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Media Policy

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Section 1 - Summary

(1) This Policy provides direction for Victoria University (VU) staff for engaging with the media. It applies to public speaking engagements; comments in the media; letters to press/books/journals, and online activity where it might be expected that the publication/circulation of comments will spread to the community at large and be attributed to the University.

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Section 2 - Scope

(2) This Policy applies to all University staff, in Australia and overseas, and all types of media engagement including via print, radio, television, online platforms, emerging media outlets and all events where there is a media presence.

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Section 3 - Policy Statement

(3) Media liaison and communication is managed by the Media and Corporate Communications team. Staff who would like to contact or engage with the media should first consult with a member of this team.

(4) The preparation and distribution of all media releases or pitches must be coordinated through and in collaboration with the Media and Corporate Communications team. The team will determine the newsworthiness and focus or perspective of these stories. This process will ensure that:

  1. the release aligns with University brand, values and mission;
  2. the content is presented in an appropriate manner;
  3. the media release is disseminated to the most up-to-date and relevant media contacts;
  4. the dissemination of the media release is timely;
  5. the media release does not inadvertently attract negative coverage; and,
  6. VU messages are coordinated and clearly understood.

(5) Staff members contacted directly by the media should advise the Media and Corporate Communications team, preferably before speaking with the media.

(6) Official statements in the name of the University must be authorised as per the Media Protocol. A staff member authorised to speak on behalf of VU to the media should identify themselves by using the University name and/or their official title.

(7) If it is not possible to talk to the Media and Corporate Communications team before talking to the media, staff should:

  1. keep the Media and Corporate Communications team informed of all these discussions; and,
  2. ensure that they communicate to the media outlet that the views expressed are personal in nature and are aligned with their academic areas of expertise.

(8) The University supports and encourages lawful and respectful freedom of expression by staff. Members of the university community are free to contribute to public debate, subject to the University’s Freedom of Expression Policy, Appropriate Workplace Behaviour Policy, policies relating to gender-based violence, and the law (including the law of defamation, laws regulating harassment, vilification and obscene speech, and the provisions of the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) and other legislation).

(9) The University may act if it has evidence that this policy has been breached, in line with the Appropriate Workplace Behaviour Policy.

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Section 4 - Procedures

(10) Media - Social Media Procedure

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Section 5 - HESF/ASQA/ESOS Alignment

(11) Higher Education Standards Framework: Standard 7.1 Representation.

(12) ESOS National Code of Practice for Providers of Education and Training to Overseas Students 2018: Standard 1 Marketing Information and Practices.

(13) Compliance Standards for NVR Registered Training Organisations and FPP Requirements 2025: Standard 7 Marketing and Advertising; Sch 2 NRTL Conditions of Use Policy.

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Section 6 - Definitions

(14) Brand: is a name, term, design, symbol or any other feature that identifies as a product, service or organisation that is distinct from other competitors or institutions.  Any reference to Brand within this Policy covers all brands across Victoria University.

(15) Media: includes all media e.g television, print, radio (including their social and digital platforms) and electronic media. It also includes any public outlets identifying as media, such as blogs, video content and digital platforms.