The Cape Cod Chronicle

60-C Munson Meeting Way

Chatham, MA 02633

(508) 945-2220

Created February 1998

Last Revised June 2003

The Cape Cod Chronicle, established in Chatham in 1965 as a family-owned, independent weekly newspaper, maintains many of the same goals and standards as did the founding partners.

To distinguish itself from other news entities that cover primarily regional, Cape-wide news, The Cape Cod Chronicle covers news and information that is directly pertinent to people in the towns of Chatham and Harwich.

The Cape Cod Chronicle strives to be accurate, unbiased and insightful in its reporting. The newspaper will place appropriate emphasis on feature stories, entertainment listings and events, and will strive to provide helpful publicity to charitable organizations and non-profit groups, giving precedence to those groups based in Chatham or Harwich.

The Chronicle’s main mission, however, is to provide citizens with the information they need about their community to make decisions about public policy. Stories of a salacious, sensational or trivial nature will be eschewed in favor of straightforward, factual stories on issues that impact the everyday lives of our readers.

The purpose of this News Manual is to document general policies and guidelines used by The Cape Cod Chronicle in collecting and disseminating news.

The manual should serve as a reference for reporters and editors facing difficult editorial decisions. It also provides background for other staff members of the newspaper and for members of the public at large when questions arise about editorial decisions.

While the information in this manual will not offer solutions to every editorial problem, it is designed to reflect the general beliefs of the editorial staff, technically, professionally and ethically.

The manual is subject to regular review.

People who consent to be interviewed by a Cape Cod Chronicle reporter do so unconditionally. The interviewee cannot demand, after the fact, that information from the interview not be published.

Any information provided by a source in an interview is considered to be on the record and appropriate for inclusion in a published story. Any "off the record" comments should be considered with caution. The reporter should ask why the source will not give the information on the record, and should warn the source that if the information can be confirmed elsewhere, then it will be considered "on the record".

It is the policy of The Cape Cod Chronicle not to allow sources or others to read news stories before they are published, as this can lead to attempts to "slant" a story or "manage" the news. If there is a concern about the accuracy of a statement or a quote in a story, the reporter or editor may consent to read back to the source the copy in question for clarification. A source’s request to remove a comment or quote that is relevant to the story should be communicated to the editor, whose decision is final.

Sources of information must be clearly identified within a story, whether they are people or documents. In the rare instance when a news source requests anonymity for a compelling reason (i.e., a crime victim with a real fear of retribution, or a government official leaking controversial information), the request must be cleared by an editor. Use of unattributed information must only be done when it is crucial to the story, and must be cleared by the editor or publisher. Unattributed facts should be verified by at least two independent source.

Reporters will always attempt to contact the major players in a story, and will attempt to convince reluctant sources that their comments are needed for balanced coverage. Reporters should also give subjects as much time as possible to respond to an interview request, especially if they are defending allegations made in a news story.

Reporters will refrain from using newsworthy information divulged to them by someone with whom they have a close personal relationship, in keeping with ethical journalistic standards. Such information can be used if it is confirmed independently through standard journalism practices.

The Cape Cod Chronicle recognizes crime reporting as an important element of community coverage. The editorial board believes that crime news should never be withheld from publication for fear that it will encourage similar crimes; only by exposing crimes to the community can the problem be stopped.

The newspaper reserves the right to withhold publication of certain crimes (or details of those crimes) in the very rare instances when doing so would hamper an active criminal investigation.

Victims’ Identities. The Cape Cod Chronicle does not routinely publish the identities of crime victims, unless it is a critical component of the story, the victim is a public figure, or the crime happened in a public place or was witnessed by more than one person.

C In the case of rape or other violent assault, the name of the victim will not be used unless he or she is a public figure, or consents to be identified by name. While The Cape Cod Chronicle recognizes that the victims of rape or assault are in no way to blame for the crime, their names will be withheld to prevent further emotional injury.

C In the case of murder, the identity of the victim is crucial to the story, and will be included. Grisly details of murder scenes, including descriptions of the victim beyond the general, will not be included in stories unless it is directly pertinent to the case. In seeking reaction from friends and relatives, reporters will use their best judgement, but direct family members should never be badgered.

