6.5 MEDIA

 

DATED:             December 2005

SOURCED:        Media & Community Organisations 1999, Queensland University Press

SOURCED:        Michelle Cozzi, 2004, Effective Media Relations, Workshop & handout, Queensland FDC State Conference

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POLICY

 

Bayside Family Day Care aims to effectively & professionally manage all media matters and in particular, sensitive events that may attract the attention of the media.

 

Rationale

 

Ø       Media attention may periodically focus on people or issues involved in the organisation.

 

Ø       Children, families, carers, and staff are entitled to privacy, confidentiality, respect, and fairness in regard to disclosure of any personal information. This is especially true when a sensitive or difficult matter has arisen in our community of families, staff, and carers. Bayside Family Day Care, is committed to honouring these ethical principles as part of our responsibility to those stakeholders in our organisation.

 

Ø       At the same time, Bayside Family Day Care acknowledges an obligation to provide clear and accurate information based first on the careful establishment of the facts, once the community’s social interest and right to information has become involved. At all times, such disclosures will remain discretionary judgements of organisation’s management based on a prudent balance between our protection of individual rights and our acknowledgement of obligations to the wider community.

 

PROCEDURE

  • The nominated spokesperson is:
    •   ►  Bayside Family Day Care -- Manager

 

  • The nominated spokesperson will be available to respond to media enquiries at all times

 

  • All team members, that is Management Committee members, staff and Carers, are made aware that only the nominated spokesperson is authorised to respond to media enquiries

 

  • In the event of a situation that attracts the attention of the electronic or print media, the nominated media spokesperson is to ensure that all current staff and Carers are aware of the media policy

 

  • Wherever possible media responses will be in the form of a media release

 

  • Media spokespersons will undertake appropriate training, where available, to assist in the professional management of sensitive events.