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The Chronicle Editorial Policy

The Chronicle Editorial Policy was revised and approved by the board of directors in May 2000.

For the purposes of this document, "staff members" shall refer to Karma members involved in the production of The Chronicle, including but not limited to editors, designers, members of the Chronicle Committee, and regular contributors.

1. There should be a regular newsletter, distributed free to all members at the store.
2. The newsletter should be published on a bi-monthly schedule, on a schedule that allows members' responses to material in each issue to be printed in the following issue.
3. The ultimate responsibility for the discretionary content of the newsletter rests with its editor(s) who is/are appointed by the Chronicle Committee.
4. Any rights or obligations that this policy grants to the editor may be delegated by the editor to any other staff members or guest writers.
5. In order to provide for the continuing political involvement of the membership, the newsletter should include the following kinds of material:
   • official notices and reports from the board, the manager(s), committees, the officers, and other co-operative organizations of which Karma is a member;
   • impartial reports, written by newsletter staff members, on important Karma matters such as general meetings;
   • opinion articles and letters to the editor, written by any Karma members including but not limited to newsletter staff, supporting or opposing particular policies or actions already taken or proposed to be taken by Karma, the board, or any of its members, the officers, the committees, or its general membership.
6. In order to provide for the continuing education of the membership, the newsletter should include the following kinds of material:
   • reports, opinion articles, and letters to the editor on any matters likely to be of interest to members of Karma, especially those relating to the co-operative movement, the environment, the neighbourhood, or nutritional matters;
   • information about products sold at Karma, including source, nutritional content, recipes, comparisons with products not sold, conformity with our Product Policy, etc.
7. The editor shall endeavour to ensure that none of the following appear in the newsletter:
   • preventable errors of fact, spelling, or typography;
   • material that violates progressive standards for the avoidance of racist, sexist, and similarly offensive language and images;
   • material for which Karma requires but has not obtained the copyright holder's permission to publish;
   • directed attacks on specific individuals, whether members or staff of Karma.
8. The editor has authority to edit submissions for punctuation, grammar, spelling, and typographical errors and to impose house style. The editor has the discretion to modify submissions provided such changes do not alter the author's ideas or intent. The editor shall clarify all ambiguities in meaning in all official board, managers', and committee reports and announcements in consultation with the author.
9. When receiving any material for publication other than official notices, the editor must publish all Karma members' submissions that are consistent with this editorial policy, provided that the form and language of such submissions are made acceptable to the editor and that sufficient space is available (official notices have priority).
10. The editor shall ensure that all material is published in such a way that it is clear who is author and whether or not the author is writing in any official capacity for Karma or any other organization. The editor shall attempt to declare whether the author has any special expertise or interest (including commercial interest) in the matter under discussion.
11. The editor of the newsletter may write in the official capacity of editor on any subject.