Ben Franklin Transatlantic Fellows Initiative

Media Resouces & Guidelines - US State Department

1. An Electronic Journal:

Seeking Free & Responsible Media: An Electronic Journal of the U.S. Department of State; Volume 8, Number 1, February 2003. Note Additional reading and links listed at end. See: http://usinfo.state.gov/journals/itgic/0203/ijge/ijge0203.htm

2. A media handbook for government officials

A Responsible Press Office:This book has been written as a sort of pocket guide for government leaders and public information officials who want to create an effective mechanism of communication between the press and the government. It is a very practical guide for press spokespersons, journalists, and newspaper readers alike.

See: http://usinfo.state.gov/products/pubs/pressoffice/

3. Press Ground Rules

U.S. and International Press Ground Rules: http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/17191.htm
Ground rules must be agreed upon at the beginning of a conversation or an interview with State Department officials. The discussion should proceed only after you and the officials are clear on exactly how the information can be used or attributed .

On the Record : Information may be quoted directly and attributed to the official by name and title.

On Background: The official's remarks may be quoted directly or paraphrased and are attributed to a “State Department official” or “Administration official,” as determined by the official.

On Deep Background : The source cannot be quoted or identified in any manner, not even as “an unnamed source.” The information is usually couched in such phrases as “it is understood that” or “it has been learned.” The information may be used to help present the story or to gain a better understanding of the subject, but the knowledge is that of the reporter, not the source.

Off the Record: No information provided may be used in the story. The information is only for the reporter's background knowledge.

4. An Electronic Journal

Media Emerging: An Electronic Journal of the U.S. Department of State, March 2006

New technologies create new media, changing the distribution, consumption, and use of information and revolutionizing public consumption of information. Including “Bloggers Breaking Ground in Communication” and the democratization of media.

http://usinfo.state.gov/journals/itgic/0306/ijge/welcome.htm

5. A State Department Website

Identifying Misinformation: A webpage addressing a range of false and misleading stories about the U.S. and its actions.

http://usinfo.state.gov/media/misinformation.html