General principle:
This document offers a dynamic framework to support Digital Opportunity Channel editors and contributors in meeting the aims and strengthening the mission of Digital Opportunity Channel. As such, this document intends to guide Digital Opportunity Channel editors and contributors in raising awareness, stimulating debate, and encouraging participation on issues of ICTs (information and communication technologies) for sustainable development and human rights.
This document is open to an ongoing dialogue with our stakeholders (users, partners, donors, and especially the world's poorest, whose voices we seek to amplify) to whom we hold ourselves accountable. Digital Opportunity Channel will therefore seek to develop mechanisms to measure our impact from the point of view of our stakeholders.
Editorial independence:
Digital Opportunity Channel is independent of any government, political, religious and commercial interests, and from any particular group within civil society. We accept funding only on condition that it does not jeopardise that editorial independence.
Fairness and impartiality:
Digital Opportunity Channel content is based on our belief in the fundamental importance of human rights and sustainable development. Our content is selected to help paint the broadest possible picture of global realities. We seek to bring together in our content diverse perspectives and to include sources, voices and views too often ignored. In particular we work to include the voices of those at the front line of development - the poorest and most marginalized, and those that work directly with them.
Digital Opportunity Channel has, and continues to build, a unique global network of online partners, representing a wide range of opinions (often expressed in terms of highly focused advocacy and campaigns) and also news from independent media sources, from which we distill Digital Opportunity Channel content. The channel benefits from a growing number of OneWorld partners and links to an extensive community working in the field of ICT.
We aim for transparency in all of our content. Digital Opportunity Channel indicates clearly the source of material presented as news, and the identity of those who produce opinion and analysis.
Accuracy and honesty:
Digital Opportunity Channel strives to meet maximum standards of factual accuracy in its content. Where material is selected from partner websites for highlighting by Digital Opportunity Channel, it is accepted as having been offered in good faith as factually accurate.
Further to this, Digital Opportunity Channel believes that facts alone are not sufficient to tell a story. Thus we always seek to present content within a broader context.
Digital Opportunity Channel's distinctive agenda:
Selection of material for publication will reflect our core mission and values. Digital Opportunity Channel selects such material that focuses on use of ICTs for sustainable development and human rights, as broadly defined to include a range of topics, frequently ignored by mainstream media. Digital Opportunity Channel will report ongoing processes as well as events, and structural injustice as well as crises.
Respect for people and cultures:
Digital Opportunity Channel seeks a diverse global audience and will portray a full and fair view of peoples and cultures worldwide.
Representation:
Digital Opportunity Channel recognises that the choice of vocabulary and context, as well as conventional representations of fact and opinion, affect the way in which issues are communicated. Digital Opportunity Channel seeks to respect its partners' original source material by offering users an honest and accurate account.
Reporting vs. opinion:
Digital Opportunity Channel seeks to portray diverse views and opinions, but does not endorse all the views of the partners whose material it publishes. When the core of a story is the purely personal opinion of the author and is intended to promote only one side of an argument, the story will be clearly labelled as opinion.
Digital Opportunity Channel as an organisation may adopt or facilitate a position, or become involved in a campaign, based on the process of agreement as upheld by the Digital Opportunity Channel Board of Management. Any such decisions will be made explicit.
Corrections policy:
When Digital Opportunity Channel recognises that it has published false or misleading information, it will publish corrections on the Digital Opportunity Channel site with due prominence, and bring it to the attention of the originator of the material.
Right to reply:
Digital Opportunity Channel welcomes comment/feedback of our content and alternative points of view. Whenever possible we will publish replies on the Digital Opportunity Channel website, particularly by anyone who feels they have been unjustly represented.
Privacy:
In reporting on named individuals Digital Opportunity Channel recognises that every person (whether poor or rich) has the right to privacy and freedom from intrusion, although Digital Opportunity Channel acknowledges that the privacy of those in public life may be reduced by their public role.
