The Daily Egyptian Staff Agreement Policy

Hiring Procedure 

The Daily Egyptian looks to hire eager students who are interested in getting hands-on experience in the newsroom by being present in the Carbondale community and handling real newsroom work. When there is availability, students can apply for positions as news reporters, photojournalists, graphic designers and multimedia producers or editors. 

 

You don’t have to be a journalism major to work at the Daily Egyptian. In order to apply for the Daily Egyptian you must meet the following criteria: 

• Must be a Southern Illinois University Carbondale student
• Enrolled in a minimum of 12 credit hours
• Live within an hour’s drive of Carbondale
• Newsgathering, writing, editing, digital production or AP style experience are highly preferred, but not required

 

If candidates meet these requirements, they must go through the application and trial period. 

 

The application process consists of meeting with the editor-in-chief and/or the desk editor, preferably in person, and submitting a resume and at least two copies of work samples to the desk editor. Work samples are reviewed by the editorial board and faculty managing editor.

 

Each Daily Egyptian employee will go through a two-assignment paid trial period. This period allows the editorial board to review the applicants’ reporting and writing abilities in the field. Final hiring decisions are made by the editor-in-chief and the editorial board. 

 

As a member of the staff, you are required to spend time in the newsroom. Editorial Board members are expected to mentor 

 

Exceptions to these criteria can be made if deemed necessary by the current editor-in-chief. 

 

The Daily Egyptian Publication Board — composed of the director, faculty, alums and the top student and faculty leaders of the DE — meets several times a year to support the health and welfare of the news organization. The Board chooses the new editor and student business manager.

 

Social Media

Professional Accounts

Daily Egyptian Guidelines

It is recommended that all Daily Egyptian employees make a professional social media account to share their public work. What you post is a representation of the Daily Egyptian and its staff so be aware of that while on social media. Here are some guidelines to follow on your professional accounts: 

• Refrain from engaging with commenters in a negative manner. If the situation escalates, let an editor know and it may be dealt with by the editorial board. 
• It is best to keep your personal social media accounts private and your professional account public. 
• Ideally, post once or twice a day to boost and maintain engagement. Consistency is key.  
• Keep content short and interesting so that social media users will engage with it. 
• No one knows a story more than the reporter, so create a caption for social media to draw attention to the post and your story. 
• Sharing your story from the Daily Egyptian Facebook page will boost the engagement and attract more attention to your story. 
• Use social media to find and contact sources and potential stories, but always be respectful and professional when contacting sources. 

AP Basics in Creating a Social Media Account

Here are some basics to keep in mind while creating your professional social media account from the Associated Press Stylebook:

• Username: When deciding on a username, choose something clear-cut and easy to remember. First name, last name is always a good option. 
• Photo: Upload a professional-looking photo of yourself and use it on all networks. 
• Bio: Write a bio that accurately describes who you are. Feel free to include a personal tidbit or two, but remember that you are representing the newspaper. 
• Goals: Define some goals about how often you post or tweet and create a balance among personal and professional posts, responses, links to stories, retweets or shares.
• Build Credibility: It comes through posting regularly. Show you’re active, engaged and committed to the tool. You can’t parachute in and expect to have people’s trust instantly.
• Connect and Interact: Seek out people who have the same interests as you and pay attention when they post. 
• Be Yourself: No one wants to interact with a robot. You can control how much you share, but you need to make it clear that you’re human. Use engaging, conversational language, while maintaining a professional tone. 
• Share What You See: Journalists have a front row seat to history. Use that vantage point to engage with people. If you witness a major new development, report it to the relevant DE desk first; otherwise, you’re welcome to share general observations of what’s going on around you. 

Hashtags

Use hashtags to categorize your posts to make them easier to find and search. Here are a list of hashtags for general news, sports, arts and entertainment, and opinions/columns:

• News
• Students
• Journalism
• Studentjournalism 
• Media
• Trending
• Photography
• SIU
• SIUC
• Carbondale
• Collegenewspaper
• Education
• Sports
• Photography
• TV
• Music
• Movies
• Opinion
• Column
• Politics 

 

Ethics & Expectations

SPJ Code of Ethics

Preamble

Members of the Society of Professional Journalists believe that public enlightenment is the forerunner of justice and the foundation of democracy. Ethical journalism strives to ensure the free exchange of information that is accurate, fair and thorough. An ethical journalist acts with integrity. 

The Society declares these four principles as the foundation of ethical journalism and encourages their use in its practice by all people in all media. 

Seek Truth and Report It

Ethical journalism should be accurate and fair. Journalists should be honest and courageous in gathering, reporting and interpreting information. 

• Take responsibility for your work. Verify information before releasing it. Use original sources whenever possible. 
• Remember that neither speed nor format excuses inaccuracy. 
• Provide context. Take special care not to misrepresent or oversimplify in promoting, previewing or summarizing a story.
• Gather, update and correct information throughout the life of a news story. 
• Be cautious when making promises but keep the promises you make. 
• Identify sources clearly. The public is entitled to as much information as possible to judge the reliability and motivations of sources.
• Consider sources’ motives before promising anonymity. Reserve anonymity for sources who may face danger, retribution or other harm, and have information that cannot be obtained elsewhere explain why anonymity was granted. 
• Diligently seek subjects of news coverage to allow them to respond to criticism or allegations of wrongdoing. 
• Avoid undercover or other surreptitious methods of gathering information unless traditional, open methods will not yield information vital to the public. 
• Be vigilant and courageous about holding those with power accountable. Give voice to the voiceless.
• Support the open and civil exchange of views, even views they find repugnant.
• Recognize a special obligation to serve as watchdogs over public affairs and government. Seek to ensure that the public’s business is conducted in the open, and that public records are open to all. 
• Provide access to source material when it is relevant and appropriate. 
• Boldly tell the story of the diversity and magnitude of the human experience. Seek sources whose voices we seldom hear. 
• Avoid stereotyping. Journalists should examine the ways their values and experiences may shape their reporting. 
• Label advocacy and commentary. 
• Never deliberately distort facts or context, including visual information. Clearly label illustrations and re-enactments. 
• Never plagiarize. Always attribute. 

Minimize Harm

Ethical journalism treats sources, subjects, colleagues and members of the public as human beings deserving of respect. 

• Balance the public’s need for information against potential harm or discomfort. Pursuit of the news is not a license for arrogance or undue intrusiveness. 
• Show compassion for those who may be affected by news coverage. Use heightened sensitivity when dealing with juveniles, victims of sex crimes, and sources or subjects who are inexperienced or unable to give consent. Consider cultural differences in approach and treatment. 
• Recognize that legal access to information differs from an ethical justification to publish or broadcast. 
• Realize that private people have a greater right to control information about themselves than public figures and others who seek power, influence or attention. Weigh the consequences of publishing or broadcasting personal information. 
• Avoid pandering to lurid curiosity, even if others do. 
• Balance a suspect’s right to a fair trial with the public’s right to know. Consider the implications of identifying criminal suspects before they face legal charges.
• Consider the long-term implications of the extended reach and permanence of publication. Provide updated and more complete information as appropriate. 

Act Independently

The highest and primary obligation of ethical journalism is to serve the public. 

• Avoid conflicts of interest, real or perceived. Disclose unavoidable conflicts. 
• Refuse gifts, favors, fees, free travel and special treatment, and avoid political and other outside activities that may compromise integrity or impartiality, or may damage credibility. 
• Be wary of sources offering information for favors or money; do not pay for access to news. Identify content provided by outside sources, whether paid or not. 
• Deny favored treatment to advertisers, donors or any other special interests, and resist internal and external pressure to influence coverage. 
• Distinguish news from advertising and shun hybrids that blur the lines between the two. Prominently label sponsored content. 

Be Accountable and Transparent

Ethical journalism means taking responsibility for one’s work and explaining one’s decisions to the public. 

• Explain ethical choices and processes to audiences. Encourage a civil dialogue with the public about journalistic practices, coverage and news content. 
• Respond quickly to questions about accuracy, clarity and fairness.
• Acknowledge mistakes and correct them promptly and prominently. Explain corrections and clarifications carefully and clearly. 
• Expose unethical conduct in journalism, including within the organization. 
• Abide by the same high standards they expect of others.

 

NPPA Code of Ethics

Preamble

The National Press Photographers Association, a professional society that promotes the highest standards in visual journalism, acknowledges the concern for every person’s need both to be fully informed about public events and to be recognized as part of the world in which we live. 

 

Visual journalists operate as trustees of the public. Our primary role is to report visually on the significant events and varied viewpoints in our common world. Our primary goal is the faithful and comprehensive depiction of the subject at hand. As visual journalists, we have the responsibility to document society and to preserve its history through images. 

 

Photographic and video images can reveal great truths, expose wrongdoing and neglect, inspire hope and understanding and connect people around the globe through the language of visual understanding. Photographs can also cause great harm if they are callously intrusive or are manipulated. 

