ALCOAST 114/09 COMDTNOTE 5728 SUBJ: ETHICAL STANDARDS FOR EDITING OF COAST GUARD VISUAL IMAGERY A. 221746Z SEP O8 FM COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC - ALCOAST 614/08 B. 36 CFR 1228.266, NARA REGULATIONS, AUDIOVISUAL RECORDS C. 36 CFR 1232, NARA REGULATIONS, AUDIOVISUAL RECORDS MANAGEMENT D. PUBLIC AFFAIRS MANUAL, COMDTINST M5728.2 (SERIES) E. 051438Z NOV O8 FM COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC - ALCOAST 548/08 F. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS STATEMENT OF NEWS VALUES, 01 DEC 05 G. CODE OF ETHICS, SOCIETY OF PROFESSIONAL JOURNALISTS, 1996 H. NATIONAL PRESS PHOTOGRAPHERS ASSOCIATION, DIGITAL MANIPULATION CODE OF ETHICS, 1991 I. ASSOCIATED PRESS STYLEBOOK, 2007 1. TO FURTHER DEFINE PUBLIC AFFAIRS PROGRAM STANDARDS AND PRACTICES AS DETAILED IN REF A, THIS ALCOAST PROVIDES GUIDANCE REGARDING WHAT CONSTITUTES ACCEPTABLE AND UNACCEPTABLE PRACTICES FOR THE EDITING OF OFFICIAL COAST GUARD IMAGERY INTENDED FOR RELEASE TO THE PUBLIC, THE INTERNET OR BROADCAST AND PRINT PRESS. THE CONTINUING ADVANCES IN DIGITAL IMAGERY DEVICES AND EDITING SOFTWARE DEMAND CLEAR GUIDANCE TO HELP ALL COAST GUARD PERSONNEL MAINTAIN THE HIGH JOURNALISTIC INTEGRITY OF THE SERVICES IMAGERY AND OUR ABILITY TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS FOR ARCHIVING OF IMAGERY IN REF B AND C. THE EASE AND SPEED WITH WHICH IMAGERY CAPTURED IN THE FIELD CAN BE TRANSMITTED TO THE PUBLIC, THE BROADCAST OR PRINT PRESS, THE INTERNET AND OTHER AUDIENCES FURTHER HIGHLIGHTS THE NEED FOR ALL PERSONNEL TO UNDERSTAND AND ADHERE TO THE ETHICAL STANDARDS FOR COAST GUARD VISUAL IMAGERY. 2. ONE OF THE USES OF COAST GUARD VISUAL IMAGERY IS TO PROVIDE UNDERSTANDING OF AND SUPPORT FOR COAST GUARD MISSIONS AND OPERATIONS. BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF OUR OPERATIONS, THE PRESS, AS WELL AS THE PUBLIC, MUST RELY UPON OUR SERVICE TO PROVIDE IMAGERY THAT ACCURATELY AND OBJECTIVELY PORTRAYS THE COAST GUARD. FOR THOSE REASONS, COAST GUARD IMAGERY MUST NEVER BE MANIPULATED. 3. THE FOLLOWING ACTIONS ARE DEFINED AS MANIPULATION AND THEREFORE ARE NEVER ALLOWED: A. ADDING, MOVING, OR REMOVING OBJECTS WITHIN THE FRAME. B. ANY ADJUSTMENTS OF COLOR OR GRAY SCALE. C. CROPPING IN SUCH A WAY AS TO ALTER THE MEANING OF THE PHOTOGRAPH. D. FLOPPING A PHOTOGRAPH (LEFT/RIGHT REVERSAL). 4. THE FOLLOWING ACTIONS ARE DEFINED AS PHOTO EDITING OR VIDEO EDITING AND ARE ALLOWED: A. CROPPING A FRAME TO FIT A LAYOUT. B. DIGITALLY OBSCURING PORTIONS OF A PHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGE IN SUPPORT OF SPECIFIC SECURITY, CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION, PRIVACY OR LEGAL REQUIREMENTS IAW REF D. C. SUBTLE IMPROVEMENTS TO THE TECHNICAL QUALITY OF VIDEO - NOT PHOTOS - SUCH AS ADJUSTMENTS TO THE AUDIO AND VIDEO LEVELS, COLOR CORRECTIONS NEEDED DUE TO POOR WHITE BALANCE, OR EQUALIZATION OF AUDIO TO MAKE SOUND CLEARER, PROVIDED THE ADJUSTMENTS DO NOT ALTER THE EDITORIAL CONTENT OF THE VIDEO OR AUDIO AND ARE CHANGED SOLELY TO CLARIFY THE CONTENT FOR PUBLIC RECORD. 5. NEWS PHOTOGRAPHY AND VIDEOGRAPHY MUST NEVER BE POSED. 6. AS DATA LOSS AND DEGRADATION OF IMAGE QUALITY CAN OCCUR THROUGH CHANGING AND THEN RE-SAVING A JPEG FILE, REF B AND C OUTLINE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR PROPERLY ARCHIVING PHOTOGRAPHS FOR PUBLIC CONSUMPTION, OFFICIAL COAST GUARD USE, AND MAINTAINING AS PART OF OUR SERVICES HISTORY. 