Personal information gathered on the Digital Opportunity Channel website will be shared only in cases where individuals give their explicit consent.
Digital Opportunity Channel uses cookies to allow enhanced features, such as personalization. Users can opt out of these cookies at any time.
Moderation:
We will not publish user-generated material that violates the values for which Digital Opportunity Channel stands. When content contravenes house rules, as published on the site, it will be removed with e-mail notification to the poster.
Protection of sources:
As a rule, Digital Opportunity Channel publicly identifies its sources of information. However, in the case of original material produced by Digital Opportunity Channel, sources who wish to remain anonymous (for reasons of personal security, for example) will be not be disclosed by Digital Opportunity Channel, except as a last resort on order by an appropriate court and agreement by the Digital Opportunity Channel Board of Management.
Defamation:
Digital Opportunity Channel respects and protects the freedom to hold and voice opinions. Such opinions must be a matter of public interest, honestly held and without malice. In the case of information reported as fact, Digital Opportunity Channel will publish truthful accounts, and use appropriate forms of language, to protect against threats of defamation. Editors will check with Digital Opportunity Channel lawyers in the case of any doubt.
Copyright:
We respect copyright in all forms of media. In case of accidental infringement we will take action as soon as a case is brought to our attention.
Press release embargoes:
Digital Opportunity Channel respects embargoes in all material issued to the press, to the extent that they are respected by other media.
Respect for standards of taste and decency:
Digital Opportunity Channel recognises that standards of taste and decency vary widely between peoples and cultures. Therefore Digital Opportunity Channel will seek out all means possible to these differences are taken into account when publishing Digital Opportunity Channel content.
Advertising and sponsorship:
Digital Opportunity Channel will not accept advertising, sponsorship or promotion that contravenes its general editorial policies and underlying values.
Conflict of interest:
Personal involvement of Digital Opportunity Channel journalists (for example, through shares, membership of organisations or political parties) will always be disclosed where it might be thought to compromise editorial integrity. Digital Opportunity Channel will work towards complete transparency of all relations between Digital Opportunity Channel content and its sources.
Picture policy:
Digital Opportunity Channel takes care not to wilfully misrepresent the subjects and objects portrayed in the images used on its site. Captions and attributions should always be fair and accurate. Digital manipulation will only be used to enhance a photograph (i.e. to clarify, not change, its meaning).
Stereotypical images and the "pornography of poverty" should be avoided. When possible, individuals depicted should be named and placed in context.
Digital Opportunity Channel is in the process of developing a comprehensive Picture Policy.
Video policy:
As with still images, Digital Opportunity Channel will take care not to willfully misrepresent the subjects and objects portrayed in the video used on its site. Digital Opportunity Channel will acquire written (online) consent and copyright agreement to broadcast video footage. Every video clip will be credited to the producer and source.
When several clips are presented as a coherent storyline, the authorship of the storyline will be clearly identified. As with still images, individuals depicted should be named and placed in context, where possible.
Digital Opportunity Channel is in the process of developing a comprehensive Video Policy.
Audio policy:
Digital Opportunity Channel will take care that the subjects and objects portrayed in the audio used on its site are not wilfully misrepresented. Digital Opportunity Channel will acquire written (online) consent and copyright agreement to broadcast audio footage, and require guarantee that the audio used through its audio-exchange programmes is free to share for all Digital Opportunity Channel audio-exchange members. Every audio clip will be credited to the producer and source.
Digital Opportunity Channel is in the process of developing a comprehensive Audio Policy.
Accountability:
Digital Opportunity Channel holds itself accountable to many stakeholders (users, partners, donors) for the effectiveness of its communications, and for the achievement of its main aim - to make a difference in the lives of the world's poorest citizens, whose interests are too often ignored.
Contact information:
Should you have other questions or concerns about these editorial policies, please send us an email at doeditors@oneworld.net.
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