 

This code is intended to promote the highest quality in all forms of visual journalism and to strengthen public confidence in the profession. It is also meant to serve as an educational tool both for those who practice and for those who appreciate photojournalism. To that end, The National Press Photographers Association sets forth the following. 

 

Code of Ethics

Visual journalists and those who manage visual news productions are accountable for upholding the following standards in their daily work: 

1. Be accurate and comprehensive in the representation of the subjects. 
2. Resist being manipulated by staged photo opportunities. 
3. Be complete and provide context when photographing or recording subjects. Avoid stereotyping individuals and groups. Recognize and work to avoid presenting one’s own biases in the work.
4. Treat all subjects with respect and dignity. Give special consideration to vulnerable subjects and compassion to victims of crime or tragedy. Intrude on private moments of grief only when the public has an overriding and justifiable need to see. 
5. While photographing subjects do not intentionally contribute to, alter, or seek to alter or influence events. 
6. Edition should maintain the integrity of the photographic images’ content and context. Do not manipulate images or add or alter sound in any way that can mislead viewers or misrepresent subjects. 
7. Do not pay sources or subjects or reward them materially for information or participation. 
8. Do not accept gifts, favors, or compensation from those who might seek to influence coverage. 
9. Do not intentionally sabotage the efforts of other journalists. 
10. Do not engage in harassing behavior of colleagues, subordinates or subjects and maintain the highest standards of behavior in all professional interactions. 

 

Ideally, visual journalists should: 

1. Strive to ensure that the public’s business is conducted in public. Defend the rights of access for all journalists. 
2. Think proactively, as a student of psychology, sociology, politics and art to develop a unique vision and presentation. Work with a voracious appetite for current events and contemporary visual media. 
3. Strive for total and unrestricted access to subjects, recommend alternatives to shallow or rushed opportunities, seek a diversity of viewpoints, and work to show unpopular or unnoticed points of view. 
4. Avoid political, civic and business involvements or other employment that compromise or give the appearance of compromising one’s own journalistic independence. 
5. Strive to be unobtrusive and humble in dealing with subjects. 
6. Respect the integrity of the photographic moment. 
7. Strive by example and influence to maintain the spirit and high standards expressed in this code. When confronted with situations in which the proper action is not clear, seek the counsel of those who exhibit the highest standards of the profession. Visual journalists should continuously study their craft and the ethics that guide it. 

 

Los Angeles Times Code of Ethics

Fairness

A fair-minded reader of news coverage should not be able to discern the pirate opinions of those who contributed to that coverage, or to infer that the news organization is promoting any agenda. 

 

A crucial goal of new and feature reporting—apart from editorials, columns, criticism and other content that is expressly opinionated—is to be non-ideological. 

 

This is a tall order. It requires us to recognize our own biases and stand apart from them. It also requires us to examine the ideological environment in which we work. For the biases of our sources, our colleagues and our communities can distort our sense of objectivity. 

 

In covering controversial issues—strikes, abortion, gun control and the like—seek out intelligent, articulate views from all perspectives. Reporters should try genuinely to understand all points of view, rather than simply grab quick quotations to create a semblance of balance. 

 

People who will be shown in an adverse light in an article must be given a meaningful opportunity to defend themselves. This means making a good-faith effort to give information to respond substantively. 

 

Whenever possible, the reporter should meet face-to-face with the subject in a sincere effort to understand his or her best arguments. 

 

Investigative reporting requires special diligence with respect to fairness. Those involved in such stories should bear in mind that they are more credible when they provide a rich, nuanced account of the topic. 

 

Our coverage should avoid simplistic portrayals.

 

Daily Egyptian Expectations

Behave Professionally

We need to treat the Daily Egyptian with care. People have long memories, and they do not think of the Daily Egyptian as the constantly changing organization we know it to be. Sources who thought they were burned by the Daily Egyptian years ago still refuse to talk to our reporter. Others look down on the staff, writing you off as amateurs and kids. 

 

If you want to be taken seriously, and if you want to improve the reputation of the Daily Egyptian for yourself and for future journalists, you need to conduct yourself professionally. 

 

This means you dress appropriately for your assignments. Do not show up in the provost’s office in cargo shorts, sandals and a t-shirt. You don’t have to wear a suit or dress, but put effort in your appearance. 

 

Early is on time. On time is late. Late is unacceptable. Being early gives you a chance to gather your thoughts. Lateness implies sloppiness and lack of interest. It’s also rude and makes people not want to speak with you again. 

 

Be prepared. Don’t show up without a plan for your interview. Research your source and come up with a list of questions to help lead the interview. Show respect for your sources by knowing who they are and what they do and what you want from them.

 

Be fair. Give sources a chance to comment on stories that involve them, especially on stories that might cast them in a negative light. If they decline to comment, put that in the story. 

 

Be accurate. Sloppiness will ensure people treat you like an ameteur. Everyone makes mistakes, but do your best to get things right. Be careful. Check and double check. Check again. Don’t make assumptions. 

 

Be curious. Look around. Read the news. Think about things. Why are they the way they are? What is new? What is interesting? What stories have you seen online that could be localized? What have you seen that might make a good photo or story for someone else? Tell someone. 

 

Read the Daily Egyptian. Know what’s in your own paper and website. Do not suggest a story we did the week before. You must know what is in the Daily Egyptian. You need to read it online and understand the issues on campus and in Carbondale. It doesn’t matter if you do design or are a sports writer, you need to read our paper. 

Come Up With Your Own Stories

You need to generate the bulk of your assignments. You will be working on things you are interested in, which is likely to produce better stories. Your editor, who is busy enough already, will not have to come up with your story ideas. 

 

You need to know the focus of the story when you put it on your budget. Do not simply write, “I heard there’s this event at the Student Center Tuesday night with some people who want to get rid of the coal plant.” 

 

You should know the focus of the story. You should have talked to the people behind the event. You should know what they are doing at the event and why. You should be able to tell your editor the names and contact information of the people organizing it and what they want to do. You should know who else you’re going to need to interview and you should talk to photo about art because a photo of the coal plant would be boring. 

 

Once you budget a story, begin working on it. It takes time to arrange interviews. It might take half the week just to arrange the interview and meet with the source so that will leave you with very little time to write. The sooner you start, the better. 

 

Your story may also reach dead ends, so you need to allow yourself time to pivot and go in a different direction or drop the story completely and pick up a new one. 

 

While you are on an assignment, it is important to speak with your editor about what is expected from you for the assignment. You need to know what you are supposed to do before you set out to do it. Is the story a feature or hard news piece? Without knowing this, you may have a hard time finding a focus for the story. 

Meet the Deadlines

Your work doesn’t end when the story is handed in. You need to have the story edited by all three rounds of editors. If you hand in your story late, you are edited last. You also increase the pressure on the editors who are responsible for your story and assembling the paper. 

 

You are part of a team. Others are designing pages for print or photographing or writing articles, or managing social media. Increased pressure on deadlines increases the possibility of mistakes getting through to the print edition. 

Be Reachable

If something comes up, your editor needs to be able to reach you. It could be a question about your story or a question about the progress of a story. It could be a giant story that they are trying to reach you to cover. 

 

Help your editor out by giving them your availability. Let them know when you will be in classes or out of town so they know not to reach you when you have prior commitments. Above all else, you are a student, so don’t let the Daily Egyptian interrupt any class time, but also don’t miss out on a big story because you didn’t check your phone. 

Take Direction

The edits you are given are not to tear you down or make you doubt your ability as a journalist. They are to help you and increase the value of your article so they become something you are proud to share. If an editor suggests a change to your story, do not take it personally, but see it as an opportunity to improve your work. 

 

If you feel as though the critique from an editor is unjustified, don’t hesitate to advocate for your style choices and seek the input of other editors. No one knows the story better than you so if your choice makes more sense than the editor’s, communicate why you made your decision. 

Communicate Your Progress

If you are having trouble finding or reaching sources, you need to tell your editor immediately. They might be able to help, and they definitely want to know what they can’t count on the story and should make other plans for print day. 

 

If you wait until the day your story is due to mention that you are having problems getting it done, your editor’s plan for that day collapses, but if you keep them informed of your progress or problems, they have time to make adjustments to the plan for print day. 

 

You’re just one person but you’re part of a team. What you do affects your co-workers and the Daily Egyptian as a whole. If you hand in your story or photo late, miss your assignment, drop your story or hand in a story that needs major work that could have been avoided had you followed directions, you cause a cascade effect through the entire newsroom. 

 

Other stories to be read back up while the editor deals with yours or looks for a replacement. This means the designers get the stories later. They feel pressured to work faster and this increases the chances of errors. 

