Okaloosa County BOCC — April 7, 2015 — Media Policy Draft 2015

Okaloosa County Media Policy Okaloosa County Government exists to serve the public and it is the responsibility of County government to provide citizens with information about policies, programs and decisions that affect the public. The County fosters an open and honest environment in which to disseminate public information on a consistent and timely basis. Building Relationships with the Media The news media is a vital link in keeping Okaloosa County citizens informed. It is in the County's best interest to work with the news media. The roles and responsibilities of professional journalists are respected by the County, and it is our goal to establish and maintain a positive and professional relationship with them. Responding to the Media 1. Department directors or their designees may respond to any media request for general information, but must also notify the Public Information Officer (PIO) following the interview. (See also Disseminating Information.) Requests for documents are coordinated through the Risk Management Department in accordance with the County’s Public Records Request Policy. Members of the media soliciting County participation for topics pertaining to County-wide issues, on- camera interviews, editorial boards or similar activities, should be directed to the PIO. Unless the media requests to speak to a specific County Commissioner, members of the media seeking official comments from the Board of County Commissioners will be directed to the Commission Chairman, or in his or her absence, the Vice-Chairman. Calls or messages from a reporter seeking information should be returned promptly, preferably within one hour. Staff should be informed to direct a reporter to an appropriate spokesperson or the PIO if the call cannot be returned in one hour. The news media may be provided with all information that is available to the public. When legal or ethical issues arise, public records laws are relied upon to clearly define what is and is not public information. In cases where the release of information requested by a reporter is prohibited, the basis for not releasing the information is provided as stated in the Florida statutes. If applicable, it may be helpful to give the reporter copies of the laws and regulations governing what can and cannot be discussed publicly. Disseminating Information 1, Following any media communication, the department director or designee notifies the PIO, who promptly notifies the County Administrator and members of Commission, preferably by email, with details of the inquiry, the response to media and when the information is scheduled to be printed in the newspaper, and/or to be aired through radio or television. Misinformation shared with the media can have negative effects on the public, as well as on the County’s credibility and the credibility of the news media. Any designee should speak to reporters only about topics about which they are familiar and understand. When reporters' questions go beyond required expertise, never speculate and refer them to the appropriate source or the PIO. 1|Page In an Emergency In an emergency such as a weather event, bioterrorism threat, or any other natural or man-made disaster, this media policy is superseded by the County's Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan, which centralizes media relations functions under Emergency Support Function 14 — Public Information. A copy of the plan can be found on the County website, on Public Safety web pages and is available from the Emergency Management Division or by following this link: http://www.co.okaloosa.fl.us/sites/default/files/doc/dept/public_safety/cemp.pdf. When the Emergency Operations Center (EQC) is activated, the EOC PIO acts as the single point-of-contact for non-faw enforcement public information. The PIO will coordinate and get authorization on press releases with the Incident Commander in accordance with the Okaloosa County National Incident Management System (NIMS)/EOC