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Media Protocol
Overview
The public image and prestige of any organisation is of key importance for the
successful and sustainable execution of all its core activities. This is even more so in
the case of a tertiary institution such as Stellenbosch University, which wishes to
recruit and retain the best students and staff in a highly competitive market (both
national and international). Reporting in the public media – whether newspapers,
magazines, radio or television – has a direct impact on the public image of SU and
therefore has to be handled in a professional manner to extend and optimise the
prestige and stature of the institution.
Bearing in mind that no institution in the world will experience only positive publicity,
a media protocol is required to place the relationship and interaction with the media
on a professional footing and to formalise it within the institution. It is essential to
formulate guidelines in relation to who may speak with the media officially on behalf
of the University on a specific issue or topic, particularly within the context of a
University with 10 faculties and with more than 300 academic departments, four
campuses and more than 2 500 members of staff.
Points of departure:
The media protocol of SU complies with the mission of the University as set out in the
Strategic Framework of 2000. What it amounts to is briefly that SU, as an institution
of excellent scientific practice, is a place where knowledge is discovered, shared and
applied to the benefit of the broader community. This sharing of knowledge also
includes the sharing of information concerning the core activities and the
management of the University with the broader University community and the general
public– in a spirit of openness and transparency, as contained in the accepted set of
values that the University underwrites. (See full document at
http://www.sun.ac.za/university/index.html.)
Since the first responsibility of the University is to its internal community (its staff and
students), the point of departure is that all external communication by SU will be
shared with the internal University community first via the appropriate channels.
Proactive communication
It is imperative that all University reporting or communication – press releases on
research achievements, academic programs, strategic communication, important
announcements, events etc. – should be presented in a newsworthy and stimulating
fashion.
The dilemma is that most academics are used to expressing themselves in the jargon
and terminology of their discipline which often comes across as being too
complicated for the ordinary reader. The division for Communication and Liaison
within University Advancement is primarily tasked to ensure professional external
communication in collaboration with the subject or program leaders and the media
officers in the respective faculties.
News releases are not the sole means of communicating with the external media,
though. Any good communicator knows the value of impeccable interpersonal
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relations with journalists, the one-on-one visits, media interviews, the telephonic
interview or on-air and in-studio participation. The most practical way of sharing
information, however, remains the faithful, to-the-point and easily understood media
release or statement that facilitates other media opportunities in one form or another.
All news releases must comply with the following format:
Corporate SU logo
Date of release
Heading: what is this release about?
For immediate publication or Embargoed: date and time when it can be made
known to the public
(The contents of the release: maximum 800 words)
Further enquiries: State the name and contact detail of the media liaison person
and / or expert that can assist with more detailed information.
Standard footer: Issued by Communication and Liaison, Stellenbosch University.
Distribution of the release will be determined by the nature and content of the
communication. The Media Office in conjunction with the Senior Director:
Communication and Liaison will consider the widest possible media list for
distribution. A directive in this regard will be given to the PR/Media company (where
applicable and appropriate) with due allowance for their expert input to maximize
opportunities for publicity.
Reactive communication
Enquiries from the media about matters pertaining to the various facets and activities
of the University are divergent in nature. The Media Office in the Division for
Communication and Liaison is the entry point for all media enquiries (whether from
mainstream, community or internal media).
For the sake of effective practical handling and easy flow of information, the
University distinguishes in its dealings between different types of communication or
enquiries, each determining the responsible person(s) who must provide the relevant
information to the Media Office who will in turn communicate it externally to the
media.
Types of communication and responsible person(s)
1. Policy matters
Dealing with media enquiries or communications regarding policy matters at SU is
primarily the responsibility of the chairperson of the SU Council or his delegated
representative. He/she will address the media on such matters and/or release an
official media communiqué or statement to the media in consultation with the
Rector and the Senior Director: Communication and Liaison via the Media Office
of the University.
2. Strategic and management matters
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Responses to any enquiries or communications on strategic and management
matters are the responsibility of the Rector or his delegated representative within
the rectorate or Executive Management of the University. Such communication
takes place in consultation with the Senior Director: Communication and Liaison,
who in turn communicates externally via the Media Office of SU.
3. Operational matters
Communication on or responses to media enquiries about operational facets of
SU is the primary responsibility of the relevant member of the rectorate in
cooperation with the relevant member of senior management (dean, departmental
head or director) responsible for the operational matter in question. Such
communication takes place in collaboration with the Senior Director:
Communication and Liaison and the Media Office.
4. Student matters
Student matters usually are not purely student affairs, but often link to the
aforementioned categories of communication (i.e. policy, strategic and
management or operational matters) of the University. Sometimes it pertains to
the field of community interaction. In order to best intercept these nuances, any
enquiry or communication is coordinated by the Dean of Students and the
chairperson of the Students’ Representative Council (or his delegated
representative) in consultation with the responsible member of the Executive
Management. The Senior Director: Communication and Liaison will relay the
communication to the media via the Media Office.
