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Editorial Guidelines vs 0.9.2

Indymedia UK is an open network of media activists and organisations offering a platform to report on grassroots, [non-corporate, non-commercial], social and political issues.

The guidelines below have been created to ensure the integrity of the website can be maintained by a growing network. So the site continues to generate a radical collaborative information platform, an evolutionary tool dedicated to social change by innovation for the benefit of all.

The open newswire on the Indymedia UK web site is designed as a news resource, not a notice-board for political parties or any other hierarchically structured organization. Indymedia UK administers the site to ensure it remains an open newswire. Sometimes we hide, not delete, postings if they differ from the principles stated below.

1) The Indymedia UK network edits this site as described below. Postings can be found on the right-hand column. Hidden postings are visible in the Editorial Admin page. Just click to read them.

2) The principles and reasons guiding the hiding or removal of articles:

* Discrimination: posts using language, imagery, or other forms of communication promoting racism, fascism, xenophobia, sexism or any other form of discrimination.

* Advertising: posts with personal or product promotions

* Inaccurate: posts obviously inaccurate or misleading.

* Repeated: content that is reposted or text that was originally a comment posted as a report

* Non-news: posts which are clearly purely comment, opinion or rants unrelated to a recent event or action etc.* [needs to be defined. we did this once]

3) Add Comments – The just click on the "Add Comments" link has a two-tier purpose:

Inaccurate information

* The Indymedia UK network removes inaccurate postings wherever possible.

* Anyone who is the subject of inaccuracy or malicious information can rectify misinformation by adding a comment at the end of the posting.

* The information can be given prominent status by contacting the IMC UK features list with the qualified accurate information.

Opinions

* Information adding or opinions – This can be used by anyone on the Newswire to add information or state an opinion about any given posting.

4) Announcements - please list all upcoming events on the website by using the Calendar link on top of the Newswire.

5) Features

The middle column of the IMC UK website reflects postings gathered by individuals or groups on the features list. The intention is to make information about specific issues on the newswire more accessible by highlighting them in a feature in the middle column. Featured issues are representative of users and those dedicated to social change.

How to upload 'features': -

method #1

Any individual can join the features list and propose a new feature for the middle column. If no one objects to the feature within 24-hours it is moved to the middle column. Features are usually between 50 and 80 words and include at least one link to the newswire, preferably also links to background information. The 24-hour rule ensures accuracy and reflective content through collective participation and shared responsibility. For instance if a feature is proposed and it is inaccurate – once the item is up - the 24-hour rule means everyone on the features list is responsible for improvement.

method #2

• UkFeaturesListFrontPage This has many advantages and uses software for collaborative online work used extensively in the global Indymedia network.

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-- Millennium Leia - October 2002