Mass Media Protocols

It is the intention of Redlands Unified School District to foster a cooperative relationship with the mass media outlets while ensuring peaceful conduct of school activities. The term mass media is intended to include newspapers, magazines, radio, television, and internet platforms whose primary purpose is to communicate to the vast majority of the general public. Our goal is to offer support and assistance to staff in our communication with the various mass media outlets in matters related to the District including the education and safety of our students. It is our desire to reasonably accommodate mass media inquiries and to provide accurate, reliable, and timely information.

The role of the District and Community Relations Specialist is to serve as a liaison between members of the mass media and District personnel. They have been designated to assist with information gathering, story coordination, and outreach to the media and will be present at school sites when deemed necessary and appropriate during interviews and photographs. Media inquiries must first be made through them so responses can be made by appropriate officials and answers to those inquiries can be unified between respondents.

The Communications Manager/Public Information Officer is Christine Stephens. She can be reached by email or by phone at (909) 307-5300 extension 20480.

In the event of a crisis or emergency situation, media inquiries must be directed to the District’s Public Information Officer Line (909) 748-6784 or forwarded to extension 20499.

Regardless of the nature of a media inquiry, you shall immediately contact the District and Community Relations Specialist who will ensure that the proper representatives and channels are involved when responding with official statements and quotes.

The following list serves as a general guide to the nature of most media inquiries that typically occur regarding our District:

The following serves as a set of procedures that must take place in the event of a media inquiry:

• Members of the local media have been instructed to call the District and Community Relations Specialist regarding all District matters. If a reporter or assignment editor from one of our mass media outlets calls directly to our District Office or school site, that person shall be directed to the District and Community Relations Specialist who will then follow up with the media and arrange for response(s) with appropriate parties.

• When the District and Community Relations Specialist receives a media inquiry, the appropriate respondent(s) will be notified in a timely fashion. If necessary, a response will be discussed prior to returning the media call. When the issue involves multiple respondents at various sites on a District-wide and/or controversial issue, the District and Community Relations Specialist will provide each respondent with the District’s response(s) to the inquiry, so that all respondents have the same information from which to base their responses.

• If a member of the media arrives at a District site unannounced, the District and Community Relations Specialist must be contacted immediately to respond. A determination will be made whether to allow media access to the site at that time or require them to wait for clearance at a later time. The District is not required to allow media unlimited access to any school site. If access is granted, it shall not compromise or disrupt the curriculum and instruction or the safety or privacy of our students and staff members. An administrator or administrator’s designee shall accompany the media representative at all times and ensure their presence does not disrupt the learning environment.

• When the media is invited to a District site to cover an event or program (prompted by a Media Advisory issued by the District and Community Relations Specialist), they shall be permitted access to the event only. Like all other visitors, they shall register their presence immediately upon entering any school building or grounds when school is in session.

• While it is not the responsibility of the District to provide releases for students to talk to the media, caution shall be exercised in allowing media to interview students, especially in cases of controversial or negative press or if there is a possible custody issue. In these cases, site administrators have the right to deny media access for these interviews or insist that media not photograph faces or use names. The District and Community Relations Specialist shall be contacted for further assistance when necessary. When a parental denial has been issued via the District’s Media Release, administrators and staff shall not allow media to photograph or interview a student.

• In emergency or crisis situations where media interest is anticipated, the District and Community Relations Specialist shall be contacted and apprised of the situation so appropriate responses can be determined. When an immediate response is required, site administrators shall be the only spokesperson(s), other than the District and Community Relations Specialist, and discretion shall be used in releasing information. The District and Community Relations Specialist should be contacted as soon as possible for briefing on the situation.