Policy Section:  Board Process		Policy Number:  BP-8.14
Policy:   Social Media Committee Terms of Reference		Date Approved:  September  5, 2013
		Last Date Reviewed: Sept 2013
		Last Date Revised:
		Number of Pages: 3

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1. Purpose 
This is a standing committee, accountable to the Board, whose purposes are to:
• Encourage member participation and engagement
• Build readership and revenue opportunities

 

2. Key Duties and Responsibilities
Committee Responsibilities
The committee:
• Strives to develop readership, an online following, and a news feed for community newspapers in Alberta
• Develop communications plan in conjunction with AWNA’s strategic plan
• Administer and manage content on AWNA’s Facebook and Twitter accounts
• Ensures that revenue opportunities are identified and when opportunities are identified either by the committee or by members, that they are followed up on in a timely and efficient manner
• Generates ideas on new social media programs for AWNA and its members
• Recommends an annual budget to the Board of Directors

 

Committee Responsibilities with the Support of AWNA staff
• Reviews and makes recommendations relating to guidelines and procedures to identify gaps to accommodate changes in social media applications to the Board
• Provides leads, strategies, and direction to the AWNA staff
• Develop and manage protocols for content of both internal and external related information

 

AWNA Staff Responsibilities with the Support of the Committee
AWNA staff, with the support of the committee:
• Serves as an Online Editor to traffic content that is provided by members
• Prepares marketing materials, member and industry news for use in social media applications

 

3. Membership
This committee consists of a minimum of three members, including one AWNA Board member.  Committee members should:
• Have a background in marketing, communications, and web strategies
• Be familiar with the community newspaper market in Alberta
• Available to meet on a frequent basis

The Executive Director and the Social Media Representative are non-voting members of the committee.

 

4. Term of Appointment 
The President, with the Board’s approval, appoints the Committee Chair for one year. 
The Committee Chair appoints members for one year.

 

5. Meetings
The committee usually meets three times per year, and may have conference calls between meetings.  A quorum consists of at least one-half of the committee members.  Committee meetings may proceed in the absence of a quorum.  However, a quorum is required in order to forward any recommendations or other committee business to the Board.  After a committee meeting where a quorum was not present, committee members who were absent may approve, by electronic means, recommendations and business that need to be submitted to the Board.

 

6. Resources
The committee has a Board-approved budget that covers the costs provided for in point 9 of Board Committee Principles: BP-9.  The committee also has project-related expenses as approved by the Board.

7. Annual, Goals, Objectives and Work Plan 
The committee meets as soon as possible after the Annual General Meeting to update the goals and objectives, and to develop the annual work plan.  The committee submits the updated goals, objectives, and work plans to the Board for approval.

 

8. Reports
 The committee prepares:
• A written annual work plan for Board approval
• A written annual report for the year that assesses the outcomes of the annual work plan and makes recommendations for the next year.  The Chair submits the annual report to the President at least one month prior to the Annual General Meeting.
• Recommended changes to the committee terms of reference for Board approval
• A progress report to each Board meeting