Media statements on issues that the Students’ Representative Council wishes to
release independently to the student-, mainstream- or community media are the
responsibility of the chairperson of the Students’ Representative Council (or his
delegated representative) in conjuction with the Student Dean.
5. Expert matters or specialist enquiries
Enquiries about specific disciplines, fields of specialisation or the announcement
of specialised knowledge belong in the sphere of academics and researchers with
proven knowledge of the topic or discipline. They may liaise independently with
the media (particularly specialised media), with due allowance for the good name
and stature of the University. Coordination with the Media Office will be done
purely for the sake of information and in the interest of an integrated approach to
media enquires and coordinated communication by the University. [See protocol
for requests for expert comment]
6. Institutional information
This is the type of information that concerns the University as a whole and entails
matters such as the following:
 Student statistics
 Staff and employment statistics
 Research information
 Financial information
 Academic programmes
 Facilities and utilisation of facilities
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The responsibility for this information is often spread across different divisions. The
announcement and dissemination of such information is the responsibility of the head
of division concerned, who will clear it (if necessary) with the head of his/her centre of
responsibility and formalise the necessary communication in consultation with the
Senior Director: Communication and Liaison.
Definitions
Rector and Vice-Chancellor
He/she is the chief executive officer of the University as well as academic head of the
institution. He/she is concerned primarily with the strategic direction and effective
management of the University, and reports to the SU Council.
The Rector (or his delegated representative) is the official spokesperson of the
University, particularly on strategic and management matters. He/she will deal with
any enquiries or announcements in this regard in consultation with the Senior
Director: Communication and Liaison.
Executive Management
Consists of the three vice-rectors (Teaching, Research, and Community Interaction
and Personnel) – as well as the Executive Director: Finance and Operations. Each
member of the Executive Management is the head of a centre of responsibility and
takes overall responsibility for all communication in his/her centre of responsibility.
Any official communication takes place via the Senior Director: Communication and
Liaison and the Media Office of SU.
Senior Management
This category includes the deans of faculties, heads of departments and directors of
support service departments. They report to members of the Executive Management
and are the primary providers of information on operational matters. In all cases,
official communication takes place via the Senior Director: Communication and
Liaison and the Media Office.
Spokesperson of SU
The Rector or his delegated representative is the primary spokesperson of the
University. In their absence, or by way of their delegation, the Senior Director:
Communication and Liaison is the official spokesperson of SU. In his/her absence, this
function and role are delegated to the Head of Marketing and Publications.
Media Office
Thisis the centre to which all enquires about corporate matters concerning SU must
be directed. It is also the office through which all communications are issued to the
external and internal media. All enquiries are coordinated by the Senior Director:
Communication and Liaison and the senior media officer.
Professional expert
These are academics and members of staff with proven expertise in specific
academic and research spheres. They may liaise independently with the mainstream
and specialist media about their discipline or field of specialisation, with due
cognizance that the good name and stature of SU are upheld.
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Student media
These are student publications that are registered with the Students’ Representative
Council and as such are subject to the code of conduct that is upheld by the SU
Media Council.
Mainstream media
Independent newspapers, magazines, radio and television stations (nationally and
internationally) -- including public broadcasting services (such as the SABC).
Community media
Newspapers, newsletters, community radio stations whose target markets can be
defined in terms of geographical boundaries and/or interest groups. With the
extension of the community interaction leg of SU, communication and coverage in
these types of media is of increasing importance. All communication on the broad
spectrum of community interaction by SU is dealt with by the Vice-Rector:
Community Interaction and Personnel in consultation with the Senior Director:
Community Interaction and the Senior Director: Communication and Liaison of SU.
Specialised media
Media for specific professional groupings or niche markets, such as Finweek,
Engineering News, etc. Specialised knowledge and communication by experts at SU
may be conveyed independently to this class of media, with due cognizance that the
good name and reputation of the University be upheld.
Tips for handling enquiries from the media:
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The Media Office of SU is the point through which all enquiries about
University matters flow. Depending on the nature of the enquiry (policy issues,
management matters or simply expert opinions), the Media Office will channel
the enquiry in the correct direction for appropriate further attention. Responses
from the relevant departments flow back to the Media Office for further
communication to the media. Also see protocols for request for comment;
request for expert comment and development of media releases.
Media enquiries for expert input are an exception to the preceding rule. It often
happens that journalists contact academics or researchers directly about their
field of expertise. It is the prerogative of the expert to speak to the media.
When staff and students in the various environments or departments are
confronted with media enquiries and it clearly has to do with policy,
management or institutional matters, the enquiry should be referred to the
Media Office. A polite reply would be: “We will gladly assist if you lodge the
enquiry at our Media Office. Please contact them on 808-4921.”
Mohamed Shaikh
October 2011