Writing with Libel in Mind - from Public Citizen

Public Citizen published a guide to writing with libel in mind, and it’s fantastic. As a review for communications staff who deal with writing, publications and how they intersect with ethics on a day-to-day basis, this piece will help drive home points that can get dropped over time. As a guide for citizens new to the public sphere, this is a great overview that should be studied and internalized.

Bloggers, non-profit communications personnel, and public relations professionals may not come from backgrounds that include “professional” journalistic training. This guide is for you. I use the word “professional” in quotation marks, because the line between “real” journalists and “the rest of the world” continues to blur, and I can cite one hundred examples where non-journalists published better, stronger, faster, and more in-depth reportage than minted, accepted and traditional journalists.

If you’re a local citizen journalist - and I’m talking to you, Sardinia Standard - consider stepping up your game and playing by the rules that keep the world of ideas a little friendlier than they would be otherwise.

2009 Resolutions

My goals for the new year are short and sweet:

Fewer empty calories: less snacking, more fruits and veggies. As a corollary to this, more local food and less processed crap.

Fewer empty hours: less TV watching and more reading, playing outside, and exercise.

Professionally: work toward APR certification in Public Relations.