Staff Manual and Editorial Policy

The editorial policy should be fully-developed and annually reviewed to guide your staff towards journalistic best practices. This lesson will talk about what an editorial policy and staff manual are, and what content should go into those two important documents.

In This Lesson

Staff Manuals and Editorial Policy

• The Editorial Policy
• The Staff Manual

[Click here to view and use the Google Slide Presentation “Staff Manuals and Editorial Policies”]

Activity

Build Your Own Manual and Policy

Using the Staff Manuals and Editorial Policies slideshow, and a digital copy of your existing publication’s staff manual and editorial policy, discuss the following questions as a class or staff. This should be completed as a large group. If your staff does not have an existing manual or policy you can find current examples via an internet search.

These discussions are important. Make sure that there is consensus among the group, starting with the agreement that the staff will abide by decisions that end up in this policy and manual.

Have someone record agreed upon answers in a new shared document for easy conversion into the staff manual.

[Click here to view and print the Google Doc handout “Build Your Own Manual and Policy”]