4.1 Quality of media statements
Statements made by APS spokespeople to the media, or staff authorised to use APS social media platforms, must be factually accurate and reflect the APS’ core role, values, responsibilities and strategic direction. All statements must be ethically sound and morally appropriate, and within the APS’ policy and advocacy framework.
APS spokespersons, and staff authorised to use APS social media platforms, must not comment on, or disclose confidential or commercial APS information. If Members, Directors, Staff, Colleges, Divisions, Interest Groups and Branches require clarification about what APS information is or is not in the public domain they must confirm with the Chief Executive Officer or the General Manager Communications.
The above requirements also apply to APS members and staff who are not approved APS spokespeople but who do hold or have held an APS leadership position or role when they are sharing information through media in a way that could reasonably be inferred by the audience as speaking on behalf of the APS. No former Board member or President may make comment to the media on behalf of the APS when their term ends, unless asked to do so by the CEO and President.
4.2 Delegated spokespeople
It is the delegated responsibility of the APS President and Chief Executive Officer to provide comment to the media regarding issues on behalf of or about the APS.
The President and Chief Executive Officer articulate and promote APS policy and national activities, and where necessary, defend the APS against criticism.
The President and Chief Executive Officer are the key spokespeople of the APS and work to ensure that the objectives, views, and interests of the APS are pursued, promoted, and advanced.
No other Member, Director, staff, College representative, Division representative, Interest Group representative or Branch representative is permitted to make comment to the media on behalf of the APS, without confirmed delegation of the APS President and Chief Executive Officer. On occasions where the President and Chief Executive Officer approve an alternative spokesperson to make comment on behalf of the APS, that person will be referred to as ‘A spokesperson for the APS’ and will present on the pre-determined and approved topic only.
4.3 Managing the media and seeking approval to engage with media
The APS engages with many types of media. This includes, but is not limited to mainstream and industry newspapers, online news sites, radio, magazines, blogs, TV, documentaries and podcasts.
All proactive and reactive media activity and all APS media enquiries for these and any other media formats are managed by the APS Communications Department.
Under the leadership of the Chief Executive Officer and the General Manager Communications, the APS Communications Department has responsibility to:
- Receive, respond to and coordinate all APS media enquiries
- Assess the level of risk associated with each enquiry, which will include analysis of both the nature of the information involved and the nature of the media outlet
- Identify a potential spokesperson or spokespersons
- Advise the President or Chief Executive Officer on details of a media response, including:
- The identity of the media outlet and journalist
- The detail of the brief the spokesperson will speak to, and
- The level of risk and the recommended best approach for risk mitigation.
For media enquiries assessed as high risk, the APS Communications Department will seek sign off from the President or Chief Executive Officer before committing to provide comment.
For media enquiries assessed to be of low or medium risk, or of a routine nature, the Communications Department will seek sign off from the General Manager Communications before committing to provide comment.
Under no circumstances should any individual agree to, manage, coordinate, provide background information on, or provide comment to any media outlet without the express prior approval of the APS Communications Department.
Any Member, Director, Staff, College representative, Division representative, Interest Group representative or Branch representative who receives a media enquiry or is invited to take part in a media opportunity must refer it immediately to the APS Communications Department when it pertains to any commentary from which it could be reasonably inferred that the person speaks on behalf of the APS. If the APS Communications Department is unavailable:
- the General Manager Communications must be notified instead
- If the General Manager Communications is unavailable, the Chief Executive Officer must be notified instead.
- If the Chief Executive Officer is unavailable, the Chief Operating Officer must be notified instead.
4.3.1 Proactive media
The APS uses proactive media to pursue its objectives by proactively pitching and participating in health, political and consumer media. It is the role of the APS Communications Department to liaise with the Chief Executive Officer and the Policy and Social Impact Department to determine the issues on which proactive media activity will be developed and actioned.
All media activity must be approved by the Chief Executive Officer and President, including selection of the APS spokesperson to be quoted.
4.3.2 Reactive media
The APS also pursues its objectives through reactive media i.e. when the APS responds to political, clinical and consumer media enquiries. This process is inherently associated with more risk than proactive media activity because the APS has less control over the timing, the topic, and the content.
4.3.3 Risk analysis
In assessing both proactive and reactive media opportunities, the APS Communications Department will undertake a risk analysis to determine the value or potential for harm of each opportunity.
Low Risk Media Activities
Where a journalist is filming, recording, or writing a story in either consumer, mainstream or specialist health media, and that story is based on widely available clinical evidence, and it is judged by the APS Communications Department that the issue or topic of that story is of medium or low risk, the responsibility for providing the content of the brief for the delegated APS spokesperson lies with the APS Communications Department.
High Risk or Political/Governance Media Activities
Where a journalist is filming, recording, or writing a story in either consumer, mainstream or specialist health media, and that story is based on new, complex or controversial modes of practice, schools of thought or areas of research, and it is judged by the APS Communications Department to be of high risk, and/or of a political and/or commercially sensitive nature:
Briefing notes will be prepared by the relevant areas of APS to ensure:
- Consistency in media messaging
- The objectives, views, and interests of the APS are pursued, promoted, and advanced
- The APS spokesperson is adequately prepared to speak as an authority on behalf of the peak body for psychology, and
- That APS commentary is intelligent, nimble, thorough, and considered, and where appropriate, evidence-based.
4.4 Social media and other digital communications channels
The same essential policies apply to social media and other digital communication channels as they do to traditional media channels.
Only people authorised by the Chief Executive Officer or General Manager Communications may represent the APS on APS social media platforms.
Only people authorised by the Chief Executive Officer or General Manager Communications may have administration access to, and post content on, APS social media platforms.
Members, Directors, Staff, College representatives, Division representatives, Interest Group representatives and Branch representatives should add a disclaimer to personal and professional social media accounts, websites and other communication channels to indicate they do not speak on behalf of the APS. For example, “Views expressed are my own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the APS”.
Authorised social media users must ensure that they do not post material that is obscene, defamatory, threatening, harassing, discriminatory or hateful to another person or entity, including the APS, its employees, its contractors, its Board or external stakeholders including business related individuals or organisations.
In addition, social media users of the APS are required to:
- Be respectful of all individuals and communities with which they interact online.
- Be polite and respectful of others’ opinions, even in times of heated discussion and debate.
- Respect copyright, privacy, financial disclosure, and other applicable laws when publishing on social media platforms.
The above requirements also apply to APS members and staff who are not approved APS spokespeople but who do hold or have held an APS leadership position or role when sharing information through social media or other digital communication channels in a way that could reasonably be inferred by the audience as speaking on behalf of the APS. No former Board member or President may make comment on social media on behalf of the APS when their term ends, unless asked to do so by the CEO and President.
Any social media content that staff or members wish to publish as commentary ‘from the APS’ must be sent to the Communications Department for approval prior to any public action being taken.