Chatterbox Editorial Guidelines

Reviewed November 2015

Background

Chatterbox is a Community newsletter. It began life with Colin Frame and Charlie Fraser as a single A4 newsletter 1990/91??. Although the volunteers have changed over the years, the aim to provide local information and promote the local community continues. The newsletter is published twelve times a year by a team of volunteers who give up their time without charge to collate, edit, proof and distribute the newsletter. The cost of producing Chatterbox is met by advertising. Production is on a purely voluntary basis. Anyone wishing to volunteer should contact chatterbox@lochwinnoch.info.

Aims

Chatterbox aims to provide a record of life and a service to the local community by:

Providing information about local events and activities.
Supplying information regarding future local events.
Encouraging an exchange of views on local issues in a positive and constructive manner.
Providing local community groups and clubs a forum for reporting on their activities, promote future events and recruiting new members.
Giving local people an opportunity to acknowledge family events and space to be able to thank others publicly.

Editorial Contributions

Editorial Contributions should be sent to: chatterbox@lochwinnoch.info or posted into the Chatterbox dropbox in the Library.

Editorial Guidelines

These guidelines should not be viewed as restrictive, but rather as central to maintaining standards and fairness. All items submitted to Chatterbox will be considered for inclusion. When deciding whether to publish an item, the following principles will be followed:

The Editorial Team welcomes all entries for possible inclusion for publication in print web or audio format or any way as thought appropriate by the Editorial Team.
While contributors may wish that their submission is printed as supplied, the Editorial Team reserves the right to change and amend all submissions in order to meet the editorial policy.
The Editorial Team may also make changes with a view to eliminating errors of typing, grammar, syntax, punctuation, spelling, and idiom; eliminating ambiguity, illogicality, tautology, circumlocution and redundancy; producing accuracy and coherence; and improving the mode of expression and style of writing.
In accepting/rejecting submissions the Editorial Team’s decision is final.
Items of an overly political nature will not be accepted. Items of a controversial nature will not be presented in a way that could be construed as giving support to a political party.
Overt party politicking is discouraged especially from Councillors – they should let their actions speak.
No charge is made for inclusion of a news item. However the Editorial Team may request reimbursement of printing and collation costs for features or articles to be distributed as an accompaniment to the Newsletter. The features /articles are subject to the same conditions as the rest of the Community News.
Charities get a maximum of 2 free adverts per 12 months.
A maximum of 2 small ads are free to individuals, otherwise payable.
An advert is easily discernible from editorial as it is bounded by a frame.
Articles deemed to be offensive in any way are not accepted.
Articles should normally be around 800 words max, exceptions at the discretion of the editor.
In any discussion or dispute both sides are represented where possible.
Family notices (births, deaths marriages, etc.) are encouraged.
Views expressed in Chatterbox are not necessarily those of the Editorial Team, they are views of individuals, included in the interests of free speech.
Items can be submitted by (preferably) e-mail, or alternatively as a printed /handwritten copy delivered to the dropbox in the Library.
It is the responsibility of the potential contributor to submit an item before the publication deadline, the next deadline being clearly stated in each issue of Chatterbox.
When photography is submitted, the Editorial Team will assume that consent for publication in Chatterbox and online media has been granted. The responsibility for any permission required to publish a photo (e.g. of children) lies with the originator.
Current contact details should be included with each item to provide further information for readers, if desired.
Anonymous items will only be considered where the author has supplied their full name and contact details to the Editorial Team with their contribution and have requested – with good reason – that these are withheld.
Before printing a critical item the Editorial Team reserves the right to approach the criticised person /group and offer an opportunity to reply, where possible in the same issue of Chatterbox. At their/ his/her discretion, the Editorial Team may hold over the critical item to the following issue, or publish without a reply.
The Editorial Team cannot accept any liability for omissions, errors or mistakes which occur in production.
The Editorial Team cannot be liable for any loss or damage occasioned by the total or partial failure, however caused, of publication or distribution of Chatterbox.
Submission of a contribution shall be taken as an acceptance of the above Conditions.

Advertisements & Advertisers

Chatterbox does not allow advertising to influence editorial content and decisions.
Advertorials must be clearly distinguished from editorial copy.
Chatterbox may accept or reject any proposed advertisement.

Reprints & Linking

Anyone wishing to use Chatterbox content, please contact the Editorial team by contacting chatterbox@lochwinnoch.info