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Communications Policies and Procedures

Overarching Principles
It is extremely important that MSIC inquiries be handled with sensitivity about whether the reply is an official MSIC-endorsed position or would be more appropriately handled as “speaking as private citizen.”

All inquiries of a general nature about MSIC should flow through the Communications Committee. If subject/project-specific information is required, the Communications Committee links the inquirer to the Subject Expert.

All media inquiries must go through the Communications Committee for consistency of message and management of media relationships.

Media Relations
To enhance credibility with the media and the public, the Communications Committee is responsible for coordinating content and timing of all media releases and media contacts regarding MSIC activities.
To enhance visibility with the public, the Communications Committee plans a minimum of one release per quarter, the content of which is driven by events and project team progress.

Committee and project team leaders are to provide copy points for media releases on their subjects, ideally allowing one month for the Communications Committee to draft the release, coordinate its timing with other planned releases, and get approval from the Steering Committee prior to release. Media calendar listings commonly require notification at least 30 days in advance of an event (some media require 45 days). A follow up notification 2 weeks in advance with any updates is also standard.

To coordinate responses from the media to press releases, a “single point of contact” (SPOC) is identified for each release. Where the release is specific to a project team’s work, this is the project team chair. Where a release covers multiple points, the SPOC is the chair of the Communications Committee.

All facts in a release must be verified by the SPOC prior to release.

Only subjects that have been endorsed (see Endorsements Policy) by the Steering Committee or are an active part of MSIC’s project list may carry the MSIC name in the press release.

Public Events
The Communications Committee maintains a rolling 12-month calendar of dates and venues for all public meetings. If a change needs to be made to accommodate speakers, the Project Team makes the necessary changes (such as securing a venue) with enough advance notice to allow for timely publicity.

The Communications Committee creates postcard mailings for all public meetings, and maximizes use of e-mail by sending a “save the date” message 3-weeks ahead of an event and a reminder message 3 days before.

The Communications Committee creates and posts signs at major intersections to announce upcoming meetings. To enhance the existing MSIC e-mail list, each Appointed Representative on the Steering Committee either a) seeks permission from their e-mail list (e.g., Piedmont Pines residents) for MSIC to incorporate their e-mail address in its database, or b) forwards MSIC e-mail directly to their own database. Use of addresses given to MSIC will be in strict conformance to the MSIC Privacy Policy included in the By-laws.

Web site
For consistent look, feel and flow of content, the Communications Committee maintains control over the site’s content and design. Project team leaders are responsible for submitting updates to the Webmaster as changes/updates occur.

The Communications Committee solicits paid ads that are relevant to MSIC business.

Newsletter
The Communications Committee designs and distributes one printed newsletter each year to the entire OPD Beat 13Z. (Discussions are currently underway about expanding to include Beat 13Y).
The primary purpose of this newsletter is to announce the annual meeting to elect officers, recruit new members and volunteers, solicit donations and provide information and updates about current areas of MSIC focus.

MSIC E-mail
All requests for publicity through e-mail to MSIC members will flow through the Communications Committee. It must be on a subject related to an MSIC activity or endorsed under the MSIC Endorsement Policy. In order to prevent e-mail overload of members, messages are judged according to timing of recent and upcoming e-mails and screened against “Is this specific to residents within our Beat?”

Speaker Bureau
The purpose of the speaker bureau is to identify members of the MSIC that are considered primary subject matter experts in each of the key areas the MSIC addresses.
All incoming requests for speakers should be referred to the Communication Committee Chair, who evaluates the opportunity, determines the most appropriate speaker(s), and provides the speaker(s) with key messages and visual aids/collateral about MSIC.