Frankie Cordeira Jr.

Description: Newspaper suspends reporter for TWEETING breaking news scoop... Boston Herald Guild Members Boycott Twitter After Reporter Suspended The protest is in response to what guild members say is an antiquated social media policy at the newspaper. Breaking news on social media can apparently be risky business for reporters at the Boston Herald and the union isnt happy about it. Members of the Heralds editorial guildare boycotting Twitter this week after reporter Chris Villani was suspended without pay for three days for violating the companys social media policy. Villanis misstep? An April 20 tweet stating The notes found in #AaronHernandez cell were letters to his daughter & fiancee saying he loved them & would see them in heaven per source. It was a legitimate scoop in the highly competitive national news cycle that followed Hernandezs suicide and it got noticed: Villanis message was retweeted 219 times and liked 246 times. Other outlets later reported the same news. But because Villani didnt seek approval from editorial brass to tweet out the news which was attributed to an unnamed source hes now out three days pay. A copy of the Heralds social media policy shared with me specifically states: Do not tweet re-tweet or otherwise post breaking news or share work in process without the express approval of the Executive Editor or his designee. The guild is now taking aim at what it considers an outdated policy. In a statement the guild notes that the current social media policy dates back to January 2013 and has never before been enforced: Herald Media Inc.has had a social media policy in effect since January 2013. For the first time in four years it was used to discipline a member of the Boston Herald who was suspended without pay for violating the letter of this policy with an accurate timely and competitive news-related tweet. The company is now enforcing a policy that says all news-related tweets and posts must be cleared by an editor. This is not workable for media in a technologically sophisticated and competitive market when reporters are at a press conference covering courts sports or a breaking-news event such as a fire. By enforcing this policy editorial employees are rightfully in fear of tweeting or otherwise posting to social media. The Herald has put itself at odds with innovative news organizations across the country that embrace social media and use it to boost their digital and print products as well as the profiles of talented people on their staffs. When asked over email if the Herald will review its social media policy in light of the dispute editor Joe Sciacca provided the following statement: Like most major news outlets the Herald has a social media policy and breaking news protocol to protect not only the news organizations interests but to keep faith with readers that all of the content we present across all platforms is credible having been vetted for accuracy and reliable sourcing by editors. Particularly in this era of fake news and unattributed speculation the media must do all that it can to earn the trust of those who depend on its reporting. Well continue to ensure that the Herald remains the news organization that it isan organization of excellence on which our readers can rely with confidence and of which we can continue to be proud. Villani did not return multiple requests for comment for this story. For now dozens ofHerald guild members have turned their Twitter avatars black and are abstaining from the platform until their colleague returns to work.
By Frankie Cordeira Jr.
Pinned to Domestic and Global News on Pinterest
Found on: http://ift.tt/2oV4qNX