media pages, however, in some cases additional staff members may be approved to post on the Village’s social media pages. Employees posting information on official Village social media pages are responsible for complying with the provisions of the Village’s Electronic Communications Use Policy , which outlines the guidelines for professional use, and are encouraged to utilize the “Best Practices for Social Media” guide prepared by the Communications Specialist. Employees authorized to post content on Village social media sites are responsible for monitoring comments from users and periodically reporting them to Department Heads and/or Village Managers, as appropriate. All Village social media outlets must contain the Village logo and be controlled by a secure username and password. All current usernames and passwords should be kept on file with the Information Technology Department. Information posted on Village social media pages must be factual and cannot impair the public’s confidence in the operation of Village government or the performance of the individual employee. Like email, communication via Village related social media outlets is a public record. This means that both the post by the Village employee and feedback received will become part of the public record. Because others may not be aware of the public records law, the Village should include the following statement somewhere on all social media outlets: “The Village of Pinehurst uses social media to interact with residents, businesses, and visitors about public issues. Please note this is a moderated online discussion site and subject to North Carolina Public Records Laws, e-discovery laws, and policies. To help ensure this site is a safe and productive place, please take a moment to become familiar with our terms of use.” Employees authorized to post content on Village social media sites are responsible for monitoring comments from users that are submitted and periodically reporting them to the Department Head or Village Managers, as appropriate. B. Media Relations Media relations include written, verbal, and face to face interactions with members of the media (television, radio, newspaper, magazines, etc.). Most written communications occur in the form of an official press release and paid advertising. Verbal and face to face interactions are most often responses to requests for information or interviews. Press Releases Press releases are official Village communications to members of the press. Employees and committee members are required to prepare all press releases using the standard template provided and forward to the Communications Specialist for review and distribution. The Communications Specialist is responsible for maintaining an accurate list of media contacts to ensure all press releases reach their intended audience and are fairly distributed to all known representatives of the press. Departments and committees are not authorized to distribute press releases directly.
Village of Pinehurst – External Communications Policy
Page 6
Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs