rules, regulations, and policies that legally limit the Governing Board employee’s expression of personal opinion. To the extent any Governing Board employee may legally express his/her personal opinion, the Governing Board employee shall, when writing or speaking on education matters to news media representatives, make it abundantly clear that the views of the individual Governing Board employee do not necessarily reflect the views of the Governing Board, Ohio Valley Educational Services Center, or his/her colleagues. Any questions regarding the ability of a Governing Board employee to express the Governing Board employee’s personal opinion shall be directed to the Superintendent or designee for written clarification.
News Media Representative Interaction and Access
1. Ohio Valley Educational Services Center News Media Credentials
  1. “Ohio Valley Educational Services Center News Media Credentials” shall be issued before any news media representative may have any interaction with and access to students, schools, events, parents/guardians, and Governing Board employees.
  2. The Superintendent or designee shall be responsible for issuing Ohio Valley Educational Services Center News Media Credentials consistent with the protocols established and outlined in this Policy.
  3. All Ohio Valley Educational Services Center News Media Credentials must be requested, in writing, at least seven (7) business days in advance of any public or non-public school event.
  4. In issuing any Ohio Valley Educational Services Center News Media Credentials, the Superintendent or designee shall have the sole discretion to determine the duration upon which any such news media credentials shall expire (e.g., one hour, one day, one week, etc.) provided that no news media credential shall extend beyond June 30 (e.g., a news media credential issued on June 25 shall expire on June 30). Upon expiration of any Ohio Valley Educational Services Center News Media Credentials, the news media representative may request subsequent news media credentials, which the Superintendent or designee shall have the sole discretion to determine the duration upon which any subsequent news media credentials shall expire provided that no news media credential shall extend beyond June 30. The decision of the Superintendent or designee shall be final.
  5. Ohio Valley Educational Services Center News Media Credentials shall only be available to news media representatives who meet all of the following eligibility requirements:
    1. Present to the Superintendent or designee valid and current press identification issued by the employing media news organization.
    2. Present to the Superintendent or designee written document from the employing news media organization addressed to the Superintendent and (1) requesting that the specific news media representative be issued the Ohio Valley Educational Services Center News Media Credentials and (2) verifying that the specific news media representative shall – at all times – be acting on behalf of the employing news media organization only, and (3) verifying that the specific news media representative shall – at all times – fully comply with the protocols established and outlined in this Policy. This written request and verification shall be presented to the Superintendent or designee no later than seven (7) calendar days after the date affixed to the written request and verification.
    3. Present to the Superintendent or designee sworn verification by the news media representative that he/she has no prior and/or current criminal convictions (this does not include minor traffic violations) as an adult regardless of whether the conviction has been either sealed or expunged. If the news media representative receives any criminal conviction (this does not include minor traffic violations) after having been issued Ohio Valley Educational Services Center News Media Credentials, that news media representative shall immediately notify the Superintendent or designee of all the details of the same.
    4. Present to the Superintendent or designee sworn verification by the news media representative that he/she: (1) has not been non-renewed for good and just cause by any public or news media employer, (2) has not been terminated by any school district pursuant to either R.C. 3319.16 or R.C. 3319.081 or by any public or news media employer for grounds similar to those set forth in either R.C. 3319.16 or R.C. 3319.081, and (3) has not resigned/retired from employment from any public or news media employer to avoid nonrenewal for just cause or termination pursuant to either R.C. 3319.16 or R.C. 3319.081, or for similar grounds.
    5. Present to the Superintendent or designee verification of having successfully passed an annual Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) background check which can be processed by the Governing Board upon full payment by the news media representative. Additional periodic FBI background checks may be required by the Superintendent or designee at the sole cost of the news media representative.
    6. Present to the Superintendent or designee verification of having successfully passed an annual Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) background check which can be processed by the Governing Board upon full payment by the news media representative. Additional periodic BCI background checks may be required by the Superintendent or designee at the sole cost of the news media representative.
    7. Present to the Superintendent or designee sworn verification by the news media representative that he/she shall – at all times – comply with any and all applicable local, state, and/or federal laws, rules, and regulations, as well as the policies of the Governing Board including, but not limited to, this Policy.
    8. Present to the Superintendent or designee sworn verification by the news media representative that he/she shall not profit – in any way – from attendance at any school event beyond payment to the news media representative by the new media employer.
    9. Present to the Superintendent or designee verification that the news media representative:
      1. Has been credentialed for similar events of the Ohio Valley Educational Services Center in the current and prior school years.
      2. Can demonstrate having written about the Ohio Valley Educational Service Center or related education issues in the current and prior school years.
      3. Where the first two conditions cannot be met, a provisional one-time credential may be provided upon the sole discretion of the Superintendent or designee. The decision of the Superintendent or designee shall be final.
2. Students of the Ohio Valley Educational Services Center who have been designated “student reporter” status by their building principal/program manager shall be issued the Ohio Valley Educational Services Center News Media Credentials and shall – at all times – comply with any and all applicable local, state, and/or federal laws, rules, and regulations, as well as the policies of the Governing Board including, but not limited to, this Policy.
3. If there is limited space for news media at any public or non-public school event, the Superintendent or designee, at the sole discretion of the Superintendent or designee, may limit the number of Ohio Valley Educational Services Center News Media Credentials that are issued. The decision of the Superintendent or designee shall be final.