C Suicides, in general, are not to be covered, unless the victim is a public figure, the suicide happened in a public place or was witnessed by someone, or has caused widespread grief or alarm in a segment of the community.

C Hate crimes or suspected hate crimes are, by nature, newsworthy. It is the position of The Cape Cod Chronicle that by consciously deciding not to cover a hate crime, the newspaper becomes guilty of perpetuating that crime. Only by covering hate crimes consistently and honestly can the newspaper help the community to eradicate them. For this reason, hate crimes will be covered like any other crime, and will include the location of the crime, and the names of any suspects. If the perceived victim of the hate crime is a group of people, that should be made clear in the story; if the perceived victim is an individual, the editor and the reporter will decide whether the name should be used. The editor’s decision is final.

In its coverage of all crime stories, The Cape Cod Chronicle strives to avoid the sensational or the salacious.

The locations of crimes should be included unless doing so would reveal the identity of a victim who should remain unnamed, under the criteria listed above. In the case of violent crimes, home invasions or burglaries, street names may be used to identify a neighborhood, rather than specific addresses.

Suspects named in police reports or court complaints may be identified, along with age and hometown, but not street address, unless that is important to the story. Stories that name suspects should include any plea entered at arraignment.

It is the policy of The Cape Cod Chronicle not to publish the names of suspects who are under the age of 16, unless the police or parents do so first.

Brief reports will appear in a weekly column called "Police/Fire News." Included will be items that do not merit larger stories but which nonetheless would be of interest to the community. Examples include break-ins in which items of a significant dollar value or unusual (guns, art) nature were stolen; arrests of other than a routine (OUI, domestic, warrant) nature; accidents in which injuries occurred, a significant amount of property damage was done, or major citations were issued; public service notices (police seeking information, scam warnings); and cases featuring unusual circumstances or human interest situations (a rescue by a citizen). Periodically, a single, major story may be used in the column.

In civil cases deemed newsworthy by editorial staff, The Cape Cod Chronicle reserves the right to publish information about the plaintiff and defendant, provided the information is public record or consent is obtained.

The Cape Cod Chronicle strives for balance and accuracy in its reporting of political campaigns. Both in the quantity and content of news stories and features, the newspaper will accurately portray the different candidates for an office and the different sides of an issue.

With regard to letters to the editor during a political campaign, letters will be accepted from candidates or their staff members on issues pertinent to public debate. The paper reserve the right not to publish letters from candidates judged to be self-promotional in nature. Residents may write letters to endorse a candidate or an initiative, but The Chronicle reserves the right to limit the number of letters on either side of an issue, in the interest of fairness.

Candidates who are also active in community groups are welcome to continue to submit letters that are pertinent to the activities of those groups, as long as those letters do not reflect campaign issues or appear self-serving.

The Cape Cod Chronicle considers itself a guardian of its readers’ right to observe the workings of government at all levels. To that end, the newspaper seeks to ensure enforcement of the state Open Meeting Law, as defined in section 23B of chapter 39, MGL, and the Open Records Law, as defined in section 10 of chapter 66, MGL.

To that end, it is the policy of The Cape Cod Chronicle that any and all apparent violations of the Open Meeting and Records Laws must be reported to Cape & Islands District Attorney’s Office as soon as possible, for investigation and prosecution, if warranted.

Alleged violations shall not be reported while under investigation, unless they become a matter of public discourse. However, the results of such investigation shall be reported if deemed newsworthy by the staff. Such reports shall note that the investigation was initiated by The Chronicle, if that was the case.

In keeping with the fundamental practices of good journalism, the editorial and advertising functions of The Cape Cod Chronicle operate independently and without regard to one another. However, from time to time, the editorial staff will be compelled to report on an advertiser, especially given the seasonal nature of the region, where summer businesses drive the economy.

If something truly newsworthy happens at a business (e.g., an accident, a crime, a Board of Health review), or to a businessperson (e.g., a truly notable accomplishment or an accident), it should be covered, without regard to whether the business or businessperson is an advertiser.

