Concordia Neighborhood Association | Portland, Oregon

Media Team Content Guidelines

This document, along with more information about the Media Team and its policies and guidelines, can be found at: ConcordiaPDX.org/media-team/.

These guidelines apply to all of the Concordia Neighborhood Association (CNA) media outlets: Concordia News (CNews), ConcordiaPDX.org, CNA Facebook page (FB) and CNA Instagram (IG).

CNews, ConcordiaPDX.org, FB and IG are assets for the neighborhood in that they give voice to issues and events in the community generally not reported elsewhere. They support the CNA mission to “To connect Concordia residents and businesses – inform, educate and report on activities, issues and opportunities of the neighborhood.”

  1. The goal is for each topic and event published by the media outlets to have a direct connection to the Concordia neighborhood, or contiguous neighborhoods. A topic of relevance to large segments of Portland or the United States is permissible only if there is a direct connection with the neighborhood. For example, a story about a foreign exchange program that includes interviews with a neighborhood host family is permissible.
  2. All content (including, but not limited to: paid, free and house ads, stories, letters to the editor, FB posts, ConcordiaPDX.org posts, IG posts) must conform to state laws and to the 501(c)(3) status of CNA.
  3. Political candidate endorsements, promotions and advertising are not permitted.
  4. At the direction of the CNA Board of Directors, all media outlets may endorse measures and offer pros and cons, take stances, etc.
  5. Content about the tenets of any religion are not allowed; however, stories about activities and/or events of religious organizations – and that are open/available to the public – may be published.
  6. The media outlets are not to be used for self-promotion of services or business opportunities of persons (e.g., board members and members of their household) affiliated with CNA.
  7. No media outlet may indicate a preference for any particular business or organization through any content or photograph beyond what is necessary to convey relevant news and information.
  8. Letters to the editor may be printed or posted at the discretion of the Media Team. Those letters and/or opinion pieces must include bylines (i.e. names of the writers) and this disclaimer : “The opinions expressed by this writer do not necessarily reflect the views of the Concordia Neighborhood Association.”
  9. The editor is cautioned against publishing potentially inflammatory or libelous content. Libel is defined as defamation by written or printed words, pictures, or in any form other than by spoken words or gestures. CNA is free to publish any image of a minor participating in a CNA event, unless a parent or guardian who witnesses the photograph taking place objects. No image of a minor outside of a CNA event may be published without first securing a photo release signed by a parent or guardian. Releases from adults are not needed under any circumstance.

CNews Community Calendar & Social Media Posting Guidelines:

Free promotional space in CNews and on CNA social media accounts is offered based on who/what sponsors/posts events, news and other topics in addition to the locale(s) represented. When space is a consideration, priority order is:

  1. Nonprofit organizations (and for-profit organizations that donate event proceeds to nonprofits) based within CNA’s borders and in contiguous neighborhoods
  2. All Kennedy School Community Room renters/users
  3. CNews advertising and CNA community partners:
    • Advertising partners are entities that advertise in CNews (within the past 12 months).
    • Community partners rent the McMenamins Kennedy School Community Room or are organizations – such as Concordia University and Cerimon House – which have recognized relationships with CNA, as defined by the board. Also included are sponsors of CNA events, such as financial and in-kind supporters of the Fernhill Park Concert Series, annual holiday party, spring egg hunt, annual neighborhood clean up.

Content guidelines for advertisers posting on CNA FB and IG

Any business currently advertising with CNA may also make posts to CNA social media accounts, following these guidelines:

  • Advertiser posts must have a connection to the Concordia neighborhood, such as: a notice of an event taking place in the neighborhood or in one of the contiguous neighborhoods.
  • Posts that are purely advertising, without any connection to the neighborhood are not allowed.
  • Facebook example posts that we would like to see:
  • A post about an upcoming event in the neighborhood that you are hosting;
  • Announcing that you are new to the area and want to introduce yourself;
  • A short story about a neighborhood resident that you have helped;
  • A mention of something interesting in the neighborhood and how it relates to your business;
  • A link to your business website with a message that you are proud to support your neighborhood newspaper and what page to find your ad in this month’s publication;
  • A link to your business website with a message that you are proud to support a neighborhood street fair or the opening of a new/remodeled park, and all things nonprofit!

Our goal is to build community while helping our advertising partners develop name recognition. We are trying to avoid sales pitches or purely commercial messages. We reserve the ads in our printed CNews for outright advertising. Be creative! We want to keep our page interesting and relevant and we are excited to see what that means to you and your business.

Facebook etiquette:

This information is published on CNA’s FB and IG pages.

PLEASE OBSERVE POSTING GUIDELINES

Welcome to this group page sponsored by Concordia Neighborhood Association. This is the place for all community members to stay updated – and to update others – on happenings in Concordia and contiguous neighborhoods. If you express your thoughts and feelings, please do that in a constructive, thoughtful and respectful manner.

Guidelines:

  • Be sensitive to Concordia’s diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds, plus political, religious and general differences.
  • Use good taste. Avoid profanity. Also consider that slang may be misunderstood or misinterpreted.
  • Don’t use all capital letters because it is the internet’s form of shouting, and it is regarded as impolite or aggressive.
  • Be respectful of others’ views and opinions. Avoid threatening language and “flaming” (publicly attacking or insulting) because it may injure feelings and decrease the opportunity to elicit different points of view.

CNA MISSION STATEMENT: To connect Concordia residents and businesses – inform, educate and report on activities, issues and opportunities in the neighborhood.