This document provides guidance for community members to contribute content to SourceMedia Group's websites. It outlines two ways for community members to submit content for review rather than direct publishing: uploading submissions directly to topical sites or emailing them. It describes notifying editors of pending submissions and the process for editors to review, approve, edit, or reject submissions based on accuracy, offensiveness, or other issues. Editors are encouraged to provide feedback to contributors on any edits or rejections. The document also provides guidelines for attributing and using community-submitted content on SourceMedia sites.

1. SourceMedia Group December 2010 Working with the community 1.3

2. Old New Had to own printing press/TV station to publish content. Media decides what’s heard. No other outlet. Everyone can become a publisher. We need to aggregate it! Public and media decides. (Iran example) All kinds of outlets. History

3. History Content produced under the old model as well as the new one can coexist. Need to continue to be the information provider of choice. Will need both worlds to do that. Community, TV, print, online. This includes content from experts in the community as well as Joe Citizens.

4. Why community members are important They help us build topical communities by adding tidbits of information that they run across, have observed or have knowledge of. They add their own expertise! Big Brothers Big Sisters: Mentoring Willis Dady: Homelessness Civil Rights Commission: Civil Rights Etc.

5. Different levels Public/organizations/etc. file news to appropriate sites. Engage there. Public offers expertise Topical sites

6. 2010

7. The vision

8. How community contributors file They file content straight to the site, but can’t publish the information. They log into the topical site, submit a post (words and pictures for example) the same way a professional SourceMedia Group News employee would. But instead of pushing PUBLISH, they push SUBMIT FOR REVIEW.

9. How community contributors file There are two ways that you can notice PENDING stories.

10. How community contributors file

11. How community contributors file The e-mail groups set up for each site also get e-mail notifications when a CONTRIBUTOR submits something for review.

12. How community contributors file

13. Approving content Note that when you approve a post (or trash it – this should be the last option!!!) the contributor gets an e-mail letting him/her know what you did.

14. Approving content Somebody at SourceMedia Group News has to review and approve their posts. If you see one, give it a read and approve it if it’s OK. If there are questions: feel free to consult with a manager. edit inappropriate content. cut inappropriate content.

16. Approving content Things to think about/consider before approving a post Read the submission with an open mind. Look for red flags What doesn’t make sense? Is it controversial? Is the information accurate? (You may know just by being an expert on the topic.) If a mistake slipped through and is later discovered fix it when you know of it.

17. Approving content While we generally do not independently verify each fact submitted by a contributor, we do have to make an effort to look for red flags in their submissions. These red flags could include: Mistakes Typos Inaccuracies Libelous information Attacks on people Offensive material Etc.

18. Approving content It’s OK to edit a contributor’s post for clarity and to edit out what you know to be wrong and/or potentially libelous information. But get back to them and explain what happened. “I cut this because ….” “I edited this because …” If you did some basic copy editing you may say: “I did some slight editing. Please give it a read.” (You can always say the “please give it a read” part after you edited it.)

19. Approving content Feel free to forward concerns to a manager and he/she can send the e-mail, too.

22. Contributor posts Please make sure that a community contributor post is clearly marked as being from a community contributor. If the byline (it should) isn’t clear, you could add a line to the top of a post: So and so is a community contributor before you approve it.

23. Community contributor guidelines These are the guidelines across the topical sites. Community contributors to SourceMedia Group’s topical websites 1. Community contributors are encouraged to submit news items (photos, words, video, audio, etc.) to relevant topical beat blogs (like this one) through direct uploads, e-mail and in the comments sections. 2. Contributors are solely responsible for submitted content and its consequences. 3. Contributors affirm that they have the rights to publish the items submitted. 4. Original submitted work is credited on the beat blogs by: * Listing the person’s name * Listing the person’s e-mail address (if provided and desired) * Listing the person’s website address (if provided) * Affiliated platforms carrying the original submitted content are encouraged to credit the work with at least the contributor’s name.

24. Community contributor guidelines 5. Contributors give SourceMedia Group the right to publish the submitted content on any website and SourceMedia Group products including, but not limited to, KCRG.com, TheGazette.com, KCRG-TV9, and The Gazette. 6. SourceMedia Group reserves the right to remove content deemed not entirely accurate, libelous, offensive or deemed unfit for the site in any other way. 7. Contributors give SourceMedia Group the right to resell original content (for example pictures) and contributors will receive 40 percent of the net revenue from original content sold outside of SourceMedia Group. 8. Contributors also give SourceMedia Group the right to archive content. 9. You are the copyright holder of the material. 10. On photos: Please submit the highest available resolution. 11. SourceMedia Group reserves the right to crop and/or edit photos. 12. By uploading content to this site or submitting it to us in any other way you agree to these terms.

25. Working with the community 1.3 Questions? Comments?