In the selection of topics for feature stories, The Cape Cod Chronicle tends to avoid topics that overtly publicize, or appear to publicize, a certain business. When such a story is published, it gives other advertisers the legitimate right to complain that their businesses have not received the same level of free publicity. There are exceptions to this guideline; for example, a story may be done about a business when:

C it is unique and interesting, and is the first or only business of that type in the advertising area.

C that business is well-known to most in the community, and has been sold, or is opening or closing.

C it sponsors a charitable effort (e.g., a food drive or raffle). In this case, the story should focus on the charity, not the business.

C it employs a significant number of people, or is otherwise a major contributor to the local economy.

Feature stories may be done on notable businesspeople, if the thrust of the article is the individual and not the business. Priority will be given to businesspeople who are also active as volunteers or civic leaders.

News releases announcing new businesses, staff changes or notable accomplishments should be handled like any other community news item, and should be used when space is available. Occasionally, the newspaper may provide a section on "Business News," where such announcements can be grouped. In such cases, precedence will be given to businesses from Harwich and Chatham.

The Cape Cod Chronicle does not offer editorial coverage as an incentive to advertisers. "Minding Your Business" is a shops column produced independently under the aegis of the advertising department. The column is clearly identified as a vehicle for advertisers.

The Cape Cod Chronicle believes that publicizing the work of community groups, service organizations, and non-profit charitable organizations is of great value. In keeping with the focus of the rest of the newspaper’s editorial policy, precedence will be given to groups based in Chatham or Harwich.

Community news shorts or photo captions will be prioritized into three broad groups, and published on a space-available basis, based on the following criteria:

C Top priority: non-profit groups that do charitable work, especially if they have no means to purchase advertising; news releases from town government or schools.

C Middle priority: service groups (e.g., Rotary) and social organizations (e.g., the League of Women Voters). Also locally relevant news releases from regional organizations (e.g., Cape Cod Healthcare, Cape Cod Commission, state or federal legislators).

C If space still allows, community news items for private, non-charitable groups (e.g., the Retired Men’s Club) or profit-making organizations (First Night) will be considered.

The Chronicle encourages local schools, churches, and civic groups to send notice of their regular meetings, for publication in The Almanac. Submissions should be very short (less than 50 words), and should include a number for readers to call for more information. The deadline for publication in a Thursday edition is the previous Friday by 5 p.m.

Notices in The Almanac are open to most groups (non-profit and for-profit), as long as the notice is pertinent to readers in Chatham or Harwich. The Chronicle reserves the right to omit listings because of space or other concerns.

The Entertainment Sampler section of The Cape Cod Chronicle will provide a timely listing of events which are likely to draw the interest of readers. The deadline for listings in a Thursday edition is Monday at noon; the newspaper will also attempt to use photographs and graphics in the section, when space allows. Precedence will be given to events in Chatham and Harwich when space is limited.

Unlike other parts of the newspaper, the Entertainment Sampler is a forum both for non-profit events and profit-making ones. When space is limited, precedence will be given to non-profit organizations.

To be listed in the Entertainment Sampler, an event must be something spectators could attend (theater, musical performances, film screenings, but not classes or workshops). Exhibits at art galleries will be listed, provided that the gallery represents more than one artist. Art exhibits, like nature walks and outdoor programs, will be listed in separate sections in the summer, but included in the Sampler at other times of the year.

Theater reviews are another key element of the newspaper’s coverage of local culture and entertainment. They will be carried out whenever a reviewer is available, with priority given to productions staged in Harwich or Chatham, and productions that are convenient to that reviewer’s schedule.

The purpose of a Cape Cod Chronicle theater review is to provide readers with an opinion of a given production that they may use to help them decide whether or not to see the show. Therefore, The Chronicle will not review shows that do not continue beyond the newspaper’s next edition.

From time to time, feature stories previewing theater or other productions may be written, if deemed newsworthy by staff.

While the newspaper recognizes the value of theater reviews, they are done as a community service; it is a theater’s privilege to have a production reviewed by The Chronicle, not a right.

