[Ambassadors] Policy RFC: Dealing with Media (and no I don't mean CD/DVDs)

[Brian Powell]

On Tue, Aug 26, 2008 at 11:07 PM, inode0 <inode0 at gmail.com> wrote:
> On Tue, Aug 26, 2008 at 9:58 PM, David Nalley <david at gnsa.us> wrote:
>> Larry Cafiero has put a draft of dealing with the media up on the wiki:
>> http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Ambassadors/NA/Draft/NewsMedia_HowTo
>>
>>
>> That brought up the point of what's the policy for our dealing with the press.
>> Quaid pointed out that @redhat types have some limits due to SEC and
>> similar regulations regarding making press statements that may alter
>> stock price.
>>
>> However there doesn't appear to  be a polcy for @fp.o types.
>>
>> Quaid submitted the following: "You do the right thing and publicize
>> you see fit; represent the project well; on Big Things , coordinate
>> with Marketing."
>>
>> I believe that is a good basis for beginning a policy. Please discuss,
>> comment, flame, argue, and lets get something ready to present to the
>> Fedora Board so they put their blessing on it.
>
> If there isn't already a policy I'd like someone to explain why we
> need to create one before expending effort constructing one. If there
> is a real need fine, if not it is a waste of energy. And if there is a
> real need it should exist already I would expect.
>
> John
>
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>

I agree with what Quaid stated in the channel but I would want to
clarify exactly what "Big Things" constitute.

It was my understanding that the press releases in question are local
media not national and while local impressions are important if "we"
as Ambassadors are trusted and free to talk about Fedora at events etc
without restrictions why shouldnt the same hold true with local media?
This is of course unless an official policy is already in place that
everyone during the meeting was not aware of.

I would question though what exactly needs to occur if say the
following were to happen?  I present a speech about Fedora at my local
college Technology Symposium and there happens to be local media
coverage (ie newspaper, radio, or television) that I was not aware was
going to be there and they approach me for an interview, do I need to
turn them away because I need permission to talk with them first?

-- 
Regards,

BrianPowell
http://fedoraproject.org