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 Everett True

how the music press works

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The following is an email that was forwarded on to me by an interested party. I have removed the names of the relevant parties to spare the blushes of all concerned

Dear all

Just want to remind everyone again of the rules and guidelines around external media and social networking – these apply if you are a TITLE’s staffer or freelancer. Please email **** back with an acknowledgment that you have read and understood the below.

Thanks, ****


**** SOCIAL MEDIA AND PR GUIDELINES 2010

As an employee or contributor to TITLE your presence online can represent TITLE to a public audience. You are therefore required to maintain the highest levels of professional conduct at all times.

The use of personal Twitter, Facebook or other social media accounts to broadcast a viewpoint or opinion that relates specifically to a TITLE’s issue, or a viewpoint or opinion that could be deemed to have a negative impact on TITLE, is not permitted unless it has previously been signed off by either the TITLE’s Editor or Editor of TITLE’S WEBSITE.

If you are a TITLE’s staff member and are approached by any external media to write, freelance or comment on any issue (music or other) the enquiry must be routed to **** in PR for approval before you agree to anything. This rule also applies to freelancers if they are being credited as a TITLE’s contributor.

All COMPANY staff should also make sure they have familiarised themselves with COMPANY’s social media policy which can be found on the intranet.



TITLE’s Editor

——————————————————————————————————————————————————

Some observations:

  • The music press – mainstream and alternative – often presents itself as one of the last bastions of independent thought and action. Well, yes. But only if your independent thoughts and actions have been approved by the magazine’s PR department first.
  • As has been proven countless times, discourse around a CD or magazine or event will increase awareness of that CD or magazine or event. No publicity is bad publicity. You’d have thought that this title in particular would be aware of this: how is any medium going to grow or flourish without commentary and criticism around it, both good and bad? Censoring contributors’ voices is not a way forward at all.
  • Freelancers are under no obligation to the titles they contribute to.
  • In fairness to the offending title’s editor, they probably finds this policy just as laughable as the rest of us. They are under an obligation to the title, however.
  • Print magazines really don’t understand how social networking online works, do they?

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