SUBJECT: 151st Wing's Editorial Policy
1. The 151st WG website (www.151arw.ang.af.mil) is the official online publication for members of the Utah Air National Guard. News and editorial content are provided by the Public Affairs Office, as well as wing and tenant units.
2. The 151st WG website is the Utah ANG and 151st Wing commander's primary communication tool to transmit information to the Utah Air National Guard community. The following editorial policy guidelines apply to achieve this goal:
a. The 151st WG website provides the Utah ANG and the 151st Wing commanders a primary means of communicating mission-essential information to Guard members and their families. The wing commander normally defers all decisions on news propriety, story placement, publication date, and use of photography to the wing public affairs officer.
b. News coverage and content will conform to Air Force, Utah ANG and wing commander policies. News reporting will be factual and objective, and news writing will distinguish between fact and opinion. Editorials/commentaries will be reserved for the "commentary" section of the website.
c. Commercial news and advertising will not be published on the website.
d. The 151 WG website will deglamorize the use of alcohol and tobacco products.
e. The 151 WG website will conform to applicable regulations and laws regarding libel and copyright, and the Air Force Privacy Act.
f. All content published on the website will be cleared for public release in accordance with DoD web policy and Air Force Instruction 35-107.
Publication Guidelines
a. Deadlines: Personnel interested in submitting stories to the 151 WG website should give the 151st Public Affairs Office at least two weeks notice prior to publication date. It is highly recommended that Airmen contact the PA Office 30 days prior (preferably on the previous UTA weekend) if they are interested in having the PA Office write a story on a particular event/person.
b. Priority: The 151st Public Affairs Office will make every attempt to cover mission-related and human-interest events requested by Utah ANG units. However, certain articles, i.e., time-sensitive operational mission stories, may take priority over less timely articles. Additionally, stories requested by the 151st WG commander and leadership will also take top priority. The PA Office will do its best to accommodate all requests though.
c. Rewrites: All copy submitted for publication on the 151 WG website may be rewritten to ensure it conforms to local and Air Force journalism guidelines for news writing, conforms to "style" guidelines in the Associated Press Stylebook, and meets appropriate story length for the website.
d. Coordination: Articles will be coordinated with affected agencies as deemed appropriate by the public affairs officer. Controversial or sensitive articles will be coordinated with the 151st Wing commander, State PAO and/or National Guard Bureau Public Affairs if necessary, before publication.
e. Photographs: On-the-job action photos are preferred for publication since they have the most news value. Ribbon cutting, "grip and grin" award presentations, and posed group photographs may be published on the discretion of the editor. Other photographs generally unacceptable for publication include: photos containing alcoholic beverages or cigarettes, photos containing controlled area badges, photos of people not conforming to regulations, or poor quality photos. Photo requests should also be coordinated through the PA Office.
f. Relevance: All stories posted to the 151 WG website should be relevant to the Utah Air National Guard.
g. Editorials and commentaries: From wing personnel and family members are encouraged. Editorials help readers understand Air Force, Utah ANG or wing policies, values and programs. Editorials should not imply criticism of government agencies, nor advocate or dispute specific political, diplomatic or legislative matters. Statements or articles on legislative matters by people or agencies outside the Department of Defense, including official or candidates for public office will not be used. The subject of a commentary is not limited to command policy. Commentaries are usually meant only to share an observation or experience and are often written as humor pieces.
h. Sports: Coverage should support the Air Force's physical fitness program, boost morale, set examples and explain opportunities and benefits.
i. Other: While the focus of the PA Office is typically on mission, people and infrastructure articles, writers can also submit several other types of articles as long as there is a clear military relationship demonstrated in the piece. They include: travel features, self-improvement articles, personality features, historical features, hobby features, etc.
3. All content for the 151st WG website must be reviewed by the wing public affairs officer or community manager prior to publication.
4. For additional information and writing guidelines, contact the 151st Public Affairs Office at (801) 245-2258.