4. A news media representative who refuses to comply with the directives of the Superintendent or designees shall have his/her Ohio Valley Educational Services Center News Media Credentials permanently revoked. The decision to permanently revoke Ohio Valley Educational Services Center News Media Credentials rests solely with the Superintendent. The decision of the Superintendent shall be final.
5. Ohio Valley Educational Services Center News Media Credentials shall not be available to any individual engaging in advertising, marketing, public relations, or management departments/firms. Any individual found to have engaged or engaging in such conduct shall have his/her Ohio Valley Educational Services Center News Media Credentials permanently revoked. The decision to permanently revoke any Ohio Valley Educational Services Center News Media Credentials rests solely with the Superintendent. The decision of the Superintendent shall be final.
6. All news media representatives must prominently display – at all times – both their (1) valid and current press identifications issued by the employing media news organizations and (2) their Ohio Valley Educational Services Center News Media Credentials. Failure to prominently display both the press identification and news media credential – at all times – shall result in the news media representative immediately being ejected from any and all school property. The news media representative shall also have his/her Ohio Valley Educational Services Center News Media Credentials permanently revoked. The decision to permanently revoke any Ohio Valley Educational Services Center News Media Credentials rests solely with the Superintendent. The decision of the Superintendent shall be final.
7. All news media representatives must – at all times – be accompanied by a school official selected by the Superintendent or designee. Failure to accompany the school official – at all times – shall result in the news media representative immediately being ejected from any and all school property. The news media representative shall also have his/her Ohio Valley Educational Services Center News Media Credentials permanently revoked. The decision to permanently revoke any Ohio Valley Educational Services Center News Media Credentials rests solely with the Superintendent. The decision of the Superintendent shall be final.
Public School Events: A news media representative who has been properly issued Ohio Valley Educational Services Center News Media Credentials shall have access to all school events to which the public has been invited provided that the news media representative shall remain in the locations designated for news media only. Prior approval from the Superintendent or designee is not required to interview, film, or photograph staff or students at public events such as athletic contests, dramatic productions, music concerts, and graduation ceremonies provided that the news media representative remains in the locations designated for news media only.
Non-Public School Events: A news media representative who has been properly issued Ohio Valley Educational Services Center News Media Credentials must first obtain prior written approval from the Superintendent or designee before the news media representative may be permitted to enter any school to cover any event other than public events and the following conditions shall be complied with in full:
1. Prior written approval from the Superintendent or designee shall be obtained before interviewing, filming, and/or photographing students, parents/guardians, and/or Governing Board employees. The decision of the Superintendent or designee shall be final.
2. Prior written approval from the Superintendent or designee shall be obtained before taking group shots that do not identify individual students by name - either still photos or video. The decision of the Superintendent or designee shall be final.
3. Prior written approval from both the parents/guardians and the Superintendent or designee shall be obtained before individual students are interviewed, taped, or photographed. The Superintendent or designee shall obtain parental/guardian permissions. A signed form giving parental/guardian permission for use of the student’s image in video print and/or broadcast shall be kept on file at the school. Parents/guardians have the right to request that their child not be interviewed and/or photographed individually for video, print, and/or broadcast and the news media representative shall honor – without reservation – that right.
4. Classes shall not be interrupted for general interview purposes unless the building principal/program manager and teacher, as well as the Superintendent or designee, feel that the interview will promote classroom discussion and consistent with the protocols established and outlined in this Policy. The decision of the Superintendent or designee shall be final.
5. News media representatives may sit in on and/or videotape footage in classrooms if it is agreeable to the building principal/program manager and the teacher(s) involved, as well as the Superintendent or designee, and consistent with the protocols established and outlined in this Policy. The decision of the Superintendent or designee shall be final.
6. News media representatives may have access to students and teachers for interview purposes during lunch periods and after school hours on school property with permission from the building principal/program manager and the Superintendent or designee consistent with the protocols established and outlined in this Policy. The decision of the Superintendent or designee shall be final.
7. News media representatives shall comply with any and all applicable local, state, and/or federal laws, rules, and regulations, as well as the policies of the Governing Board including, but not limited to, Governing Board Policies 8105 (Civility Policy), 9150 (School Visitors), and 9160 (Public Attendance at School Events)
Requests from the Building Level: When a publicity request is made from the program level to the Superintendent or designee as a result of a school event, the Superintendent or designee shall determine whether the request is appropriate and shall determine the manner in which to issue proper notification to the appropriate news media and issue Ohio Valley Educational Services Center News Media Credentials consistent with the protocols established and outlined in this Policy. The decision of the Superintendent or designee shall be final.
Requests from News Media Representatives: When a request is initiated by a news media representative to enter the school as a result of an independent school-related story on which the news media representative is working, the news media representative shall supply the following information to the Superintendent or designee: (a) the date and general time of day the news media representative wants to come into the school, (b) to whom the news media representative wants to talk, and (c) for what reason. The Superintendent or designee shall then determine whether to grant the request. If the request is granted, Superintendent or designee, will attempt to work with the news media representative and principal/program manager to coordinate a schedule agreeable to all concerned for a school visit and interview, as well as issue the Ohio Valley Educational Services Center News Media Credentials consistent with the protocols established and outlined in this Policy. The decision of the Superintendent or designee shall be final.