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This Committee has developed a good foundation for its future work. Since 1995, the Publicity Committee (then called the Pubic Relations Committee), has been working on creating a thoughtful, comprehensive media policy for VOMA itself, as well as guidelines for member organizations. The need for a media policy arose out of concerns about controversial media coverage of victim offender mediations in the early 90's.
Current VOMA Board Members Carolyn McLeod and Kimberley Fink-Adams, who began working together on the media policy during summer 1997, have made the following recommendations to the VOMA Board:
1) VOMA's Media Policy will reflect the intent of the Ethics and Training Standards of Practice for VOM mediators, which are currently being developed by the Ethics and Training Standards Committee.
2)This policy will make a clear distinction between what's considered educational and beneficial and what's sensationalistic and detrimental.
3) Maintaining the integrity of the VOM process will be of utmost concern in determining what is conducive for media coverage, as well as what kind of media coverage is appropriate.
4) Confidentiality of participants will be of primary concern in decision making around media exposure.
5) VOMA will provide media contact guidelines for member organizations, recognizing that individual organizations have their own procedures for dealing with media requests.
6)VOMA will seek to build positive relationships with media entities who can be helpful in promoting the mission and work of VOMA, Restorative Justice, and victim offender mediation/conferencing/dialogue.
Since the last VOMA Conference in Iowa, the Publicity Committee has not been able to meet via phone or internet, as the list of volunteers is missing. For those of you who so kindly put your name on the sign-up list, or didn't sign up at the conference but are interested in working
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