Microgrants/Wikinews reporter IDs

Overview

The English-language Wikinews project has, for a number of years now, a running programme whereby some contributors are community-accredited. Of those granted that status, eleven are in the UK. What the process lacks, is professional-looking ID to match the other provided facilities (email, nonpublic wiki).

Laura Hale has submitted a microgrant application to WMau for funding to permit me to manage issuing of credentials for any existing accredited Australian Wikinewsies, and for those she hopes to recruit to cover the 2012 Paralympics. The amount available falls below a quote I obtained a few months back for a batch of 40 cards with built-in security features.

Budget

The quote I received from http://www.acb-ltd.com/ - for 40 cards, plus 100 card-holders and lanyards, came to a total just under £265. WMau is likely to grant 200 AUD (~£130 at current exchange rates), thus covering about half of this. Reviewing the quote, and looking at customised lanyards, I've the following figures breakdown:

1. 50xWikinews lanyards: circa £50 (I expect WMUK may have a supplier that can beat this, but these have to be durable, unlike many given out at conventions/conferences.)
2. 100 pack clear card holders £15
3. 40 cred-card style ID cards, with UV security features: £210 (£5.25/card)

I've dropped the £8.50 UPS delivery from the quote and the lanyard pricing is as-opposed to an offered pack of 100 plain lanyards at £29.95.

Delivery of cards would need to be by registered/recorded delivery to each accredited reporter. For those going to WMau, it's proposed to sent in one lot, and permit them to distribute in-country.

Timeline

This is expected to cover the issuing of cards to current, accredited reporters and to any new accredited reporters over the next 12 months.

Expected outcomes

This is expected/hoped to increase the volume of original reporting on Wikinews, and to allow accredited reporters better access to any event type or on-the-scene access for other reports.

Who I am

n:en:Brian McNeil on Wikinews; based in Edinburgh, also the current interim contact between WM-UK and Museums Galleries Scotland.

Additional remarks

The reason lanyards are listed within this request, is that to-date I've never seen Wikinews-specific ones. In printing them, and as this would likely end up covering several language variants of the project, I propose a style such as: "Wikinews [logo] Wikinoticias [logo] Wikinotizie [logo] Wikinotícias [logo] Wikinytt [logo]" and so on.

Discussion

Comment: This will include providing cards to accredited reporters outisde the UK. I would propose that, where there is a local chapter, such be asked to cover the costs - or otherwise add a microgrant to the budget for this project. Spanish Wikinews have just started an accreditation programme, and a review of the credential verification page on enWN will reveal several are spread across Europe/the Americas. The key problem with this is that a bulk order needs placed up-front. The amount for the 40 cards would be paid up-front, even if only 20 were initially printed off. I would have liked to include £5 per reporter to allow a batch of 250 business cards to be added to this, but feel that's pushing this a bit. --Brian McNeil / ^talk 11:21, 3 January 2012 (UTC)

• I support this request, with some expectations:
  • Administration to go via the WM-UK office manager for reasons of confidentiality. The identification and verification of accredited reporters to be kept on-file by the UK Chapter, including verification of legal identity if writing under a pseudonym.
  • WM-UK may confirm the identity approved status of the reporter on request from a registered organization and a verifiable enquirer. Any records supporting identity verification will not themselves be shared.

--Fæ 13:30, 3 January 2012 (UTC)

Comment: I certainly prefer the idea of any reporter's identifying information being retained in the office. Obviously, there would have to be a discussion with anyone actively seeking to work under a pseudonym. The process, to date, has everyone supposedly using their real name in association with their accreditation. There is one notable exception to that: David Shankbone is/was a pseudonym. Even when he interviewed Shimon Peres, they thought that was his real name (and apparently a fine Jewish one at that).

What actually goes on the issued card is something we should probably discuss just now. What if, an individual with a real name of Stephen Jones wished to work under the pseudonym John Smith, and is issued an email address to match - john.smith@wikinewsie.org; what should appear on the corresponding ID card? If "John Smith", would you suggest in any way marking this as a pseudonym? Unlikely though it may seem, being checked by the police and having a card with your photo, and a different name, could cause issues. --Brian McNeil / ^talk 15:44, 3 January 2012 (UTC)

I suggest we cross that bridge when we come to it, especially as it does not appear an immediate concern for any requester. It may well be, that after discussion amongst the trustees and members, the consensus is that pseudonyms on IDs for "official" reporters are too problematic. However, it should be noted that a written piece may not require the author's legal identity as a byline, even if a legal identity happens to be on their press pass. --Fæ 16:01, 3 January 2012 (UTC)

Seems a sensible compromise. I'm currently constructing a table on wikinewsie.org which will allow accredited reporters to control what data is publicly available. A point to add to the office confirming a reporter holds credentials may well be that WMau holds a duplicate of this information, thus allowing verification over a wider range of timezones without someone's mobile going off at dog-only-knows what hours.

To add to what you suggest may be the eventual outcome, I've had sources give me particularly useful information, but expressly request their name need not appear in the resulting article (See: ACLU, EFF challenging US 'secret' court orders seeking Twitter data). A similar situation for the actual reporters does not seem at-all unreasonable. --Brian McNeil / ^talk 16:27, 3 January 2012 (UTC)