This policy applies to Pooches at Play and its editorial employees.
Editorial employees means full-time, part-time, fixed-term and casual employees and also contractors, contributors, consultants, freelance photographers, interns and volunteers.
Where the policy states an ‘authorised nominee’ can approve certain decisions, that person must be officially authorised by the relevant executive/s on whose behalf they are acting.
1.1 Pooches at Play and its employees take all reasonable steps to ensure reports are accurate and not misleading.
1.2 Pooches at Play may editorialise, campaign and take stances on issues provided they take reasonable steps to fulfil the requirements of 1.3 and 1.4.
1.3 Comment, conjecture and opinion are acceptable in reports to provide perspective on an issue, or explain the significance of an issue, or to allow readers to recognise what the publication’s standpoint is on the matter being reported.
1.4 However, this does not allow us to knowingly publish inaccurate or misleading information and will correct significant inaccuracies or misleading material once they have been recognised as detailed in Section 2.0 – Mistakes.
1.5 In accordance with Principle 3 of the Australian Press Council’s Statement of General Principles, media organisations should take reasonable steps to ensure that factual material is presented with reasonable fairness and balance, and that writers’ expressions of opinion are not based on significantly inaccurate factual material or omission of key facts.
1.6 Journalists should rely only on credible sources.
1.7 Plagiarism is to be avoided at all times.
1.8 Information sourced from social media should be verified for accuracy. Editors should be informed of images sourced from social media sites and publications and gathering of material from social media should be approved by the source and/or credit given to the source.
1.9 Images used should meet copyright guidelines.
2.1 Subject to legal advice, a correction or other adequate remedial action should be provided promptly if published material is significantly inaccurate.
3.1 Editorial employees should not use false names when representing Pooches at Play.
3.2 Employees should not try to obtain information, photographs or video by deception.
4.1 A conflict of interest arises when personal interests or divided loyalties interfere with the ability to make sound, objective business decisions on behalf of the company. Staff may join and participate in lawful political or community organisations or activities but must avoid potential conflicts of interest with their employment.
4.2 Employees as defined by this policy must report as soon as possible potential personal conflicts of interest to the Editor in Chief (or their authorised nominee). Failure to notify them may result in dismissal.
5.1 In accordance with Principle 6 of the Australian Press Council’s Statement of General Principles, Pooches at Play should take reasonable steps to avoid causing or contributing materially to substantial offence, distress or prejudice, or a substantial risk to health or safety, unless doing so is sufficiently in the public interest.
6.1 Personal information gathered by journalists and photographers should only be used for the purpose for which it was intended.
6.2 A person who supplies personal information should have a reasonable expectation that it will be used for the purpose for which it was collected.
6.3 Some personal information, such as addresses or other identifying details, may enable others to intrude on the privacy and safety of individuals who are the subject of news coverage, and their families.
6.4 To the extent lawful and practicable, a media organisation should only disclose sufficient personal information to identify the persons being reported in the news, so that these risks can be reasonably avoided.
6.5Refer to our Privacy Policy in relation to the collection and security of personal information.
7.1 Enhancement of photographs is acceptable. However, this should be limited to simple procedures to improve reproduction quality, ie auto enhancement, colour & brightness alteration.
8.1 Complaints involving alleged breaches of this policy will be investigated by the Managing Editor. Proven breaches will be dealt with in accordance with the company’s disciplinary procedures.
9.1 This policy only applies to complaints about editorial content in our publications and the digital services that we control.
9.2 We may not consider complaints:
9.3 Complaints about issues should be sent to us via email or via our website. See below for contact details.
9.4 Complaints will be accepted up to one (1) month from the date of the behaviour(s) or first publication of the item(s) that you are complaining about.
9.5 Should the item remain accessible on our website or in another digital format after this time, we will accept complaints up to 2 months from the date of first publication provided that it is still possible to investigate the complaint fairly given the period of time that has elapsed.
9.6 Complaints must include:
9.7 We may seek further details after your initial contact. We reserve the right to reject, without further investigation, complaints that show no breach.
9.8 We aim to acknowledge your complaint within 2 working days of receipt.
9.9 In making a complaint, you agree to respond promptly to any request for further information.
9.10 Our complaints process is free of charge, regardless of outcome.
9.11 If we receive multiple complaints about the same issue we may make one response to all.
9.12 We will respond to all complaints within 28 days of receiving all the necessary information to allow us to investigate.
10.1 We reserve the right to amend this policy as required.
10.2 We will publish the current policy on our website. our complaint will be considered against the published policy on the date of receipt of your complaint.
11.1 If you are unhappy with our final response to your complaint you may complain to Australian Press Council.
11.2 We will confirm in writing that you have exhausted our internal complaints procedure.
Postal address for complaints by mail: PO Box 7338 Brighton VIC 3186
By our contact form: www.poochesatplay.com/contact-us/
Via our website: www.poochesatplay.com
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