Sky News may be trying to keep its reporters on a shorter leash by issuing stricter tweeting/retweeting guidelines, but it seems some of its journalists aren’t taking as much notice as their employer would like.
Just to recap, the new guidelines include a ban on retweeting other publications or reporters on breaking news stories, whilst its employees were also asked to “stick to your beat” and not tweet about non-work related subjects from their professional accounts.
In fairness to Sky, it seems it is just trying to ensure that what it’s reporting is 100% accurate, but Neal Mann, Digital News Editor at Sky News, has been happily retweeting and linking through to other publications, seemingly oblivious to Sky’s memo:
RT @AFP Maldives ex-president tells #AFP he was forced to resign or officials ‘would resort to use of arms’ bit.ly/wST1IF
— Neal Mann (@fieldproducer) February 8, 2012
Tim Marshall, Foreign Affairs at Sky News, has also been quoting external reports today, though admittedly it’s not a retweet and this may well have been vetted by Sky News already:
Mob smashed Buddhist statutes in Maldives national museum: police, quoted by AFP.
— Tim Marshall (@Skytwitius) February 8, 2012
Whilst last night, Home Affairs Correspondent Mark White told one respondent that he must’ve missed the memo after posting this message. I guess he could argue this is ‘home affairs’…
Ah yes, back home after a mega long day, relaxing on the sofa with a large wine. Have I missed anything? x
— Mark White (@skymarkwhite) February 7, 2012
It seems that some of the reporters are having a bit of fun and not taking the new guidelines too seriously, and we wonder whether the new guidelines will be adhered to over time, or simply forgotten about…
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