Show Up

Spending time in our newsroom is mandatory. Our entire staff meets once per week in the Daily Egyptian newsroom. This meeting is mandatory. It’s a chance for us to get to know one another as a staff, collaborate on story ideas and share our knowledge. Aside from the weekly meeting, reporters and multimedia producers are expected to meet with editors to plan and edit stories.

Learn AP Style and Grammar

To survive in and understand journalism, you must learn basic AP style and grammar. The most common rules and mistakes have been laid out in this employee handbook and they are crucial to journalism. 

 

Spend time with an AP stylebook and get familiar with the rules and guidelines. Do not make excuses for not knowing style. It is a job requirement. 

 

Opinions, Letters to the Editor and Provided Content

 

Provided opinion columns and letters to the editor are accepted, but there is no guarantee they will be published. Letters and provided content must be factual. Writers must submit contact information and their full names. Writers are not paid for provided content unless a freelance agreement has been made with the editor-in-chief.

 

Daily Egyptian staff are eligible to write columns after they complete the probationary period mentioned in the Hiring Procedure section of this document. Columns should be well-researched and adhere to journalistic and fact-checking standards.

 

Social Media, Comments and Letter to the Editor Policy

 

DAILY EGYPTIAN SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY

The Daily Egyptian – on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram – is committed to being a trusted source of news, information, commentary and public discourse. Comments from any viewpoint which make their point politely are welcomed. The Daily Egyptian will not tolerate the following on any of our social media platforms: obscenity, vulgarity, profanity (explicit and implied through letters followed by dashes or stars), personal attacks of any kind, promotion/spam and abusive content of any kind, including racist or homophobic comments. The Daily Egyptian reserves the right to moderate comments posted, and to delete comments or block users as it sees fit.

 

DAILY EGYPTIAN COMMENT POLICY

The Daily Egyptian is committed to being a trusted source of news, information, commentary and public discourse. Comments from any viewpoint which make their point politely are welcomed. The Daily Egyptian will not tolerate the following: obscenity, vulgarity, profanity (explicit and implied through letters followed by dashes or stars), personal attacks of any kind, promotion/spam and abusive content of any kind, including racist or homophobic comments. The Daily Egyptian reserves the right to moderate comments posted, and to delete comments and user accounts on the website. The Daily Egyptian also reserves the right to block individual IP addresses in order to prevent further creation or use of accounts from certain devices.

 

DAILY EGYPTIAN LETTER TO THE EDITOR POLICY

The Daily Egyptian is committed to being a trusted source of news, information, commentary and public discourse. Letters from any viewpoint which make their point politely are welcomed. The Daily Egyptian will not tolerate the following: obscenity, vulgarity, profanity (explicit and implied through letters followed by dashes or stars), personal attacks of any kind, promotion/spam and abusive content of any kind, including racist or homophobic comments. The Daily Egyptian reserves the right to choose to not publish letters to the editor if it resembles the previously listed guidelines.

 

Staff Expectations Agreement 

These are the rules and guidelines the Daily Egyptian expects you to follow during your employment at the paper. By signing below, you acknowledge you have read and agree to the following expectations:

• Stories and photos will be completed by 5 p.m. the day they are due. For event coverage, stories and photos are due two hours after the event. 
• If a story drops or you are unable to take a photo, you are responsible for finding a replacement.
• If a story drops, your editor should know as soon as you know it will drop and in advance of the deadlines.
• Communicate with your editor effectively.
• Meetings are mandatory unless there’s a valid reason for an absence that has been cleared with your editor.
• You must meet all expectations described in your position description.
• If you cease communication and/or don’t turn in your stories or budgets, you will be asked to sit down, and we will consider your motivations for working here. 
• You must follow the Daily Egyptian’s social media policy by avoiding expressing political opinions on your social media pages. When in doubt, ask your editor or refer to the NYT social media guidelines. 
• You are expected to stay for the entirety of the event when doing event coverage. 
• Hours are your responsibility to keep track of. If they aren’t entered by deadline, you will not be paid. 
• It is your responsibility to notify photographers or designers you work with when a story drops.
• You are expected to find your own stories to work on. If you are assigned a beat, you are expected to find at least two stories a week related to that beat. 
• Lying about hours is a fireable offense. 
• The Daily Egyptian reserves the right to fire anyone who threatens the reputation of our publication/organization. 

 

I have read the above expectations and agree that after 2 warnings or a fireable offense I may no longer be employed by the Daily Egyptian. Conferences with your desk editor and EIC will be scheduled after your first and second warnings.