The Cape Cod Chronicle strives to avoid all errors in every issue.

When objectively incorrect information (e.g., the capital of a state) is included in a story through the error of either the reporter or a source, and the editor feels a correction is warranted, one will be made as soon as practically possible. Placed under the headline "Correction," the correction should not be written so as to repeat the error.

When the accuracy of a published item is open to interpretation (e.g., the meaning of a fact or figure, or whether a quote has been taken out of context), the editor and/or publisher, in consultation with the reporter, will decide if a clarification is warranted. If so, it will be published under the headline "Clarification," as soon as it is practically possible.

Both clarifications and corrections shall be prominently featured in the front section of the newspaper, as close as possible to the placement of the original story that contained the disputed material.

Editorials published in The Cape Cod Chronicle are offered to represent the position of the newspaper in general. For that reason, editorials should be discussed by the entire editorial staff to ensure a full airing of the issue; the actual writing of the editorial should be done by the editor, or in some cases, staff member most familiar with the issue.

In the event of disagreement among staff members, the decision of the publisher will be final.

It should be made clear to any member of the public who inquires about who wrote an editorial that the opinions expressed therein represent those of the entire editorial board, including the publisher.

The Chronicle recognizes that, given the small editorial staff, there will be from time to time instances of staff members writing editorials and/or opinion pieces on issues they have covered as news stories. This is unavoidable, and should be disclosed to the public if it arises as an issue. Reporters are encouraged to write opinion pieces and columns on issues other than those they have covered.

During political campaigns, the editorial staff will make every effort to endorse a candidate for each available seat in each contested local race. The Cape Cod Chronicle considers it an important function of a local newspaper to endorse the best candidates for office. Similarly, the newspaper will strive to issue a position on issues to be decided in a referendum question.

It is an infringement of copyright laws to reprint or otherwise duplicate text or photographs published in The Cape Cod Chronicle without the expressed permission of the editor/publisher.

The editor/publisher may grant permission for text or photographs to be reprinted, under the condition that they are credited to The Cape Cod Chronicle, or the photographer and The Cape Cod Chronicle.

All photographic negatives remain the property of the photographer, and remain in the custody of the newspaper. Under no circumstances will negatives be sold or loaned.

Cape Cod Chronicle reporters are not allowed to produce editorial content for newspapers, magazines, radio or television stations within the Cape Cod media market, without express prior permission from the editor/publisher. Any material reprinted with permission should credit The Cape Cod Chronicle.

Letters to the editor are always welcome, especially if they express views that disagree with our editorials or challenge the accuracy of our news coverage. In order to be published, letters must be signed, and must include a return address and day and evening telephone numbers, for verification. Only the most compelling requests for anonymity from those who write letters will be honored.

Because of space demands, letters should be short (no longer than 250 words), although the paper reserves the right to publish longer letters. All submissions may be edited for clarity, length, grammar and sensitivity. The paper also reserves the right to limit individuals to no more than one letter per month, depending on available space. For letters regarding political issues, see the "Political Reporting" section of this manual.

Letters must be received by Monday at noon for publication in a Thursday edition. That deadline may be altered to accommodate holidays.

Letters should be addressed to :

The Cape Cod Chronicle

Letters to the Editor

60-C Munson Meeting Way

Chatham, MA 02633

or sent via electronic mail to:

letters@capecodchronicle.com

The following letters policy will be published on the letters page, as space allows:

The Chronicle welcomes and encourages letters to the editor as a forum for the discussion of news, issues and opinions. Letters should be brief, preferably under 250 words, and include the writer’s name, address and telephone number. Letters are subject to verification for accuracy and editing for clarity, space and sensitivity. At the editor’s discretion, the number of letters from any one writer may be limited to one a month. The deadline for letters is Monday at noon; submissions received close to deadline will be published as space allows. Letters from political candidates will be accepted on issues pertinent to public debate. The paper reserves the right not to publish letters from candidates judged to be self-promotional in nature. Letters are accepted by mail at 60C Munson Meeting Way, Chatham, MA, 02633, or via e-mail at letters@capecodchronicle.com.or twood@capecodchronicle.com.