7. COAST GUARD PHOTOS AND VIDEO TELL THE SERVICES STORY MORE DRAMATICALLY THAN ANY WRITTEN PRODUCT. REF D DETAILS THE NEED FOR AND THE RULES GOVERNING THE RELEASE OF COAST GUARD IMAGERY. REF D ALSO STATES THAT ALL PHOTOGRAPHS AND VIDEO TAKEN ABOARD COAST GUARD UNITS ARE SUBJECT TO SCREENING AND APPROVAL OF THE COMMANDING OFFICER PRIOR TO RELEASE FOR COMMERCIAL OR PUBLIC USE. THIS INCLUDES IMAGERY CAPTURED USING PERSONAL CAMERAS. ALL IMAGERY TAKEN ABOARD COAST GUARD UNITS IS CONSIDERED OFFICIAL AND MAY NOT, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, BE USED FOR MARKETING OR SOLD FOR PRIVATE GAIN. THIS DOES NOT HOWEVER PRECLUDE THE USE OF IMAGERY CAPTURED USING PERSONAL CAMERAS OR OTHER PHOTOGRAPHIC DEVICES IN CONJUNCTION WITH PERSONAL UNOFFICIAL INTERNET POSTINGS PROVIDED THE IMAGES HAVE BEEN CLEARED FOR RELEASE BY THE COGNIZANT COMMAND AS DISCUSSED IN REF E. 8. BECAUSE THE PRIMARY CONSUMERS OF COAST GUARD VISUAL IMAGERY ARE THE PRESS AND THE PUBLIC, IT IS CRITICAL THOSE AUDIENCES TRUST THE IMAGERY WE RELEASE TO THEM. THE PUBLIC AFFAIRS SPECIALIST RATING IS FOUNDED UPON THE PRINCIPLES OF JOURNALISM AND PHOTOJOURNALISM WHICH REQUIRE THE STRICTEST ADHERENCE TO THE STANDARDS OF INTEGRITY AND ETHICAL BEHAVIOR. ACCORDINGLY THIS GUIDANCE ALIGNS WITH STANDARDS FOUND IN REFS F, G, AND H. PUBLIC AFFAIRS PRACTITIONERS SHOULD BE FAMILIAR WITH THESE REFERENCES AND SHALL ASSIST COLLATERAL DUTY COAST GUARD PHOTOGRAPHERS IN MEETING THE STANDARDS OF THIS ALCOAST. 9. REQUIRED PRACTICES: A. ALL COAST GUARD VISUAL IMAGERY INTENDED FOR OFFICIAL RELEASE SHALL BE PROCESSED IAW REF D. B. ALL OFFICIAL VIDEO INTENDED FOR RELEASE OR POSTED ON THE INTERNET SHALL HAVE AN IDENTIFYING SLATE PRECEDING AND IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE FOOTAGE INDICATING THE SOURCE OF THE VIDEO (UNIT NAME, PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE/DETACHMENT), DATE SHOT, FULL NAME, RANK AND TITLE OF ANY SPOKESPERSONS NOT OTHERWISE IDENTIFIED IN THE FOOTAGE, INCLUDING FULL IDENTIFICATION OF ANY NARRATORS OR INTERVIEWS WHERE THE SPEAKER CANNOT BE SEEN BY THE VIEWER. FIELD UNITS THAT DO NOT HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO PRODUCE A SLATE ON THE VIDEO AND THAT DISTRIBUTE VIDEO TO THE PRESS VIA TAPE SHALL PUT THE SAME INFORMATION ON THE TAPE AND AN ACCOMPANYING RUN SHEET. UNITS CAN CONTACT THE LOCAL PUBLIC AFFAIRS STAFF FOR ASSISTANCE. C. ALL COAST GUARD VISUAL IMAGERY MUST BE FULLY CAPTIONED, IAW REFS D AND I. THIS REQUIREMENT APPLIES EQUALLY REGARDLESS OF THE DISTRIBUTION TOOL USED (E.G. FLICKR, PICASA, YOUTUBE, DVIDS, CGVI, ETC.) UNIT COLLATERAL DUTY PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICERS AND FIELD PERSONNEL SHOULD REQUEST ASSISTANCE FROM THEIR SERVICING PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE OR STAFF IF THEY HAVE QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS REQUIREMENT. D. VIDEO OR PHOTOGRAPHIC POST-PRODUCTION ENHANCEMENT INCLUDING ANIMATION, DIGITAL SIMULATION, GRAPHICS, AND SPECIAL EFFECTS, USED FOR DRAMATIC OR NARRATIVE EFFECT IN EDUCATION, RECRUITING, SAFETY AND TRAINING ILLUSTRATIONS, PUBLICATIONS, OR PRODUCTIONS IS AUTHORIZED PROVIDED IT IS CLEARLY AND READILY APPARENT FROM THE CONTEXT OR ACCOMPANYING TEXT THAT THE ENHANCED IMAGE IS NOT INTENDED TO BE AN ACCURATE REPRESENTATION OF ANY ACTUAL EVENT, AND THE PRODUCT IS CLEARLY LABELED AS AN ILLUSTRATION (EX. PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY PA1 JANE SMITH). 10. WHEN IN DOUBT AS TO WHETHER OR NOT AN EDITING TECHNIQUE IS AN ACCEPTABLE PRACTICE, CONTACT YOUR SERVICING PUBLIC AFFAIRS STAFF, DISTRICT PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE OR THE IMAGERY BRANCH OF THE OFFICE OF GOVERNMENTAL AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS (CG-09221). THE STANDARDS DEFINED IN THIS ALCOAST WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE NEXT UPDATE TO REF D. 11. QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS POLICY SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO PAC KIMBERLY SMITH, CG-09221, AT 202-372-4611, TELFAIR BROWN, CG-09221, AT 202-372-4615 OR VIA EMAIL TO KIMBERLY.R.SMITH(AT)USCG.MIL, TELFAIR.BROWN(AT)USCG.MIL. 12. RDML MARY E. LANDRY, DIRECTOR OF GOVERNMENTAL AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS, SENDS. 13. INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED.