Notices

Statement
14 July 2017

This week we have taken note of communications directed at Novara Media in relation to two recent incidents.

Last week, one of our editors appeared on a TalkRadio show hosted by George Galloway. As made clear in a recent statement on The Fix and shared via Twitter, this should not have happened. George Galloway was not platformed on Novara Media, but we understand that what editors do outside the organisation can damage our audience’s trust in us.

Separately, it was brought to our attention through private channels that a recent video we published featured an alleged perpetrator of sexual abuse. The video was brought to us ready-edited by a third party filmmaker. For reasons appropriate to the topic of the video, the subject’s identity was obscured by a face covering, voice manipulation and a pseudonym. Before it was brought to our attention, none of the Novara Media team knew the identity of the anonymised subject. The filmmaker did not know of any allegations against the subject.

In dealing with allegations of abuse against contributors, we have previously we have relied on instruction from the survivor or a close proxy. We have tried to adhere to their wishes, rather than presuming a course of action which could put the survivor’s safety or wellbeing at further risk. In this case, we immediately stopped working with the subject on a follow-up written piece. In order to avoid further trauma for the survivor, we looked for a way of removing the video in a discreet manner. The video has since been taken down. 

We sincerely regret the harm caused by the video’s publication. It is a failing of our processes that we lacked a protocol for how to receive and resolve cases such as this. The incident made clear to us we did not have a direct, open and effective means for our audience to communicate allegations, complaints, or corrections to us.  As a result of these incidents, we have recognised that we need frameworks in place to guide us in handling complaints and concerns.

We have created a Code of Conduct and Ethics which, in addition to our pre-existing editorial statement and pitching guidelines, sets out Novara Media’s values. In particular, the Code makes clear our expectations of the way Novara Media editors and contributors conduct themselves, and while we cannot feasibly vet every Novara Media contributor, the Code sets the criteria by which the actions of Novara Media editors and contributors can be deemed to be incompatible with the values and aims of the organisation.

We have also set up a Complaints and Corrections email account and process, which is displayed publicly so correspondents can know what to expect when they contact us. We want people to have confidence in our processes, so the Complaints and Corrections procedure prioritises safety and privacy, and outlines mechanisms for both internal and external consultation – as well as referrals to third party organisations where appropriate. Furthermore, each year Novara Media will publish a report on the complaints we have received.

Finally, we cannot ignore the fact that some of the communications received by our editors over the past few days have caused them significant distress. We are always willing to listen to the concerns of audience members, and we hope the mechanisms we have established will give people confidence that we now have procedures in place to respond to concerns where we have lacked the protocol in the past. But the Novara Media team will not stand for abuse or bullying against any of our members, who give their time and labour freely and are under no obligation to do so.

We reaffirm our commitment to the safety and wellbeing of people who have experienced abuse; and we reaffirm our core values: honesty, integrity with self-reflection, and a commitment to emancipatory politics to build a better world.

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