D - Monitoring & Implementation Procedure

WORKING DRAFT
Version: 2.0
Dated: 14 July, 2012

DISCLAIMER
This Code of Conduct mainly represents the aspirations and high standards that Geo management and Geo team wish to uphold professionally. Being an internal standard yardstick, this Code or any part of it, may never be used as a basis to pursue a claim against any company of Geo Group, any member of Geo management or any journalist working in Geo Group, if such claim is otherwise not maintainable under general provisions of law. Adoption of this Code of Conduct will neither increase nor decrease the legal obligations of Geo Group companies and members of Geo team under the laws of Pakistan.

C) Internal SOP: How will we monitor and implement the guidelines?
This document indicates how the macro/strategic policy vision as well as the tactical guidelines and best practices, outlined above, will be executed. The process flow and standard operating procedure is laid out through which different stages and steps will be taken to ensure monitoring and compliance to the editorial policy of our network.

Pre-Production
1) Editorial Committee Proactive Feedback Process
2) Discussion Program Content Committee
3) Control Room Experts Availability
4) Program Preview Committee Feedback and Edit Process

Post- Production
5) Post Guest Analysis
6) Post Topic Analysis
7) Survey Perception Tracking of Program/Channels
8) Post PD Feedback Reports/Sessions
9) Live
      a. Live Editorial Foresight
      b. Live Censor w Delay – Audio and Video in MCR

PRE- Broadcast

1) Editorial Committee Proactive Feedback Process

a. All hosts and producers will be required to submit a draft rundown paper 36 hours prior to the show for a weekly recorded show and 3 hours prior to the show for 3 day a week live show, which will contain guests list and potential issues and questions being asked
b. Feedback will be sent back 24 hours before program for weekly recorded programs and 2 hours before the programme for 3 day a week live programmes,
c. When not possible and in exceptional circumstance related to time, the discussion however still needs to take place with EC verbally instead of email beforehand and that discussion can be documented at later stage when pressed for time.
d. See attached template A

2) Pre Discussion Programme Content Committee

a. Before the programme is recorded a discussion must take place between the producer, host and internal experts assigned to the programme. At least two editorial experts will be assigned which will be helpful in bouncing back ideas, research as well as help with names of the guests and be available to draft balanced questions.
b. These experts are only available for input and consultations and their suggestions do not have to be incorporated by the producer. However there suggestions will be recorded by them and sent to the editorial committee as well.
c. This discussion ideally should take place before the draft run down paper is sent to the editorial committee.

3) Control Room Editorial Experts Availability

a. The editorial experts will be available to the producer of the programme in the control room and try to be helpful in follow up questions as well as input and background data and input through the producer to the host, via IFB regarding key elements of GEO Asool where applicable and not just value additions.
b. The producer will also be able to guide and give input to the host through the IFB, to keep a balanced perspective. The notes on Code of Conduct/Best Practices section on Fairness, Balance and Accuracy will be paid particular attention.

4) Programme Preview Committee Feedback and Edit Process

a.The show before going on air, if recorded, will be seen by a EC in HQ in Karachi.
b. The edit remarks will be sent to the producer to edit the program. Due to time sensitivity at time, in case there is only audio edits needed, timeline will be sent to MCR to edit the sound during transmission of the program. One representative from Censor dept will also be present while previewing.

POST - Broadcast

5) After the show has gone on air, EC will send to the producer and anchor a report that will highlight the shows key plus and minus points including the key GEO Asool violations or supporting elements. This report will also include the material deviation if any of the rundown that was sent during the pre-production process to EC.

6) A summary report of the above will be sent on monthly basis and annual basis as well, which will be used by PD and MD to use in feedback process.

7) Post Guest Analysis

a. Post Guest Analysis tracking process will take place by editorial committee and monitoring dept where profiling of guests will be tracked to ensure variety of ideas and thoughts as well as balance of perspective.
b. Formal Report will be done every month; summary will be compiled every wk.

8) Post Topic Analysis

a. Topic Analysis is a tracking process where topics will be monitored on weekly basis to ensure that we have a variety of topics and are not unconsciously participating in what could seem like a campaign.
b. Formal Report will be done every month; summary will be compiled every wk.

9) Survey Perception Tracking of Program/Channels

a. Tracking surveys will be done on a monthly basis to assess the perception of the channel as well as the individual programs to ensure that we are balanced and editorial guidelines are being implemented as far as the perception of our viewers is concerned.

10) Political Party Market share

a. EC will also be sent by monitoring a report that will give data on what coverage is given to which political party as a % in the main bulletins as well as in main programs. This report with analysis will be given to MD and CEO with feedback related to GEO Asool.

11) Live

a. Live Editorial Foresight

i. All live programs will require prior discussion with either Director News, MD, CEO or EC Chairman. Editorial oversight is crucial and discussion particularly with those area that have been deemed sensitive especially require a group discussion beforehand. From time to time, EC may issue reminder on avoiding particular subjects from being done live in the larger public interest. Editorial oversight is only possible when the people responsible for the oversight are not operationally involved themselves and are mostly using their time to monitor and for providing feedback and positive interventions.

b. Live Censor w Delay – Audio and Video in MCR

i. We will have a 10 second delay system installed which will be manned 24 hours with properly trained and responsible persons who would have read and signed on the best practices document and will ensure compliance. There will be two live censor templates, one with a visual screen and one with audio only effect.

12) State of Geo Asool

a. Every year a report on the implementation of Geo Asool will be released. This report will showcase the progress on Geo Asool, the violations, a listing of frequent complaints and the steps taken by Geo to resolve them. Moreover, it will also contain a performance scorecard and Social Ratings (Geo’s Corporate Social Responsibility Index) from the viewers.

13) External Complaints

a. Any violations of Geo Asool or complaints can be sent to [email protected]. Each complaint will be reviewed by the Editorial Committee, and where required, necessary action will be taken. Most pertinent questions and the actions taken to address them will be published on the FAQs section of the Geo Asool website.

COMPLIANCE

The Editorial Committee Chairman, will function like an internal Ombudsman. Editorial Committee (EC) at Geo comprises of senior seasoned Journalists from print and electronic media. EC has been a core part of Geo TV Network for the last 4 years. EC reviews all live and recorded content that is aired on Geo News and ensure that the content being produced is of high journalistic quality and in line with Geo’s values and voluntary internal code of conduct – Geo Asool. EC also provides qualitative feedback for both recorded and live programs which encompasses content, guests, questions, etc. while keeping in view the competition and issues of the day. EC is also available to production teams of all programs for consultation and brainstorming for their programs.

An Editorial Board will oversee the process of compliance. The board will include Editorial Committee Head, Director News, Managing Director, CEO, President and the Chairman or his representative. The Editorial Committee Head will recommend the following punitive measures when GEO Asool is violated. The alleged violator will be given a fair chance for explanation and can bring up to two additional people to give a particular point of view. Video Conference or audio conference will be used where needed for these EC sessions which will routinely be done once a week and or anytime for an emergency.

1) Call for explanation/inquiry (this can be done solely on the authority of Chairman EC, or at the request of two of the board members)
2) Issuing Apology (this can be done by recommendation of Chairman and 1 member of the board)
3) Issuing Fine (this can be done by recommendation of Chairman and 2 members of the committee)
4) Suspension of person Involved (this can be done by recommendation of Chairman and majority vote of the committee)
5) Firing (this can be done at consensus of the members of the committee)

Level 5 penalty will apply to extreme violations or repeat of severe violations or repeat of level 3-4 violations.

Level 5 include but is not limited to violations of GEO Asool that incite violence, promote dictatorship as an agenda, involve accepting of money or favors to propagate a particular point of view or person, blackmailing and extortion.

Download PDFs

	Annexure 1 - Progressive Content Details (To be submitted to Editorial Committee before the programme)
	Annexure 2 - Post Feedback Template (To be submitted by Editorial Committee after the programme)

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